Author: Jonathan & Erik Bernstein

[This is a guest post by Dave Statter, who recently retired from the broadcast news business and now consults to public safety agencies on media matters. It provides readers with several excellent lessons about crisis management.]

When PGFD paramedics misidentified flesh eating bacteria and related signs as decomposition following death (despite a Glenarden, Maryland man still being alive), the department handled the bad news in text book fashion. Rather than wait for those pesky reporters to uncover the mistake, Chief Spokesman Mark Brady was proactive. Brady sent out a press release before there was a leak and told the story himself. The initial coverage had little shelf life and disappeared from the news rather quickly. A good lesson and reminder for all of us about a story that had the potential to linger for days.

But here’s another lesson. Candor in your efforts to get the bad news out and over with doesn’t necessarily mean you can completely control the message. Now, almost four months later the story has surfaced again because the daughter of the man (who really died the next day) says she wants an apology from the medics who made the error. Click here to watch the latest story and here to read it.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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In the past couple of weeks Dell has been the focus of a newly revealed crisis as a recently-unsealed 2007 lawsuit charging the company with knowingly selling millions of faulty computers made headlines. PC Magazine has the details:

Advanced Internet Technologies (AIT) sued Dell in 2007 over charges that Dell sold AIT more than 2,000 OptiPlex desktops in 2003 and 2004, despite knowing that there were significant problems with the devices.

Dell on Wednesday dismissed the issue as “old news” and said that the problem originated with a capacitor manufacturer, not with Dell.

Dell “knew long before AIT’s purchase of the Dell OptiPlex computers that it had significant problems with the Dell OptiPlex computers, including but not limited to, the motherboard, power supply, and the CPU fan failures that caused overheating, crashes, and lost data from these computers,” AIT wrote in its original complaint.

For the time being, Dell’s crisis management strategy is holding strong as it focuses on redirecting blame to the manufacturer of the capacitor, a part of the computer’s internals, and communicating its dedication to customers and quality. Let’s see if AIT can “out-message” them in the long run.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

[This is a guest blog from “Managing Outcomes,” published by Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd, for people who work in issue and crisis management and strive for planned, positive outcomes. You can subscribe to his newsletter at www.issueoutcomes.com.au]

Every manager who has ever wanted to beat up on an ill-informed or aggressive journalist in the midst of a serious corporate issue can take a lesson from the CEO of Air New Zealand.

At a time when New Zealand’s national airline was discussing a proposed alliance with Australian-based Virgin Blue, the news and comment magazine The Listener published an intemperate editorial entitled “Turbulence ahead” accusing Air NZ of going “determinedly downmarket on its Australian and Pacific routes” and suggested the “downgrade” would move the airline towards budget standard on international short-haul flights?

Although Air NZ has an acknowedged reputation for very open communication with the news media, angry CEO Rob Fyfe must have considered giving the magazine “both barrels between the eyes” but decided instead on a response which was both clever and effective.

Playing on the name of its accuser, Air NZ produced a video response entirely in sign language, with subtitles. It began: “Dear Listener, Ironically it seems you haven’t been listening to what we’ve got to say, you’re hardly living up to your name . . . As you appear to have turned a deaf ear to us we thought it might be best to respond in a language you may be more familar with.” The sign language video concluded: “Now we’re all guilty of selective hearing sometimes, but we’ve got to say you did a fantastic job of not listening to the facts. If you’d like to talk this through further, lend us you ear and give us a call.”

The video (below) featured the CEO himself and, just to drive the point home, was accompanied by a formal press statement written entirely in the printed version of sign language except for the heading: “We’ve worked bloody hard to create an airline New Zealanders can be proud of and it really winds me up when someone gives us a gratuitous slap.”

Needless to say the video also got posted on Youtube, where thousands of viewers have enjoyed the airline having fun at the expense of the hapless magazine.

But beyond the fun element is the serious question of how best to respond when under attack. Too often the corporate first reaction is an angry denial. Wry humour like this is probably not appropriate during a crisis when lives or the environment are at stake. However it is a reminder that sometimes it is better to whisper than to shout. The Biblical proverb has it: “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Perhaps the modern version is “Don’t get mad, get even.”

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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This is the first short educational video I’ve created on YouTube. I apparently spoke a bit too quickly and one word was omitted at the beginning, but otherwise I hope you find it to be an interesting introduction to this crisis management subject!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVar3MZbpaU

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

I’m back after a one-week at-home vacation that included no computer use for business purposes and no social media participation. A very relaxing change of pace! But, alas, time and mortgage payments wait for no man, so I reluctantly return to the land of the working stiff.

I’d like to invite readers to check out (and comment on) the newly redesigned Bernstein Crisis Management website. It has the same content and even the same sections, for the most part, but a fresher “look” and it has been SEO optimized from the get-go, versus continuously updated to SEO standards over the 10 years of its prior existence. Kudos to Tao Consultants for the design, with thanks to my Creative Director (and wife) Celeste Mendelsohn and webmaster Oliver del Signore for consulting on the site changes.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

Does this bird look familiar? If not, let me introduce you to “Ono the Ostrich,” the long-time official mascot of my Crisis Manager email newsletter.

Now, I’ve launched The Ono Awards to honor those whose public statements embody the image displayed by Ono. And the winner of the first Ono Award is…..here.

Readers are encouraged to recommend candidates for future awards!

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

I’m in the process of doing a “virtual blog tour” to promote Keeping the Wolves at Bay-Media Training and today enjoyed reading an interview with my wife and I about the process of publishing the book. Rather than focusing on the book content, the Brummer’s Conscious Blog’s host examined what happened behind the scenes as my wife Celeste and I put this baby together.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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Attention BP (NYSE: BP) Board of Directors:

There is, at this point, only one way I believe you might save your company’s reputation and, ultimately, its survival. Make a pledge to liquidate whatever company assets are necessary to correct all harm caused by the Gulf spill disaster. Accompanied by a very humble apology and commitment of both the aforementioned monies — and personnel — necessary to mitigate all harm as quickly as possible.

Do you have the courage to do that?

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

My twice-monthly newsletter, Crisis Manager, is distributed by email and then is archived indefinitely at my website, where the newsletter page gets brisk traffic second only to my home page.

I welcome guest authors who would like to get some promotional value out of being exposed to my readers. The criteria:

• The article must in some way be related to any aspect of crisis management — crisis prevention, crisis planning, crisis response, etc.
• Length — no less than 500 words, as long as 2,000 words
• Submit anytime to jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com

Familiarity with the ezine is important, of course, so peruse the Crisis Manager Archive, where you can also sign up as a subscriber.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

[This supersedes and is a greatly expanded version of a post originally published on May 14.]

Retaining someone to provide a service about which you know little yourself can always be tricky, whether it be an auto mechanic, a lawyer, a plumber, a computer tech or — the topic du jour — a media trainer.

Below are a list of questions to ask any potential media trainer. The answers should provide you with insights critical to making an informed decision about using his or her services.

1. Have you been a working journalist yourself?Good answer: Yes! It’s much harder to understand the workings of the media if you haven’t spent any time on the “inside,” at least at the collegiate and/or intern level.

 

1. If yes to #1, what type of journalist were you (e.g., anchor, investigative reporter)?Good answer: Investigative or feature journalists are much more used to “digging” for a story and hence ask more of the tough questions for which you need to prepare. Some anchors engage in investigative reporting as well, but not all, so be sure to ask if the answer is “anchor.” You want a trainer who knows how to “dig.”

 

1. If no to #1, what is the basis for your understanding of the media?Good answer: I made a point of spending part of my PR career actively networking with working journalists.

 

1. Does your training include how to deal with non-traditional media, e.g., social media?Good answer: Yes! If the answer is no, say goodbye. Traditional media is no more than 50% of the media that will impact you and/or your organization.

 

1. Do you teach us how we can maintain the skills we have learned from you? Be specific.Good answer: Yes. I do that by coming back to conduct refresher training twice a year, teaching you how you can practice on your own, etc. One or even two days of media training, alone, are insufficient to maintain the new skills you’re learning; practice is essential.

 

1. Does your training prepare us both for routine interviews and for crisis-level interviews?Good answer: Yes. We focus __% of the time on routine interviews and ___% on crisis-level interviews.Then you decide if that balance represents your needs.

 

1. How long have you been a media trainer?Good answer: 10 years (or more). That said, everyone has to start somewhere. You may find a very skilled trainer with less experience and correspondingly lower pricing, but check their references carefully.

 

1. Could you show me anything you’ve written about this topic, and/or articles in which you’ve been interviewed?Good answer: Yes, and I’ll get you copies or links right away. If someone’s really good at what they do, they understand that they need to both publish in that field and make themselves available as media interview subjects.

 

1. If the stuff hits the fan, can you also provide us with spot advice on what we can say?Good answer: Yes, I can help craft messaging as well. You want a trainer who is more than just a trainer, but someone you can call on when “the real thing” happens.

 

1. Are you an experienced media interview subject yourself — i.e. do you practice what you preach?Good answer: Yes.

 

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]