Building Community Relationships, Teleseminar Handout, 5 28 09

BUILDING
The
Lukaszewski COMMUNITY
Group
__________________ RELATIONSHIPS
Management Consultants
In Communications
Overcome Opposition,
Gain Community Consent

Participant Guide

A Teleseminar Sponsored by the
Public Relations Society of America
(PRSA)
Presented by
James E. Lukaszewski,
ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA

Thursday, May 28, 2009
3:00 − 4:30 p.m. EDT

Contents
• Participant Letter
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Handout
• Discussion Outline
• James E. Lukaszewski Biography

The
Lukaszewski
Group
In Communications
May 2009

Dear Seminar Participant:

Thank you for registering for the teleseminar, Building Community Relationships: Overcome
Opposition, Gain Community Consent. This program focuses on how to achieve and maintain public consent
using direct communication rather than a more traditional media-dominated approach. One major lesson I
have learned is that, many times, success requires going directly to those affected and far less to and through
the news media.

This is an era of easy allegation, rampant speculation, over-interpretation, and negative forecasting. To
assure yourself the public has the information it needs to make decisions effectively, you will need to deal
with them and engage them directly, constantly.

This is a different discipline and requires different public relations tools than those so many of us are
used to using. While traditional tools have their applications, it is the direct techniques − face-to-face work,
small group work, and special contacts with critics, opponents, and detractors − that make this approach so
different and valuable.

Some aspects of direct communication strategies involve winning one doorbell at a time, one lunch
bucket at a time, one rubber chicken dinner at a time. It is often a grindy exercise dominated by emotional
individuals and groups − where science no long matters, exaggeration rules, and intimidation can be the order
of the day. This seminar will provide interesting insights for those participants who seek and need to
maintain public consent in these highly charged environments.

Should you wish to contact me ahead of time with issues you would like addressed during the
seminar, or to submit a specific question for me to discuss, you may do so by phone or E-mail:
914.681.0000 − Office
tlg@e911.com − E-mail
If you would like to visit my Web site to get a flavor for the extensive knowledge and background
brought to bear on today’s topic, please go to:
www.e911.com − Web site
“See” and hear you on Thursday, May 28, 2009. The time will be jam-packed with interesting and
useful information.

Sincerely,

James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
Chairman and President
The Lukaszewski Group Inc.

The Lukaszewski Group Inc. Ten Bank Street, Suite 530, White Plains, NY 10606-1966
Toll Free: 866.491.e911 Telephone: 914.681.0000 Facsimile: 914.681.0047 tlg@e911.com www.e911.com

Welcome to the PRSA
Master Practitioner™ Series Teleseminar:

Building Community
Relationships
Gain Public Consent

By James E. Lukaszewski,
Copyright © 2009, The Lukaszewski Group Inc. All rights reserved. Ten Bank Street, Suite 530 White Plains, New York 10606-1966 914.681.0000

Sponsored By

William Murray, Executive Director & COO
www.prsa.org
To find out more about PRSA programs.

Check out Jim’s new
Crisis Guru Blog

www.e911.com

Your first stop
when crises
occur.

Sign up for the free
E-Newsletter

Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the Public Relations Society of America on May 28, 2009. 1



Questions for Jim?
• E-mail him at tlg@e911.com.

OR

• Press the “1” key on your
telephone and wait for your
cue at the end of the
teleseminar.

Introduction

Open Your Thinking

• You will hear things you know.
• Some things will be new.
• Teaching and coaching management is
essential.
• Take it to the first-line supervisor.
• Opposition rarely makes mistakes; we are
constantly making mistakes.



New Relationships With
Stakeholders & Constituencies
• More constituents ask more questions;
decisions take longer.
• Small forces can stop very big ideas.
• People without credentials have
enormous credibility.
• Public debate is focused more on
embarrassment, humiliation, and blame-
shifting rather than progress.


New Relationships With
Stakeholders & Constituencies
(Continued)

• Anti-corporate activists are acting more
preemptively.
• Enormous opposition can be mobilized
very quickly.
• Actions that create new critics or enemies
need to be avoided.
• Your employees (1 in 4) will oppose you
or help the opposition. They often lead.

The Realities of Winning
You can win:
• Without everyone being happy
• Without all the politicians cheering
• With substantial negative media visibility
• If you remain focused
• If you’re helpful
• If you can move 51% of those that matter
• If you can help the rest go about their
business and stop worrying about you



The Prime Directive for Victory

• Build a base.
• Start with employees.
• Recruit others who have reasons to
support you.
• Neutralize as many as you can, as early
as you can.


Handout
Page 27


The Subprime Directive for
Victory
• Understand how democracy works.
Handout
Page 21



Rules for Winning

1. Refuse to be distracted.
2. Bear down on your positive objectives.
3. Correct and clarify everything others
say.
4. Control with positive power.
5. Wage peace from the start.
6. Get good at managing relentlessly bad
news.
7. Answer all the questions promptly.


Understand Consent
1. Public consent is required,
continuously.
2. Public involvement is necessary,
ongoing, and often government
mandated.
3. Public involvement can kill projects as
well as permit them.
4. Public officials expect the business to
win and maintain the public's support.

Understand Consent (Continued)

5. The news media and the new media
will focus on the conflict, controversy,
and opposition.
6. Personal self-interests, values, and
needs take precedence over social
values and needs.
7. Industrial and business facilities are
often seen as threats to personal and
self-interest values.



The Opposition Knows About
You and Your Fears
• Challenging your credibility is more successful
than challenging the facts.
• Local need is very hard to prove.
• The threat of an action is always more powerful
and intimidating than the action itself.
• Local support is essential to your success, but it
is extremely fragile.
• The local community ultimately controls the
outcome.
• From the moment you open your mouth, some
in the community are angry.

The Irritations of Consent
Building
• Emotional communication has replaced
reason.
• Activism has overtaken scientific
investigation.
• Exaggeration often overwhelms precision.
• Grassroots manipulation is the new
realism.


Irrelevant Questions
• Why do people with no real credentials
or expertise get credibility from the
public, press, and government?
• Why do we _ who have expertise _ have
to keep proving ourselves?
• How is it that the more completely we
explain something, the facts and data
still get used incorrectly . . . and we get
blamed for it?



Irrelevant Questions (Continued)

• Why do reporters, public officials, and
experts get away with misusing the data?
• What's the secret to convincing the
unconvinceables?
• How much science/evidence is persuasive?
• Will the media ever learn (do they even
care)?
• Since we’ve devoted ourselves to resolving
this terrible problem, don’t we deserve
better than this?

Since We’ve Devoted Ourselves:
• To resolving this terrible problem
• To providing this safe, healthy, refreshing
product
• To protecting the public from these harmful
events
• To providing these wonderful, high paying jobs
• To developing sustainable business practices
• To helping so many with so much

. . . Don’t we deserve better than this?


Critics Use the Power of
Acronyms
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
NIMTO (Not In My Term of Office)
NIMD (Not In My District)
ENVIRONMENTALISTS
BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near
Anybody)
NOPE (Not On Planet Earth)
NEIGHBORS
LULU (Locally Undesirable Land Use)
NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)


Acronym Power (Continued)

CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything)

KARE (Kids Against 'Recking the Earth)

PISEBY (Put It In Someone Else's Back Yard)

CRUSH (Citizens Resisting Unnecessary &
Stupid Hazards)

CONTAIN (Citizens Opposed to Noxious Trash
And INcineration)



SWINE (Students Wildly Indignant about
Nearly Everything)

SCORN (Scared Citizens Opposed to
Raping Nature)

CATSUP (Citizens Against the Screw-Up of
Our Planet)

CHANGE (Chappaqua Households Against
Nuclear Generated Energy)



CHILDREN (Coalition to Help, Inform, and Lead
Districts for Responsible Evacuation
Now)

CURTAIL (Citizens Unrelenting Resistance to
Anti-Christian Images from Levins)

ENOUGH (End Noisy Obnoxious Undesirable
Aircraft Going Over Our Homes)

GASP (Groups Against Systematic Pollution)




HOPE (Home Owners against Polluting the
Environment)

PEACE (Protect Environment and Children
Everywhere)
PUSEBY (Put It Under Somebody Else’s Back
Yard)



SOUL (Save Our Unique Lands)

SLICK (Sick of Living in Chemicals that Kill)

STOP (Send Them Off the Planet)


Communication Relationship
Myths

1. You can build a reservoir of goodwill.
2. The truth is the truth.
3. Facts and data are convincing.
4. Public education is crucial.
5. It will end sometime.



Consent
Requires
TRUST

The Elements of Trust

1. Advance information.
2. Bring the community into the decision-
making process.
3. Communicate face-to-face.
4. Demonstrate that community ideas have
had impact.
5. Speak in community-level language.


Make Your Intentions Known
Handout
• Candor Page 20
• Openness, accessibility
• Truthfulness
• Apology
• Responsiveness
• Empathy
• Transparency
• Engagement
• Clarification and correction


All Community Decision
Making Is Values Driven
Each Audience Has Its Own Set
Of Values That Control Its
Decision Making


Community Core Values
• Health and safety
• Value of possessions and property
• Environmental threats
• Quality of life
– Peace of mind
– Pride in community
– Absence of conflict
– Freedom from fear
• Peer concern (neighborly pressure)
• Economic security


Public Official Core Values

Relationships between government
officials and various constituencies in a
democracy are governed by a unique set of
core values that public officials embrace as
a part of holding office.



Public Official Core Values
(Continued)

These public official core values include:
• Protection of individual rights and core values
• Protection of minority rights and core values
• Protection of the public from negative events
• Due process for all
• Consensus motivation
• A system for integrating all available science,
technology, data, and other important factual
information into the process as background to
the emotions and values of the public

The Public Official Participation Cycle

Step #1: Assistance
Step #2: Aloofness
Step #3: Abandonment
Step #4: Antagonism
Step #5: Anti-project Activism
Step #6: Action Behind the Scenes
Step #7: Arbitration
Step #8: Acclaim


Manage Your Own Destiny
Or Someone Else Will
• Recognize the patterns of those who tend
to drag you into the headlines or before
the media.
−The opposition/victims know about you –
plan for it.
−They’ll challenge your credibility more
successfully than the facts.
−They know the threat of some action they
may take, especially if amplified by the news
media, is more powerful than the action
itself.



Manage Your Own Destiny
Or Someone Else Will (Continued)

• Local “support” is essential to your
success, but it is extremely fragile and
difficult to maintain.
– From the moment your problem begins,
elements of the community are in some state
of conflict and anger.
– Failure to address these inevitable elements
confers additional credibility on the
opposition/victims and power to the news
media.

New Media Power Is Rising

• Credible
• Visible
• Instant
• Relentless


Use the Power of the Web
• Manage media coverage.
• Reduce media calls.
• Provide information 24/7.
• Script everybody.
• Set and manage the record.
• Become the reference site.



Typical Web Content
• Advertising • Overview
• Applications & filings • Podcasts
• Blogs • Presentations
• Comparisons with other sites • Publications
• Corrections & clarifications • Public meeting
• Crucial timelines transcripts/audio
• Dear So and So • Q&A
• Downloads (audio/video) • RSS
• In the news • Rumor corrections
• Issues & policies index • Site map
• Letters • What we propose to do
• Links • What we need from
the community
• News & views
• Who we are
• Our purpose

Help the Media Hold Themselves
Accountable

• Post reporter notes.
• Leave stories up longer.
• Permit point-counterpoint discussions.
• Encourage more disclosure of sources.
• Make fewer mistakes.
• Check things out.


Get the Boss to Go Along

• The public and employees expect greater
participation.
• Failure to participate means others will
make things up.
• Honorable companies and leaders will
answer the questions and participate.
• Ignore your colleagues and peers, they’re
wrong.
• Listen to your mother.




Questions
&
Answers

Upcoming PRSA Programs
With Jim Lukaszewski
August 27 Re-engineering Employee
Communications
September 17-18 Crisis Communication Strategy
Two-Day Seminar, Philadelphia, PA

September 24 Building Community
Relationships
October 29 Media Training for Media
Trainers
* To register, go to www.prsa.org

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Credits
Sponsor: PRSA (Public Relations Society of America),
Michael G. Cherenson, APR
PRSA Chair & CEO

Coordinating Producer for PRSA:
Judy Voss, APR
Director, Professional Development,
(212) 460-1480

Producer for TLG: Kerrigan West, Account Executive &
Marketing Services Coordinator
(914) 681-0000

Sponsored By

William Murray, Executive Director & COO
www.prsa.org
To find out more about PRSA programs.

Copyright Restrictions
Please remember that the content of this program and all
materials related to it are owned by James E.
Lukaszewski, protected by U.S. and International
copyrights, and used with permission by the Public
Relations Society of America.

This program was produced and directed for The
Lukaszewski Group by Kerrigan C. West; the executive
producer for PRSA is Judy Voss; script copyright 2009,
James E. Lukaszewski; production copyright 2009, The
Lukaszewski Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Recording this program or distributing program handout
materials to anyone who is not authorized to receive them
under your site license for today’s program is strictly
prohibited. The only authorized recording of this program
is produced by PRSA.



AVAILABLE IN BOOK STORES

Lukaszewski Areas of Practice

Problematic Situations
Beyond the Ordinary in
Management Communications


ents
ocum
ew D ale
fN nS
ns o o
Doze Now
Mr. Lukaszewski’s books,
strategy newsletters, CDs, and
articles are available at:

www.e911.com


Thank you for attending the PRSA
Master Practitioner™ Series Teleseminar:

Building Community
Relationships
Gain Public Consent
By James E. Lukaszewski,


BUILDING
The
Lukaszewski
COMMUNITY
Group RELATIONSHIPS
__________________
In Communications
Gain Community Consent

Handout

A Teleseminar Sponsored by the
Public Relations Society of America
(PRSA)
Presented by

3:00 − 4:30 p.m. EDT

Contents
• Communication Intentions
• How Democracy Works
• Lukaszewski’s Contention Survival Manifesto
• Principles of Unassailable Behavior
• Public Involvement Techniques
• Ridgeway Strategic Audience Analysis
Worksheet
• Seven Behaviors That Cause Community
Relations Programs to Fail

COMMUNICATION INTENTIONS

1. Candor
• Disclose, announce early.
• Explain reasoning and reasons.
• Discuss options, alternatives considered.
• Provide unsolicited helpful information.

2. Openness, accessibility
• Be available.
• Be willing to respond.

3. Truthfulness
• Point of reference matters more than facts.
• Unconditional honesty, from the start.

4. Apology
• Verbalize or write a statement of personal regret, remorse, and sorrow.
• Acknowledge personal responsibility for having injured, insulted, failed or wronged another.
• Humbly ask for forgiveness in exchange for more appropriate future behavior and to make amends in
return.
5. Responsiveness
• Every concern or question, regardless of the source, is legitimate and must be addressed.
• Answer every question; avoid judging the questioner.
• Avoid taking any question personally.
• Build followers and be nice, even in the face of anger or aggressive negativity. Anger and arrogance
create plaintiffs.
6. Empathy
• Action always speaks louder than words.
• Action illustrates concern, sensitivity, and compassion.
• Act as though it was happening to you or someone you care about.

7. Transparency
• Our behavior, our attitude, our plans, even our strategic discussions are unchallengeable, positive, and
explainable.
• Our families would be comfortable reading about our actions, decisions, and discussions on the front
page of tomorrow’s newspaper.
• No secrets (because important things and stupid stuff always come out).

8. Engagement
• Face-to-face is the communications approach desired by just about everyone.
• Those who challenge us most will require aggressive positive interaction.
• Our base and those who give us permission to operate expect us to deal with unconvinceables and
victims.
• Direct interactive response, even negotiation, empowers the initiator.

9. Clarification and Correction
• Relentlessly correct and clarify the record.
• Prompt, positive, constructive elaboration of the facts preempts critics and empowers employees and
supporters.


HOW DEMOCRACY WORKS
A Communications Analysis

12.5%
D³UV² − Temporary

12.5%
D³UV² − Permanent
50%
Don’t Care (DC)
4%
SAINNTS

7%
Dysfunctional
Movers & Shakers (DM&S)

15% 20%
Movers & Shakers (M&S) Disengaged Don’t Care (DDC)

50% DC: Don’t Care
20% DDC: Disengaged Don’t Care
15% M&S: Movers & Shakers
7% DM&S: Dysfunctional Movers & Shakers
4% SAINNTS: Self-appointed IN or Near The Source
25% D³UV² − Temporary/Permanent: Disheartened,
Disgruntled, Disoriented, Unconvinceable Victims
121% needing a Victory (over you)

NOTES:

• DC: Average citizens who live in a democracy but intentionally ignore participating in it,
though they benefit from it every day.
• DDC: Disengagement caused by forces beyond the citizen’s control—job loss, sick parents,
economic dislocation of some kind, or life dislocations.
• M&S: Movers & Shakers—the elected, the appointed, and the volunteers, ranging from Boy
Scout and Girl Scout leaders to the president of the United States—focused on solving today’s
problems and moving toward tomorrow.
• DM&S: Also elected, appointed, and volunteers, but focused on preserving today and
yesterday, and preventing tomorrow from happening.
• SAINNTS: People who watch and count what leaders are doing, and spontaneously and
voluntarily report their observations to others. (They are self-appointed, they make things up.)
• D³UV²: Their main tools are aggressive, negative, irritating, embarrassing, or humiliating
questions—why now, why me, why us, what alternatives did you consider, why are you doing
this to me, what did I ever do to you, what were you thinking, why didn’t you know, should
the same people who screwed this up be in charge of fixing it, etc.?


LUKASZEWSKI’S CONTENTION SURVIVAL MANIFESTO
Keeping Yourself and the Things That Matter Under Control

This manifesto is a personal and often publicly declared set of principles, policies, or
intentions for addressing contentious public circumstances and situations, and behaving with
integrity, honesty, and even good humor. If your mother could teach you the rules for winning in
the irritating, aggravating, agitating environment of being under attack in the news media—
personally, politically, or professionally, these are the 27 techniques and practices she (or most
moms) would share. You can succeed even in the face of contentious people, angry neighbors,
negative media coverage, and irritated public officials.

1. Speak only for yourself. Say less, write less, but make these communications truly
important.

2. Answer every question. Aim for 75-150 word responses; this is 30-60 seconds
reading or speaking time. Honorable organizations, people, programs, and initiatives
can answer any question.

3. Always let others speak for themselves. When you try to speak for others, you will
always be wrong, and attacked or humiliated for being wrong.

4. Avoid claiming that you agree with your opponents on anything, unless they say so
first. Once opponents say it, you may quote them saying it, but always say what you
believe to be true and back that up.

5. Avoid saying that you work closely with public agencies, other organizations, or
even individuals related to your situation (even if you believe you do), unless they say
so first and you then quote them. Otherwise, they can deny it (especially if controversy
arises) or point out, as some may quite quickly, that whatever links exist are rather
weak. They will then describe those weaknesses or deny that you have any real
influence.

Those who can and may support you in the future (public or private) must have their status
preserved for the long run. Drawing them into your discussion could needlessly make them
targets of attack. They will have to abandon or, perhaps, denounce or distance themselves
from you.

6. Assume that everyone in the discussion has more credibility than you do. Your job
is to validate your credibility, every time, rather than to discredit others.

7. Be relentlessly positive (avoid all negative words) and constructive (avoid criticizing
and criticism). Both provide the fuel opponents thrive on.

8. Focus on the truly important 5%; forget the rest. Respond to and develop what truly
matters.

9. Let attackers discredit themselves. Their emotional words and negative, destructive
language equals less truth and trustworthiness. Avoid “friends” who suggest this
approach. It will always backfire.


10. Practice laggership. Speak second but always have the last word.

11. Remain calm. Critics, agitators, and bullies are energized by anger, emotionalism,
whininess, and negative counter attacks.

12. Silence is always toxic to the accused. After a while, even your friends will sacrifice
or question you.

13. Apologies are always in order, provided they contain all of the crucial ingredients of
an effective apology. The most constructive structures for apology are in The Five
Languages of Apology, a book by Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas (The Five
Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships, Gary
Chapman and Jennifer Thomas; Northfield Publishing, September 1, 2006; ISBN
1881273571.). Here, with some paraphrasing and modification based on my
experiences, are the ingredients of the perfect apology.
• Regret (acknowledgment): A verbal acknowledgement by the perpetrator that their
wrongful behavior caused unnecessary pain, suffering, and hurt that identifies,
specifically, what action or behavior is responsible for the pain.
• Accepting Responsibility (declaration): An unconditional declarative statement by
the perpetrator recognizing their wrongful behavior and acknowledging that there is
no excuse for the behavior.
• Restitution (penance): An offer of help or assistance to victims, by the perpetrator;
action beyond the words “I’m sorry”; and conduct that assumes the responsibility to
make the situation right.
• Repentance (humility): Language by the perpetrator acknowledging that this
behavior caused pain and suffering for which he/she is genuinely sorry; language by
the perpetrator recognizing that serious, unnecessary harm and emotional damage
was caused.
• Direct Forgiveness Request : “I was wrong, I hurt you, and I ask you to forgive me.”
The most difficult and challenging aspects of apologizing are the admission of having
done something hurtful, damaging, or wrong, and to request forgiveness. Skip even
one step and you fail.

14. Have courage, and refuse to be distracted by negativity, friendly pressure, or the
agendas of others. You are in the spotlight. They are in the shadows. Be especially
wary of those who feel that responding empowers others, or that you might look like a
sissy for having done it. Either of these outcomes is better than being considered
boorish, bullyish, arrogant, or callous.

15. Discourage others from explaining your situation. They will get it wrong. You will
be blamed, and they will be attacked. They will then have to abandon you altogether,
keep some distance, or attack you to preserve their own credibility.


16. Everything that goes around comes back around. Avoid verbal vegetables, the
words phrases, arguments, assertions, and statements you write or say that you know
you will have to eat some time in the future.

17. Remember the math of truth: Truth is 15% facts and data and 85% emotion and
perception; 65% of truth is point of reference (my backyard or neighborhood). Facts do
matter, but addressing the emotional component of issues and questions immediately,
continuously, and constructively is essential for success.

18. Be strategic. Say, act, plan, and write with future impact in mind.

19. Prepare to work alone and to be abandoned by just about everyone.

20. Stay at altitude, keep a distance, avoid taking events or actions personally, and be
reasoned, appropriate, and direct. Positive and constructive responses tend to
disempower those making the attacks.

21. Keep the testosterosis under control. Every bit of negative energy you throw in their
direction will multiply by a factor of five to 10, and they will throw it right back at you.

22. Be preemptive. Work in real time. Do it now, fix it now, ask it now, correct it now,
challenge it now, and answer it now.

23. Write and speak, simply, sensibly, positively empathetically and constructively.

24. Avoid trying to discredit anyone, any argument, any evidence, or any movement.
Such actions stimulate the creation of critics and adversaries; who accumulate, hang
around, live forever, and search relentlessly to exploit your weaknesses, vulnerabilities,
and susceptibilities. Prove your position with positive, declarative language.

25. Get accustomed to accommodating the long term, relentlessly negative nature of
contentious situations.

26. Correct and clarify what matters promptly, but do it all on your own Web site.
Avoid joining blogs or conversations outside your site. The latter strategy will suck all
of your energy into responding to the agendas of others who are having fun and
sleeping well, while you are doing neither.

27. It is your destiny. Fail to manage it, and someone else is waiting in the wings to do it
for you.


N:WordTLGP R S A-TeleconsBuilding Community Relationships, Teleseminar Handout, 5-28-09.doc

PRINCIPLES OF UNASSAILABLE BEHAVIOR

Unassailable Approach Credibility Destroying Approach

1. Responsiveness: When problems occur we will be 1. Aloofness:
prepared to talk about them internally and externally • Wait to respond _ "no one may notice."
as aggressively as we respond to them operationally. • Develop our own story.
2. Openness: If the public should know about a 2. No Commitment:
problem we are having, or about to have, which • Refuse to talk; volunteer nothing.
could affect them or our credibility, we will • Answer only if they get the question right.
voluntarily talk about it as quickly and as completely
as we can.
3. Concern: When business problems occur, we will 3. Delay:
keep the community and those most directly affected • Stall responses.
posted on a schedule they set until the problem is • Hire big-time outside expert to study; report
thoroughly explained or resolved. something next year (maybe).
• We can't talk until we know all the facts.
4. Respect: We will answer any questions the 4. Disdain:
community may have and suggest and volunteer • Avoid opponents; disparage them.
additional information in the event the community • Belittle uneducated questions and people.
does not ask enough questions. We will respect and
seek to work with those who oppose us.
5. Cooperation: We will be cooperative with the news 5. Umbrage:
media as far as possible, but our major responsibility • "They have no business being involved in this."
is to communicate compassionately, completely and • "There is no news here, why do they care?"
directly with those most directly affected by our • "Be careful not to appear responsible."
problems, as soon as possible.
6. Responsibility: Unless incapacitated or 6. Stonewall:
inappropriate, the senior executive on-site is the • "Not to my knowledge."
spokesperson during an emergency. • The lawyers will convey our "no comment."
7. Sensitivity: At the earliest possible moment we will 7. Hunker Down:
step back and analyze the impact of the problems we • Anything we learn will be saved for litigation.
are having or causing, with the intention to • We'll talk only as a litigation prevention
communicate with all appropriate audiences to strategy.
inform and to alert. • "If they can't get it right, we don't and won't have
to talk to them."
8. Ethics: If we are at fault, we will admit, apologize 8. Arrogance:
for and explain our mistakes as quickly as possible. • No apology; no admission; no empathy.
• "Up yours."
9. Compassion: We will always show concern, 9. Reticence:
empathy, sympathy and remorse or contrition. • "We can't set a precedent."
• Do nothing that can be interpreted as taking
responsibility.
10. Generosity: We will find a way to go beyond what 10. Avoidance:
is expected or required, even to "do penance" where • "Offer them ten percent less than they need."
appropriate. • Let them sue; we'll investigate, stall and pay as littl
as possible as far from now in time as possible.
11. Commitment: We will learn from our mistakes, talk 11. Abstention:
publicly about what we've learned, and renew our • Our mistakes are our business. Accidents
commitment to keeping errors, mistakes and happen; everything in life carries some risk.
problems from re-occurring. Our goal is zero errors, • Zero is impossible.
zero defects, zero mistakes, zero crises. • We'll do the best we can and that will just have
to do.



PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT TECHNIQUES
DIRECT METHODS OF
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION INFORMATION GATHERING

TECHNIQUES TECHNIQUES _ PURPOSES

Briefings Guest speaking Open houses Information contact person _ Identify a point of contact
Brochures Handbills Personalized letters where the public can place a single call and receive either an
Direct mailings Information fairs Purchased advertising answer or be called back with information.
Door-to-door visits Information hotline Slide shows Interviews of community leaders, key individuals _ To
Drop-in center Mobile office Telephone identify reactions to, and knowledge of project. To identify
Fact sheets Newsletters Videos issues of concern and historical controversies. To identify
Flyers Newspaper inserts Volunteers other groups or individuals to be contacts or added to the
mailing list. To assess the political climate and relationships
PURPOSE among various interest groups.
Mailed surveys or questionnaires _ To assess public
To provide detailed information to a targeted audience in your own awareness of project actions, public issues, and concerns. To
words and on your schedule. assess values and issues of concern to the public.
Telephone survey _ To assess public awareness of meetings,
INDIRECT METHODS OF project actions, public hearings, etc. To track the movement of
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION public opinion to the project.
Focus groups _ To gather emotional/intellectual reaction to
TECHNIQUES possible activities.
Door-to-door _ Give site neighbors the opportunity to directly
Feature stories Press conferences Public service express opinions.
Guest editorials Press interviews announcements Open forums _ For the public to have an opportunity to ask
News releases Press kits questions and express views.
Brainstorming sessions _ Give diverse group of public
PURPOSE opportunity to define problems and develop alternatives.
To provide information to the media and the general public.

CITIZEN AND AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

TECHNIQUES _ PURPOSES

Advisory groups of key publics _ To advise on policy and technical matters, critically review results, help find compromises
between competing local interests, advise on public involvement approaches, and promote consensus with constituents.
Public workshops/task forces _ Small diverse groups to explore specific topic solutions to particular problems.
Project liaison _ Contact person in key public groups and agencies who is kept fully informed of project activities.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION/CONSENSUS BUILDING


Facilitation leader _ To impartially lead discussions. Delphi technique _ To identify options using independent
Mediation process _ To re-establish communication when all experts.
positions are polarized and move parties to mutual understandings Public values assessment _ To combine public values with
and agreements. technical facts to identify alternatives that most closely meet
Nominal group workshop _ To build consensus on project actions, what the public has said is important to them.
issues, or mitigation plans.

ANALYSIS AND DOCUMENTATION


Computerized comment storage and retrieval system _ To objectively summarize and make available public comments.
Summary and evaluation reports _ To provide written documentation of activity, attendees, issues, and comments, and to evaluate
the public involvement program.


* Ridgeway Strategic Audience Analysis Worksheet

SPECIAL PUBLICS

LAWYERS
LEGACY
MEDIA
CIVIC AND
PHILANTHROPIC
GROUPS

ENVIRON-
MENTALISTS VENDORS

RELIGIOUS LOCAL
LEADERS LEGISLATORS

UNION FEDERAL
PHYSICIANS LEADERSHIP REGULATORS Messages to the Community
OPINION LOCAL STATE
LEADERS CONGRESSMEN REGULATORS

LOWER
BLOGS SCHOOL
CITY
COUNCIL Feedback From the Community
OFFICIALS

ORGANIZED BUSINESS
OPPOSITION PEOPLE

UPPER
LOBBYISTS SCHOOL
OFFICIALS

TEACHERS

NEW
TRADE MEDIA
GROUPS

BASE AUDIENCE

The
Lukaszewski
Executive Action
Group Urgent Information for Executive Decision making
In Communications

October/November/December 1998 FILE: Community Relations & Grassroots Campaigns

TO: Executive Addressed
FR: James E. Lukaszewski, APR, Fellow PRSA
Chairman
RE: Seven Behaviors That Cause Community Relations Programs to Fail
As we analyze, repair, and rehabilitate failing community relations programs in the U.S. and in other
countries, we repeatedly notice patterns of suspect behavior and beliefs that often lead to trouble.
1. Unrealistic assessment of community 4. Heavy reliance on "PR" techniques:
attitudes: • Lots of advertising, mail, and newsletters.
• Minimize their fears. • Real focus on the "back door" instead of on door-to-
• Trivialize their concerns. door.
• Belittle their questions. • Get the Chamber of Commerce and your friends to
• Ignore the unconvinceables. endorse the project.
• Use themes and messages that ignore real
2. No prompt commitment to do what the community fears, questions, and emotions.
community really expects:
• Public meetings where you persuade 5. Reluctance to be open with the community:
them. • Be reactive.
• Provide "extra" data. • Avoid listening.
• Answer their really crucial questions: • Refuse to adapt your plans.
− Is it really necessary? • Start a third-party support group.
− Aren't there other alternatives? • Keep the public in the dark as long as possible.
− What are the real risks?
− Why disrupt our lives this way? 6. Assign community relationship-building responsibilities
− Why do you have to threaten to people who don't care, are too technical, are poor
everything we care about? communicators, or whom the community or activists
won’t respect.
3. Decisions based on false assumptions:
7. No trustworthy, independent local oversight:
• It's PR's job to cover poor operational
decisions. • Opponents are demeaned, insulted, and held at a
• Economic benefit is more important distance.
than beliefs or values. • Neighbors are considered "kooks" and
• Environmental benefit will outweigh troublemakers.
fear of environmental threat. • Activists are in it "only to raise money for their
• The community needs it. cause."
• It will solve future community • Public officials are just looking for votes.
problems. • We can't let anyone look over our shoulder. They
• Good data will control emotional can't understand, or they might leak sensitive
outbursts. information.

Converting these patterns of failure into positive planning checklists provides useful tools for
redesigning more acceptable, credible, and successful community relations efforts. For more useful ideas,
please visit our Web site at www.e911.com.



DISCUSSION OUTLINE

Building Community Relationships
Overcome Opposition, Gain Community Consent

PRSA Teleseminar

If those who listened to this program with you would like to have a follow-up discussion,
here are some questions to begin the conversation:

1. What do you know now that you didn’t know when the program began?

2. What’s the most important concept or idea you learned from this program?

3. What questions has the presentation raised for which you need to find answers?

4. What key skills, ideas, or knowledge did this program confirm for you?

5. Based on what you learned and heard today, what is the first thing you’re going to do
when you return to your office?

6. What’s the second thing you’re going to do? What areas could be included in such a
presentation or program to help answer questions, make the presentation more
complete, or resolve issues and questions that remain on your mind?


JAMES E. LUKASZEWSKI, ABC, APR, FELLOW PRSA

James E. Lukaszewski (loo-ka-SHEV-skee) advises, coaches, and counsels the men and women who run very large
corporations and organizations through extraordinary problems and critical high-profile circumstances. The bulk of his
practice is in the Western Hemisphere, although he has clients from many parts of the world.
He is an expert in managing and reducing contention, counteracting tough, touchy, sensitive corporate communications
issues. He counsels companies facing serious internal and external problems involving: activist counteraction; community
conflict and grassroots campaigns; corporate relations failures; reputational threats; employee relationship building;
ethics/integrity/compliance; litigation visibility; Web-based attacks; and threats to corporate survival. His broad-based
experience ranges from media-initiated investigations to product recalls and plant closings, from criminal litigation to
takeovers. He is frequently retained by senior management to directly intervene and manage the resolution of corporate
problems and bad news. The situations he helps resolve often involve conflict, controversy, community action or activist
opposition. Almost half of his practice involves civil and criminal litigation.
He is a teacher, thinker, coach, and trusted advisor with the unique ability to help executives look at problems from a
variety of sensible, constructive, principled perspectives. He teaches clients how to take appropriate, highly focused,
ethically appropriate action. He has personally counseled, coached, and guided thousands of executives in organizations
large and small from many cultures representing government; the military and defense industry; the agriculture, banking,
computer, financial, food processing, health care, insurance, paper, real estate development and telecommunications
industries; cooperatives; trade and professional associations; and non-profit agencies. He is a coach to many CEOs.
Jim helps prepare spokespersons for crucial public appearances, local and network news interviews including 20-20, 60
Minutes, Dateline NBC, and Nightline, and for financial analyst meetings and legislative and congressional testimony. He
also provides personal coaching for executives in trouble, or facing career-defining problems and succession issues.
He is a prolific author (six books, hundreds of articles), lecturer (corporate, college and university), trainer, counselor,
and public speaker. He is a member of Public Relations Review’s Board of Professionals, a contributing editor for Public
Relations Quarterly, member of InfoCom’s Media Relations Insider editorial advisory board, frequent columnist and member
of PR News’ editorial board, columnist for O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report, and columnist for PRSA’s magazine, The
Strategist. His 1992 book, Influencing Public Attitudes: Strategies that Reduce the Media's Power, remains a classic work in
the field of direct communication. The Public Relations Society of America published the final volume of his four-volume
Executive Action® Crisis Communication Management System in 2005: War Stories and Crisis Communication Strategies,
An Anthology; Crisis Communication Planning Strategies, A Workbook; Crisis Communication Plan Components and
Models: Crisis Communication Management Readiness; and Media Relations During Emergencies, A Guide. His newest
book, Why Should the Boss Listen to You?, was published by Jossey-Bass in February 2008. He has published 25
monographs on critical communication subjects since 1994 and hundreds of articles throughout his career.
He is an internationally recognized speaker on crisis management, ethics, media relations, public affairs, and reputation
preservation and restoration. His recent addresses include the 2007 conferences of the U.S. Air Force Public Affairs Officers,
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Information Officers Association, Puerto Rico PR Association, ABERJE in
São Pãulo, Brazil, Health PR & Marketing Society, Media Relations Summit, the College & University PR Association,
Choice Hotels Annual Convention, CCEP World Conference on Disaster Management, National Air & Waste Management
Association, National School Public Relations Association, and Syracuse University; and the 2006, 2007, and 2008
International Conferences of IABC, the Public Relations Society of America, and ASIS International. He has addressed
several Canadian trade and government conferences including the National Agriculture Awareness, the Government of
Canada Communicators, and most recently Natural Resources Canada, Service Canada, Transport Canada, Purchasing
Management Association of Canada, and the Canadian Investor Relations Institute. Visiting his Web site, www.e911.com, is
like attending the University of Crisis Management.
An accredited member of the International Association of Business Communicators (ABC) and the Public Relations
Society of America (APR), Mr. Lukaszewski is a member of the PRSA’s College of Fellows (Fellow PRSA); Board of Ethics
& Professional Standards; the Corporate and Public Affairs/Government Sections; and the New York City and
Westchester/Fairfield Chapters. He is a member of the International Churchill Society, ASIS International, and the Society
for Human Resource Management (SHRM). He lectures annually at the U.S. Marine Corp’s East Coast Commander’s Media
Training Symposium and was the second recipient of its Drew Middleton Award. He is the recipient of Ball State
University’s National Public Relations Achievement Award, Patrick Jackson Award for Distinguished Service to PRSA, PR
News Lifetime Achievement Award, Lloyd B. Dennis Distinguished Leadership Award, and named 2007 Minnesota
Metropolitan State University Alumnus of the Year and the 2007 Practitioner of the Year by the Southern New England
chapter of the PRSA.
Lukaszewski received his BA in 1974 from Metropolitan State University in Minnesota. He is a former deputy
commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Development and assistant press secretary to former Minnesota
Governor Wendell Anderson. He founded Minnesota-based Media Information Systems Corporation in 1978. Prior to
founding The Lukaszewski Group Inc. in 1989 he was senior vice president and director of Executive Communication
Programs for Georgeson & Company and a partner with Chester Burger Company, both in New York City. His biography is
listed in several editions of Marquis Who’s Who in America. His name was listed in Corporate Legal Times as one of “28
Experts to Call When All Hell Breaks Loose,” and in PR Week as one of 22 “crunch-time counselors who should be on the
speed dial in a crisis.”

A Book for Everyone
Who Wants to Tell the
Boss What to Do
• Do people hold up meetings waiting for you?
• Do people remember what you say and quote you to others?
• Do others seek out your opinion and ideas?
• Do they try to influence you to influence your boss?

“Far more than it first appears. This book is a real look at the
soul of what good business can be. Everything could be like
this, health care, politics, etc. Jim Lukaszewski sketches
the boss, inner circle, advisor, and staff. He then explains
each player and how they fit together, where they are
coming from, and how you contribute. The big picture is
there when you finish. He has some good visuals and
many lists:
7 disciplines
5 imperatives
4 things to do
5 flawed strategies
9 things a leader expects
11 things you need to know to work with a boss
3 lists of questions to consider, nice learning device

Too many books could be a pamphlet, not this one. ‘Managers
test before they trust,’ a nice thought. I liked the section on
trust. On half the pages I wrote a comment. An enjoyable read
of deep material. His thoughts reveal a life that works. This
body of work is a protein meal. I Love this book.”
— Dr. Don Malnati, Five Star Reviewer on Amazon.com,
January 2, 2009
“Leaders must have trusted advisors. This book shows you how
to be one and stay one.”
— Harvey B. Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller
Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive
“Jim Lukaszewski has personally helped resolve more corporate
crises than anyone I know of. His experience ‘in the trenches’
equals the high quality of his judgment.”
— Chester Burger, APR, Fellow PRSA, American Public Relations
Leader Emeritus and PRSA Gold Anvil Winner

James E. Lukaszewski (loo-ka-SHEV-skee) is an expert in managing and reducing contention, counteracting tough, touchy, sensitive corporate
communications issues. He is a prolific author (six books, hundreds of articles), lecturer (corporate, college and university), trainer, counselor,
and internationally recognized speaker.
Visit Jim’s Web Site: Register for Jim’s Free eNewsletter: Visit Jim’s Blog: E-mail Jim:
www.e911.com www.e911.com www.e911.com/crisisgurublog.html tlg@e911.com

Available wherever books are sold.

THE LUKASZEWSKI GROUP COLLECTION
Now conveniently available on Amazon.com — books, monographs, Strategy newsletters, and CDs by James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow
PRSA, CCEP. These products share the best of Lukaszewski’s pragmatic approaches to today’s most difficult and critical leadership and
communication issues and problems. As one of the most quoted crisis communication management consultants and prolific authors in the field, Jim
provides a wealth of immediately usable ideas, tactics, and strategies.

BOOKS
Serious, in-depth discussion of pragmatic methods and strategies explained step-by-step.

Vol. I: War Stories and Crisis Vol. II: Crisis Communication Vol. III: Crisis Vol. IV: Media Relations Influencing Public
Communication Strategies, A Planning Strategies, A Crisis Communication Plan Strategies During Emergencies, A Attitudes, Direct
Crisis Communication Communication Management Components and Models Crisis Communication Communication
Management Anthology Workbook Management Guide Strategies That Reduce
the Media’s Power

MONOGRAPHS
Highly focused single-topic discussions of crucial issues, questions, and management communication concerns. Monographs are designed to help
inform, teach, and influence management decision making. Available in hard copy or as a downloadable electronic file.
Answering Tough Touchy, Sensitive Questions Crisis Web Site Newest Discipline-Legally Driven Issues
Becoming a Verbal Visionary Current Crisis Communications Issues Peppermill Public Hearing
Building Quality Community Relationships Exxon Valdez Surviving 60 Minutes
Communication Standards Finding & Keeping Clients Surviving Contentious Meetings
Construction Communication Issues First Response Tactical Ingenuity Pyramid
Control Your Own Destiny, Corrections and How to Develop the Mind of a Strategist Ten Strategies for Contract Negotiations
Clarifications How to Establish a Relationship With Reporters When You Are a Target: Activist Intrusions
Coping With Corporate Campaigns Ingredients of Leadership Working Through Embarrassing Revelations
Corporate Activism on the I-net Moving Out of the Target Zone-Activist Attacks

CDS
Hear Jim Lukaszewski in action! These audio recordings are powerful professional development opportunities that provide personal insight,
influence, and impact.

How to Develop
The Mind of a
Strategist:
Becoming a Becoming a Ingredients of
Verbal Visionary Trusted Advisor Leadership

STRATEGY NEWSLETTERS
As one of the field’s leading corporate management communications strategists, Jim Lukaszewski in his Strategy newsletter applies strategic thinking
and analysis to: a) a growing range of corporate problems, business scenarios, and leadership issues; b) the process of being strategic and an effective
strategist; c) the importance of strategy as a management function; and d) scenarios and current examples. Synopses of currently available Strategy
newsletters appear on our Web site, www.e911.com.
1. Let’s Get Serious About Strategy 10. The Strategic Power of Positive Language 20. First Response Strategy
2. How to Develop the Mind of a Strategist 11. Litigation Communication Strategy 21. Dumb, Dopey Strategies: Attack the Press
3. How Managers Make Strategic Decisions 12. Activism: Counteractive Strategies 22. Overcoming Destructive Management
4. How to Become a Strategic Player 13. Building and Busting Trust Communication Behavior
5. Rethinking Employee Communications 14. Inside the Mind of the CEO 23. Answering Tough, Sensitive Questions
6. Waging Peace: Replace Employee-Management 15. Engagement: The Crucial Communication 24. Managing the Boss During Crises
Conflict Success Ingredient 25. The Crisis Response Template: Getting
7. Influencing Management Attitudes 16. CEO Survival: The First 100 Days Management on Board
8. Profiles in Jell-O®: Communication Strategies 17. Becoming a Strategic Counselor 26. Transformational Communication
Guaranteed to Perpetuate Trouble 18. Patterns: A Foundation for Action 27. Corrections & Clarifications
9. Selective Engagement 19. Attack and Counterattack Web Site Strategy 28. Bad News Eradicator

Lukaszewski-authored books, monographs, Strategy Newsletters, and CDs may be purchased directly from
The Lukaszewski Group through The Crisis Store, www.e911.com.

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