The question is not whether you and your organization will have a crisis (you will). The question is whether you and your organization are ready to handle your next crisis. This presentation provides an overview of fundamental crisis communications planning and management to help ensure your organization is ready to respond quickly and effectively when the waste material strikes the rotating fan blades.

1. Leadership Raleigh
Preparing for Your Next Crisis
May 1, 2012
Presentation by
Roger M. Friedensen, APR
President | CEO
© 2012 All Rights Reserved. Confidential.

2. How often has this happened to you?
Day One
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3. Day Two
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4. You may ask yourself, ‘Well, how did I get here?’
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6. Communication during and after a crisis
is not about pulling strings behind the
scenes to “spin” the public and media.
It’s about responding effectively
to preserve and strengthen your
credibility, reputation and ability
to operate successfully
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7. “If you lose money for the firm by a bad decision,
I will be understanding.
If you lose reputation for the firm,
I will be ruthless.”
Warren Buffet
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8. What’s your biggest concern about
handling a crisis at your organization?
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9. The first rule
You can’t manage a crisis, but you can
manage your response
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10. What do we mean by “crisis”?
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11. Attributes
• Out of the ordinary
• Unpredictable, disruptive
• Potential to undermine confidence, damage
reputation
• Affects or involves multiple audiences
• Draws attention of internal/external
stakeholders, including media
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12. Types of crises
• Natural disasters
• Accidents (mechanical,
human error)
• Legal or financial issues
• Government actions
• Criminal activities
• Employee incidents
• Environmental, health
issues
• High-profile events
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13. But it can happen here, and it will happen to you
It’s not a question of if, it’s a matter of when…
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14. Not every crisis is like this
(though it may feel like it)
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16. Novozymes, Franklinton, N.C. | February 2006
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17. June 13, 2010
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19. A few years ago…
Mgmt activates emergency responders
Crisis Event
Emergency responders update mgmt
Mgmt gathers facts
Mgmt updates team, materials
Creates media materials (statement, release, etc.)
Media materials reviewed and approved
Updates reviewed and approved
Mgmt decides when, what and to whom to release
Mgmt informs internal/ external stakeholders Mgmt distributes updates
Mgmt notifi es media via phone, wire, etc.
Repeat, as necessary
Media request interviews, send video/ photo
crews
Mgmt controls media access; offers interviews;
holds news briefi ng(s); disseminates approved
information
Mgmt monitors TV, radio and newspaper(s)
Determines response, if needed
Issues clarifi cation via wires, release
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23. Quite simply, this changed –
and is still changing –
everything.
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25. The
Conversation
Prism
© Brian Solis, JESS3
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26. And this is all happening at once in real time.
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27. And once it starts…
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28. The Four R’s
• React
• Respond
• Recover
• Rebuild
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32. Tell me a story, pleeeeeeeeze...
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33. What persuades us?
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34. What persuades us?
Logos Ethos Pathos
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35. Trust
+
Expertise
+
Dynamism
Credibility
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36. Top 10 ways to trash a reputation
10. Wait till the last minute: why prepare now if it may not
happen at all?
9. Ignore your employees or members: it’ll just distract them.
8. Ignore the media: heck, they’ll just twist the truth anyway.
7. Play by your rules: why give a hoot about what anyone else
wants?
6. Never accept responsibility or apologize: my lawyer always
knows best!
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37. Top 10 ways to trash a reputation
5. Ignore emotions: feelings are for wimps – Facts Rule!
4. Cooperate only when you have to: keep your head down
and your mouth shut.
3. Provide only the bare minimum: why invite confusion with
details?
2. Dazzle ‘em with jargon: if a little is good, then a lot is even
better!
2b. All this social media crap is just a passing fad.
1. Ignore it and it will go away…
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38. From the horse’s mouth
Sam Donaldson, Hold On, Mr. President:
“When people ask me how to get a favorable story, I tell them
that you can't bribe me, you can't intimidate me, you may be
able to bamboozle me (but when I find out about it, I'll be mad
as hell), but you can get the best story possible by taking me
seriously and leveling with me. And usually, it is far better to
tell the press what you can if you want to avoid a bad story."
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39. A couple of closing
thoughts…
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40. It’s hard work
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41. Excellence takes time
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42. Sometimes there’s a bumper crop…
…and sometimes there’s not
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43. Sometimes the gods are with you,
and sometimes they’re crazy (or just plain mean)
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44. Thank you!
(and may the Forge be with you)
Roger M. Friedensen, APR
President | CEO
roger@forgecommunications.com
@ForgeComm | @RogerFriedensen
Linkedin.com/in/RogerFriedensen | +Roger Friedensen
877.99.FORGE
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