Violate the public trust, and the public feels violated. Rolling Stone and Brian Williams are only the latest. Sadly, there’s a long and inglorious history of media stumbles. Sometimes journalists don’t verify…
Tag: high-stakes crisis (page 8)
Mama Always Says …
Believe media frenzy will blow over? When pigs fly. You’ve heard them all your life. Nostrums. Doesn’t matter that they’re often untrue. They’re easy-to-remember rules that make large chunks of life seem…
How’d This Mess Happen?
You hear the same questions every day, from non-profits and companies: Where’d all the money go? You mean those laws apply to us, too? Can she really sue us for harassment? It…
Fringe & Mainstream
In a crisis, change is fast. Be prepared for the worst. “I aimed at the public’s heart, and … hit it in the stomach.” ~ Upton Sinclair, American socialist and novelist Sinclair…
Politicizing Ebola
Fear is a powerful emotion. Use it well, and you win. A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. Ebola is the just latest. Watch the politicians. Both parties are guilty…
Be Careful What You Ask
No rule book in Crisis PR. Trust your gut. Make no errors. Always a good rule. For everyone. Comparable to the caveat that a lawyer never asks a witness a question unless…
Butcher, Baker, Candlestick-Maker
Uncover the essence. Then you can solve it. If problems didn’t exist, there’d be less need for lawyers, psychiatrists, and other professionals that fix them. Crisis PR people are in that…
Like a Baby
Give up a private life. Gain a dependable client. Parents of newborns share a gloriously painful experience with Crisis PR people: Exhaustion. Neither are masters of their daily lives. They…
Battle of the Anecdotes
Facts are facts. Deal with ’em. Your only job is to win. Anecdotes are an effective way to tell a story. We all use them every day, some better than others. Politicians.…
No Mistakes & No Escape
Crisis PR in the digital age: No escaping tethers of smartphones & 24/7 news. To Einstein, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result was the definition…