The President of the United States is the most prominent crisis manager in the world. His entire job revolves around crisis management, reputation management, and communications on a scale few can truly understand. A recent CNBC story gives our newest President high marks.
“I think he understands communications better than any president I've seen,” adds legendary public relations executive Howard Rubenstein. "He understands the media, that you can tell your story through the media. Also, Obama is at home in talking to the public.
Observers and analysts say Obama has been in virtual campaign mode since his short vacation after the election, with a daily dose of public appearances and speeches both in and out of Washington. The President has also continued to utilize the extensive web-based community he built during his candidacy to support the man and his mission.
Like him or not, there's no denying the man is an expert at public speaking and communicating in general. Follow the link for the whole story with even more expert opinions, including a couple of tidbits from yours truly!
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Flow of Information
For effective crisis management, information needs to flow quickly to your target audiences. This past week communicators have done, by and large, a good job of using the various media channels available, especially social media.
Relying on crisis communication protocols, the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, health care communicators, and school officials are talking about swine flu in a tempered, matter-of-fact way. Using various avenues, including social media, they’re letting people know the latest facts about the situation — and working to dispel rumors and falsities at every turn.
This story from Ragan Communication's Jessica Levo studies crisis prevention and crisis response strategies used by various companies nationwide. While the methods mentioned are commendable, an incident command system (such as MissionMode) could help communicators get the word out to, and collaborate with, all their contacts even more effectively.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Relying on crisis communication protocols, the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, health care communicators, and school officials are talking about swine flu in a tempered, matter-of-fact way. Using various avenues, including social media, they’re letting people know the latest facts about the situation — and working to dispel rumors and falsities at every turn.
This story from Ragan Communication's Jessica Levo studies crisis prevention and crisis response strategies used by various companies nationwide. While the methods mentioned are commendable, an incident command system (such as MissionMode) could help communicators get the word out to, and collaborate with, all their contacts even more effectively.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Monday, April 27, 2009
Communicating about Swine Flu
I'd like to let all of my readers know that I'll one of the speakers at a Ragan Communications webinar entitled, "Communicating the Swine Flu Crisis to Employees and Stakeholders." The primary goal will be to educate communicators who are charged with handling this crisis. All aspects of crisis management will be covered, with special attention paid to internal and external communications.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Swine Flu Resource
Worldwide health care provider International SOS has created a web site solely to communicate important info about recent the swine flu outbreaks. The site should be of great use to anyone involved in creating crisis management plans as it has all the current news and recommendations regarding the new outbreak.
International SOS doesn't just talk the talk either, they've formed crisis prevention and crisis response teams with more than 1,500 members to evaluate and aid if needed. It never hurts to be over-prepared; what's your plan?
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
International SOS doesn't just talk the talk either, they've formed crisis prevention and crisis response teams with more than 1,500 members to evaluate and aid if needed. It never hurts to be over-prepared; what's your plan?
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Excellent Report on Swine Flu
A 17-page "Disease Briefing on the 2009 H1N1 (Swine-) Flu Outbreak in Humans" was published yesterday, April 25 by Gunnar J. Kueppner, Region 9 President, International Association of Emergency Managers. The report is copyrighted by Gunnar, who was kind enough to allow me to make it available for download.
The best form of crisis management is crisis prevention. There is no cause for panic, but there is definitely need for focused concern and action.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
President
Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc.
The best form of crisis management is crisis prevention. There is no cause for panic, but there is definitely need for focused concern and action.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
President
Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc.
Swine Flu Crisis Management Alert
This is the entire special issue of "Crisis Manager" that I just distributed to subscribers about this subject. Look for updates on this blog soon.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
¤¤CRISIS MANAGER¤¤
BREAKING CRISIS ALERT
<04-26-2009/issn:1528-3836/©2009>
Editor: Jonathan Bernstein, jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com
"For Those Who Are Crisis Managers, Whether They Want to Be or Not"
Circulation: 4,500+
Estimated Readership: 17,000+
____________________________________________________________________
MEXICAN SWINE FLU EMERGENCY GOES GLOBAL!
By Jonathan Bernstein
Every reader of this ezine, every organization with which you're
associated, can now potentially be affected at a crisis level by
the swine flu outbreak in Mexico which has not only killed at least
80 people there but which has already spread across the border to
the United States and overseas to New Zealand -- a deadly gift to
22 students and three teachers who visited Mexico recently.
Steps you should take immediately:
(1) Educate yourself on swine flu. The best starting place is
the Center for Disease Control at:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm. That fact sheet links
to more data. According to the CDC, "The symptoms of swine flu in
people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human
seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite
and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny
nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea." It spreads
just like "regular" flu -- through the victim's coughing, sneezing
and/or touching someone else. It cannot, according to the CDC's
info, be spread by eating pork.
(2) Anyone who comes and goes from Mexico regularly should be
particularly alert for signs of flu and go to a physician immediately
if those symptoms occur.
(3) Employers should ensure that all employees know of this threat
and are urged to report symptoms in themselves or others
immediately
(4) Be prepared for business interruptions if your workforce is
impacted; health officials could even quarantine groups of people
who they believe have had direct contact with someone already
infected.
(5) Have messaging ready for clients or customers who want to
know what you're doing to protect them.
(6) If you have operations in Mexico, strongly consider a
temporary freeze on outbound travel by employees there and
inbound travel by employees already out of the country.
(7) Retail food organizations may get some customer fear about
consuming pork. As noted above, the disease can't be spread that
way. Nonetheless, your employees CAN spread the disease and
common sense measures that are probably already in place (e.g.
handwashing) should probably be the focus of refresher training.
(8) Err on the side of caution. This disease apparently spreads
easily and the way such illnesses become epidemics is too many
people going about "business as usual" without taking extra
precautions.
As I collect additional reliable information on this topic, or
have any updated crisis management recommendations, I will post
them on my blog, http://bernsteincrisismanagement.blogspot.com.
If you have crisis management-related questions (not health
questions please!) on this subject, please email them to me,
jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com, and I will start a
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that will be
maintained and updated on the blog.
Be well! Be prepared!
____________________________________________________________________
>>PLAIN ENGLISH DISCLOSURE<<>>ABOUT THE EDITOR & PUBLISHER<<>>LINKS<<>>LEGAL DISCLAIMER<<
All information contained herein is obtained by Jonathan Bernstein
from sources believed by Jonathan Bernstein to be accurate and
reliable.
Because of the possibility of human and mechanical error as well
as other factors, neither Jonathan Bernstein nor Bernstein
Crisis Management are responsible for any errors or omissions. All
information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.
Bernstein Crisis Management and Jonathan Bernstein make no
representations and disclaim all express, implied, and statutory
warranties of any kind to the user and/or any third party
including, without limitation, warranties as to accuracy,
timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any
particular purpose.
Unless due to willful tortuous misconduct or gross negligence,
Jonathan Bernstein and Bernstein Crisis Management shall have no
liability in tort, contract, or otherwise (and as permitted by
law, product liability), to the user and/or any third party.
Under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan
Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any
lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special,
consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever, even if
Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of
the possibility of such damages.
A service of this newsletter is to provide news summaries and/or
snippets to readers. In such instances articles and/or snippets
will be reprinted as they are received from the originating party
or as they are displayed on the originating Web site or in the
original article. As we do not write the news, we merely point
readers to it, under no circumstance shall Bernstein
Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or
any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity,
indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages
whatsoever due to the distribution of said news articles or
snippets that lead readers to a full article on a news service's
Web site, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein
has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Authors of
the original news story and their publications shall be
exclusively held liable. Any corrections to news stories are not
mandatory and shall be printed at the discretion of the list
moderator after evaluation on a case-by-case basis.
*********************************************************************
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
¤¤CRISIS MANAGER¤¤
BREAKING CRISIS ALERT
<04-26-2009/issn:1528-3836/©2009>
Editor: Jonathan Bernstein, jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com
"For Those Who Are Crisis Managers, Whether They Want to Be or Not"
Circulation: 4,500+
Estimated Readership: 17,000+
____________________________________________________________________
MEXICAN SWINE FLU EMERGENCY GOES GLOBAL!
By Jonathan Bernstein
Every reader of this ezine, every organization with which you're
associated, can now potentially be affected at a crisis level by
the swine flu outbreak in Mexico which has not only killed at least
80 people there but which has already spread across the border to
the United States and overseas to New Zealand -- a deadly gift to
22 students and three teachers who visited Mexico recently.
Steps you should take immediately:
(1) Educate yourself on swine flu. The best starting place is
the Center for Disease Control at:
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm. That fact sheet links
to more data. According to the CDC, "The symptoms of swine flu in
people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human
seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite
and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny
nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea." It spreads
just like "regular" flu -- through the victim's coughing, sneezing
and/or touching someone else. It cannot, according to the CDC's
info, be spread by eating pork.
(2) Anyone who comes and goes from Mexico regularly should be
particularly alert for signs of flu and go to a physician immediately
if those symptoms occur.
(3) Employers should ensure that all employees know of this threat
and are urged to report symptoms in themselves or others
immediately
(4) Be prepared for business interruptions if your workforce is
impacted; health officials could even quarantine groups of people
who they believe have had direct contact with someone already
infected.
(5) Have messaging ready for clients or customers who want to
know what you're doing to protect them.
(6) If you have operations in Mexico, strongly consider a
temporary freeze on outbound travel by employees there and
inbound travel by employees already out of the country.
(7) Retail food organizations may get some customer fear about
consuming pork. As noted above, the disease can't be spread that
way. Nonetheless, your employees CAN spread the disease and
common sense measures that are probably already in place (e.g.
handwashing) should probably be the focus of refresher training.
(8) Err on the side of caution. This disease apparently spreads
easily and the way such illnesses become epidemics is too many
people going about "business as usual" without taking extra
precautions.
As I collect additional reliable information on this topic, or
have any updated crisis management recommendations, I will post
them on my blog, http://bernsteincrisismanagement.blogspot.com.
If you have crisis management-related questions (not health
questions please!) on this subject, please email them to me,
jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com, and I will start a
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that will be
maintained and updated on the blog.
Be well! Be prepared!
____________________________________________________________________
>>PLAIN ENGLISH DISCLOSURE<<>>ABOUT THE EDITOR & PUBLISHER<<>>LINKS<<>>LEGAL DISCLAIMER<<
All information contained herein is obtained by Jonathan Bernstein
from sources believed by Jonathan Bernstein to be accurate and
reliable.
Because of the possibility of human and mechanical error as well
as other factors, neither Jonathan Bernstein nor Bernstein
Crisis Management are responsible for any errors or omissions. All
information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.
Bernstein Crisis Management and Jonathan Bernstein make no
representations and disclaim all express, implied, and statutory
warranties of any kind to the user and/or any third party
including, without limitation, warranties as to accuracy,
timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any
particular purpose.
Unless due to willful tortuous misconduct or gross negligence,
Jonathan Bernstein and Bernstein Crisis Management shall have no
liability in tort, contract, or otherwise (and as permitted by
law, product liability), to the user and/or any third party.
Under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan
Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any
lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special,
consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever, even if
Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of
the possibility of such damages.
A service of this newsletter is to provide news summaries and/or
snippets to readers. In such instances articles and/or snippets
will be reprinted as they are received from the originating party
or as they are displayed on the originating Web site or in the
original article. As we do not write the news, we merely point
readers to it, under no circumstance shall Bernstein
Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or
any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity,
indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages
whatsoever due to the distribution of said news articles or
snippets that lead readers to a full article on a news service's
Web site, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein
has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Authors of
the original news story and their publications shall be
exclusively held liable. Any corrections to news stories are not
mandatory and shall be printed at the discretion of the list
moderator after evaluation on a case-by-case basis.
*********************************************************************
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Get Networked
Before the digital age, the previous day's happenings were often erased by today's news. Now, the opposite is actually true. With so many people getting their news via the Internet, stories actually gather steam, being passed virally with opinions (both informed and otherwise) being tagged on willy-nilly. A recent article by social media expert Belinda Ang discusses the differences this had made in how crisis response and crisis management plans are formulated.
Like it or not, brands don’t really have a choice to the kind of publicity they want in digital age. The only way to counter the game is to be part of the game. Like they always say, don’t wait for customers to come, be where your customers are. And obviously, where your customers are, will be where the action sparks too.
If you've got your finger on the pulse of the customer and your major critics, which social media makes easy to do, you can be a part of these informal news networks rather than a victim.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Like it or not, brands don’t really have a choice to the kind of publicity they want in digital age. The only way to counter the game is to be part of the game. Like they always say, don’t wait for customers to come, be where your customers are. And obviously, where your customers are, will be where the action sparks too.
If you've got your finger on the pulse of the customer and your major critics, which social media makes easy to do, you can be a part of these informal news networks rather than a victim.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Friday, April 24, 2009
How To Hit the Target
It's always nice to have a client mention how pleased they were with your efforts, especially in a public forum. I recently did some work for a client of Beckwith Communications and Sandy Beckwith was kind enough to share some advice of mine on her blog regarding how to deliver bad news via interview.
1. Attempt to get 3 good messages out during any interview. What do you want people to remember from the interview?
2. The goal of any interview is not to answer the reporter’s questions but to use them as opportunities to deliver your message.
3. Remember when answering questions that your ultimate audience is your client or customer.
4. Always answer the question you wish they asked, not the question that was actually asked. “Bridge” to your message by saying, “That’s a good question but it’s important to understand …” or “Before I answer that, I’d like to say…” Use politicians as your role models.
Remember that effective crisis management involves delivering your information to the target audience, so make that interviewer work for you! You can find the rest of those tips along with other insights from Sandra here.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
1. Attempt to get 3 good messages out during any interview. What do you want people to remember from the interview?
2. The goal of any interview is not to answer the reporter’s questions but to use them as opportunities to deliver your message.
3. Remember when answering questions that your ultimate audience is your client or customer.
4. Always answer the question you wish they asked, not the question that was actually asked. “Bridge” to your message by saying, “That’s a good question but it’s important to understand …” or “Before I answer that, I’d like to say…” Use politicians as your role models.
Remember that effective crisis management involves delivering your information to the target audience, so make that interviewer work for you! You can find the rest of those tips along with other insights from Sandra here.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Thursday, April 23, 2009
New Crisis Manager
The latest edition of Crisis Manager went out yesterday and is now posted to our site as well. I've still got Twitter on the brain and this issue features an article detailing my conversion from Twit-a-phobe to vocal supporter. We've also got a guest piece by Tony Lentini , President of Lentini Creative Communications, about the five biggest mistakes companies make in a crisis and how to prevent them.
Want to have the newsletter delivered? Don't know where to sign up?
Just click here and press send!
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Want to have the newsletter delivered? Don't know where to sign up?
Just click here and press send!
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Preparation is Key
It can't be said enough, thorough preparation is the key to successful crisis response. A reporter from Pacific Business News recently spoke to members of several crisis communications firms to prove this point using real world examples, including navigating clients through last year's terrorist attack in Mumbai. From the article:
The tragedy brought to the forefront two messages that constantly are repeated by Hawaii’s public relations experts: be prepared for worst-case scenarios and stay calm during emergencies. PR professionals act as conduits between the community, media and their clients, and decisions often are made before crises occur.
“It’s all about preparation,” said Neal Yokota, the firm’s president and CEO. “The best response to the crisis is done well in advance of the crisis occurring. Our ability to work through a crisis also depends on our ability to stay calm and not panic.”
As Yokota says, the best way to overcome panic and remain focused is to have a plan before a crisis ever occurs. Although there are always unknown variables, taking this precaution will make your crisis management infinitely more effective.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
The tragedy brought to the forefront two messages that constantly are repeated by Hawaii’s public relations experts: be prepared for worst-case scenarios and stay calm during emergencies. PR professionals act as conduits between the community, media and their clients, and decisions often are made before crises occur.
“It’s all about preparation,” said Neal Yokota, the firm’s president and CEO. “The best response to the crisis is done well in advance of the crisis occurring. Our ability to work through a crisis also depends on our ability to stay calm and not panic.”
As Yokota says, the best way to overcome panic and remain focused is to have a plan before a crisis ever occurs. Although there are always unknown variables, taking this precaution will make your crisis management infinitely more effective.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Find Your Audience
Tired of me talking about social media yet? You'd better get used to it because this former flavor of the month is garnering more attention than ever before. This story by Riverside Marketing President Heidi Cohen, run on Clickz.com, discusses the importance of a multichannel PR or crisis management approach in a time when traditional media is losing audience.
Where are these audiences going for their information? Increasingly, they're using a diverse set of digital information sources, including news-oriented sites, such as Yahoo, Google News, the Drudge Report, CNN, and "The New York Times"; and social media, such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Or they're spending their valuable time checking community and news on Web sites dedicated to their idiosyncratic interests.
Having a presence on multiple media outlets is inexpensive, assists in reputation management, and extends your marketing reach. Are you out there?
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Where are these audiences going for their information? Increasingly, they're using a diverse set of digital information sources, including news-oriented sites, such as Yahoo, Google News, the Drudge Report, CNN, and "The New York Times"; and social media, such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Or they're spending their valuable time checking community and news on Web sites dedicated to their idiosyncratic interests.
Having a presence on multiple media outlets is inexpensive, assists in reputation management, and extends your marketing reach. Are you out there?
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saving Face The Twitter Way
I couldn't resist sharing this one after the way I finished Thursday's post. I said having an open ear to social media outlets can only aid your reputation management efforts, and this story of a very angry Comcast Cable customers' issue being resolved via Twitter proves that point beautifully.
Setting up simple auto-alerts for mentions of your website (available free for Google and Twitter) is a great help to both crisis prevention and crisis response efforts; any business not doing this is a sitting (blind) duck.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Setting up simple auto-alerts for mentions of your website (available free for Google and Twitter) is a great help to both crisis prevention and crisis response efforts; any business not doing this is a sitting (blind) duck.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Thursday, April 16, 2009
When the Twit Hits the Fan
With so much talk about Twitter recently I thought I'd share another article, this one from Advertising Age. Although many of these tips are standard crisis management, new tools do change the game.
"You don't have to bow to the Twitter torches and do everything they tell you to do," said Jackie Huba, co-author of the Church of the Customer blog. "But you can't stick your head in the sand and ignore this building, growing outrage about what you're doing."
Having even a small presence on (and an open ear to) the various forms of social media can only benefit you. A little attention in the right areas can make reputation management easier and help quell crises before they start.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
"You don't have to bow to the Twitter torches and do everything they tell you to do," said Jackie Huba, co-author of the Church of the Customer blog. "But you can't stick your head in the sand and ignore this building, growing outrage about what you're doing."
Having even a small presence on (and an open ear to) the various forms of social media can only benefit you. A little attention in the right areas can make reputation management easier and help quell crises before they start.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
That's Not Sanitary
Domino's Pizza's crisis management team definitely earned their paychecks this week. Last Monday, two employees posted a YouTube video which showed one of them doing various disgusting things to a Domino's sub sandwich, including sticking cheese up his nose and, ahem, "passing gas", on the salami.
With the video garnering over half a million views by Wednesday, Domino's crisis response had to be swift and widespread in order to be effective. Today's article from USAToday breaks down the way Domino's used social networking (Twitter, blogs, YouTube, etc) to combat this looming crisis and save their reputation.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
With the video garnering over half a million views by Wednesday, Domino's crisis response had to be swift and widespread in order to be effective. Today's article from USAToday breaks down the way Domino's used social networking (Twitter, blogs, YouTube, etc) to combat this looming crisis and save their reputation.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Protect Your Berries!
A BlackBerry containing information from both British cabinet members and the ex-deputy prime minister was recently recovered by UK police after being sold by a homeless man in South Yorkshire, England. This story from CrackBerry.com caught my eye because of the extremely lax way the owner of the phone (obviously a government official or someone closely linked to them) guarded valuable, probably confidential, information. With no security features enabled, not even a simple password lock, anyone who picked up that phone had unmitigated access. At best this is bad crisis prevention, at worst a national disaster waiting to happen.
With all of the issues these days stemming from extremely important information being stored and transmitted via cell phone, crisis management plans must include security not only for on-site computers, but also all portable devices.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
With all of the issues these days stemming from extremely important information being stored and transmitted via cell phone, crisis management plans must include security not only for on-site computers, but also all portable devices.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Piracy's Not Just a Software Threat
Talk about tough crisis management, the ongoing Somalian pirate hostage crisis ended today with three of four pirates killed by U.S. Navy Seal snipers before reaching the Somali coast. The order to fire was given only when the hijacked cargo boat's captain was facing imminent danger to his life, allegedly having multiple rifles pointed at his back.
This article from ChinaView.cn has an excellent quote:
President Barack Obama officially released an announcement to comment on the incident, saying that he was very pleased with the successful rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and proud of the efforts of U.S. military and many other departments to make it happen.
However, the incident, as the first hostage crisis at sea in the past 200 years of the country, reminded the U.S. of the urgency to halt the rise of piracy in the region and work with partners to prevent future attacks, the president said.
With piracy once again becoming a very real threat, governments and businesses around the world must begin hatching crisis prevention and crisis response plans to cope or risk losing their livelihoods.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
This article from ChinaView.cn has an excellent quote:
President Barack Obama officially released an announcement to comment on the incident, saying that he was very pleased with the successful rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and proud of the efforts of U.S. military and many other departments to make it happen.
However, the incident, as the first hostage crisis at sea in the past 200 years of the country, reminded the U.S. of the urgency to halt the rise of piracy in the region and work with partners to prevent future attacks, the president said.
With piracy once again becoming a very real threat, governments and businesses around the world must begin hatching crisis prevention and crisis response plans to cope or risk losing their livelihoods.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Friday, April 10, 2009
Homeland Security Newsletter
The Homeland Security Newsletter is dedicated to delivering news related to both national and international security issues, covering topics from cyber-spies to aviation security and everything in-between. Along with being a good source of information, the incidents are often incredibly useful studies of crisis prevention and crisis response in action.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Internal Crisis Communications
Internal audiences can be even more important than those outside your company during the crisis management process, yet all too often they receive the least thought and attention. Every employee, consultant, and vendor of yours can become a representative for your organization, and you want them all on the same page!
My article, "Inside Internal Crisis Communications", published in the latest edition of Media Bullseye, is full of tips that will make your employees and others close to your business an asset rather than a liability during a crisis.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
My article, "Inside Internal Crisis Communications", published in the latest edition of Media Bullseye, is full of tips that will make your employees and others close to your business an asset rather than a liability during a crisis.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Media Myths
It is very easy to get yourself in hot water when speaking to the media, be it be a traditional reporter, or one of the new breed of I-Reporters I've discussed in previous articles.
Ross Goldberg, founder and president of Kevin/Ross Public Relations, offers "Ten Media Myths That Can Get You Into Trouble" and how to avoid them. Here are the top three:
1. The reporter is my friend. A reporter has a job to do – to report. If the reporter was favorable in the past, that doesn't make him or her a friend or guarantee a positive story. Their jobs come first … just as yours should.
2. The media is out to get me. Occasionally yes, but usually no. What most reporters and editors want is simply a good story. If you bring a confrontational or negative attitude to the interview, it will have a harmful impact on the story. Better to be upbeat, positive and courteous.
3. We can talk off the record. “Off the record” – just like the words “no comment” – should be stricken from your vocabulary.
A great refresher for crisis management pros and a must-read for business exec's, you can find the rest of the list here.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Ross Goldberg, founder and president of Kevin/Ross Public Relations, offers "Ten Media Myths That Can Get You Into Trouble" and how to avoid them. Here are the top three:
1. The reporter is my friend. A reporter has a job to do – to report. If the reporter was favorable in the past, that doesn't make him or her a friend or guarantee a positive story. Their jobs come first … just as yours should.
2. The media is out to get me. Occasionally yes, but usually no. What most reporters and editors want is simply a good story. If you bring a confrontational or negative attitude to the interview, it will have a harmful impact on the story. Better to be upbeat, positive and courteous.
3. We can talk off the record. “Off the record” – just like the words “no comment” – should be stricken from your vocabulary.
A great refresher for crisis management pros and a must-read for business exec's, you can find the rest of the list here.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Who's The Press?
If anyone in the crisis management industry needs a reminder that the line between ordinary citizens and card-carrying member of the press has been blurred beyond recognition, then look no further. Straight from this month's Bimbo Awards, this is not the kind of sound bite you want circling the airwaves.
“Mind your g-------d business,” said Congressman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., when stopped by one of the new breed of citizen journalist/bloggers to ask about the congressman’s taxpayer paid Cadillac DeVille, his four rent stabilized apartments, including one used as a campaign office (two direct violations of the law), his 50 percent discount on those already below-market rents courtesy of the real estate owner, and his failure to pay taxes on rental income from a condo in the Dominican Republic. (The ‘reporter’ intercepted the congressman with questions on these topics, obtained the obscenity laced quote, posted the written text and video on hotair.com and published a print piece, as a “special correspondent.”
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
“Mind your g-------d business,” said Congressman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., when stopped by one of the new breed of citizen journalist/bloggers to ask about the congressman’s taxpayer paid Cadillac DeVille, his four rent stabilized apartments, including one used as a campaign office (two direct violations of the law), his 50 percent discount on those already below-market rents courtesy of the real estate owner, and his failure to pay taxes on rental income from a condo in the Dominican Republic. (The ‘reporter’ intercepted the congressman with questions on these topics, obtained the obscenity laced quote, posted the written text and video on hotair.com and published a print piece, as a “special correspondent.”
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Tell The Truth!
Some of the rules of crisis management never change. It almost always benefits you to come clean, immediately, when a crisis breaks. For some reason, people in the "C Suite" often seem to forget this.
A good example is Dell's (mis)handling of their recent layoffs being confounded even further by misinformation and rumours. Already getting blasted across the country on blogs and websites, they would have benefited greatly from being the first to the press with their side of the story.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
A good example is Dell's (mis)handling of their recent layoffs being confounded even further by misinformation and rumours. Already getting blasted across the country on blogs and websites, they would have benefited greatly from being the first to the press with their side of the story.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Friday, April 3, 2009
Voice Your Opinion
It's time to get interactive, folks! I've created a poll on LinkedIn.com to gather you, the reader's, opinion on a hotly debated topic in the crisis management world...what exactly is the primary cause of crises? I've provided a few of the most widely held views, it's up to you to vote.
Find the poll here!
Oh, and if you don't like any of the choices in the poll, then give me some other options by commenting on this post.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Find the poll here!
Oh, and if you don't like any of the choices in the poll, then give me some other options by commenting on this post.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Communications Breakdown
"Why after the AIG spa scandal, the car manufacturers’ jet debacle and the bonus blow-up do corporate executives continue to make obvious missteps in the public arena that have led to growing anger among employees and the public? The answer is partially due to poor public relations and a deaf ear among many CEOs...the reality is that many kings of the corporate world no longer put communications at the top of their agenda. Such isolation has made them more vulnerable to crisis."
Company exec's disregard for communications strategy has provided a lot of work for my fellow crisis management professionals recently, both in the States and abroad. A piece from Canada's National Post examines the obvious and not-so obvious mistakes made, as well as the way these crises are changing the corporate view of media relations and issues management.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Company exec's disregard for communications strategy has provided a lot of work for my fellow crisis management professionals recently, both in the States and abroad. A piece from Canada's National Post examines the obvious and not-so obvious mistakes made, as well as the way these crises are changing the corporate view of media relations and issues management.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Preparedness Pays
Officials at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, ND, were recently rewarded for their crisis prevention efforts when they successfully evacuated 180 of their most delicate patients in the face of a raging blizzard. With a flood predicted, executive vice president Bruce Pitts was forced to make a move and, kept tight by twice-daily video conferences, hospital and government officials worked together almost seamlessly. Newsroom site ProPublica says:
By the time the evacuation trigger was pulled at MeritCare, patients had been ready to roll for hours, baggies of medicines at their bedsides, checklists on their doors, and bar-coded triage bracelets on their wrists whose colors indicated the type of transport required. “We were actually overly prepared,” said Loretta Bartholomay, chief clinical officer at Triumph Hospital [9], an independently-owned “hospital within a hospital” for long term acute care patients located at MeritCare.
The more you prepare, the less crisis management you need to do. These officials saved a lot of lives and all it took was a little forethought.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
By the time the evacuation trigger was pulled at MeritCare, patients had been ready to roll for hours, baggies of medicines at their bedsides, checklists on their doors, and bar-coded triage bracelets on their wrists whose colors indicated the type of transport required. “We were actually overly prepared,” said Loretta Bartholomay, chief clinical officer at Triumph Hospital [9], an independently-owned “hospital within a hospital” for long term acute care patients located at MeritCare.
The more you prepare, the less crisis management you need to do. These officials saved a lot of lives and all it took was a little forethought.
JB
Jonathan Bernstein
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com
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