Paul Sullivan, President
and Director of Strategy
Welcome to Paul's 2 Cents, my take on news and issues of interest to communicators... which gives me a lot of scope. I hope you'll join in the conversation, as I do not want to be the sound of one lip flapping. Email me your comments, and I'll include them at the end of next week's piece.
Fighting the Fear Factor in a Communications Crisis
As a media trainer, I’m often called upon to help companies and organizations in times of crisis. Those crises have been as varied as human experience itself, everything from a salami recall to a celebrity (who shall remain unnamed) behaving badly, to grave situations such as train wrecks or epidemics. I’ve helped big companies with thousands of employees and little companies with five. I’ve helped CEOs and sanitary engineers. But regardless of the crisis, there’s really only one problem: fear.
Of course, there’s always something to be afraid of. Life is a dangerous business. It’s a wonder we even get out of bed in the morning: danger is everywhere. If you’re in business, there’s danger in a handshake; if you’re in government, there’s danger in a smile; if you an environmentalist, there’s danger in the air you breathe.
In a crisis, there’s even more danger. And if you’re in charge, lives can depend on your decisions. At the very least, your next pay cheque can depend on your decision. In a crisis, the fear factor increases to the point where it’s the most palpable presence in the room. Yes, you can smell it. Read On
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