Category Archives: crisis response

crisis response

Looking Backward, Moving Forward

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Consider these events:

  • Reports begin to surface of “sudden acceleration” from one auto manufacturer, including heartbreaking video/audio of fatal incidents
  • Media coverage of the situation is sometimes sensational, adding to public concerns about “runaway cars”
  • Plaintiffs’ lawyers swarm and advertise to collect testimony of anyone involved in an accident in these cars
  • “Experts” like the Center for Auto Safety weigh in on the situation, confirming the public’s fears about the safety of those cars
  • Government officials get involved, publicly skewer the auto maker, and then order studies to determine the sources of the problem
  • Months later, after reputational damage is done, fines are issued and legal verdicts and settlements are paid – studies begin to show that “driver error” is likely in most of the car accidents
  • As the legal basis for “sudden acceleration” weakens, other owners and plaintiffs lawyers seek compensation for lost resale value

If you’re older than age 40, this all might sound doubly familiar.  Each of the events above apply to both the Audi 5000 situation back in 1986, and the Toyota recall of 2009-2010. 

This is not to suggest the automobiles were perfect. 

Continue reading Looking Backward, Moving Forward →

crisis response, planning and prevention

Tips to Mitigate and Respond to Workplace Violence

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E. DeGasero/AP Photo

When workplace violence hits your company or community, statistics do not matter.  The community of Manchester, Connecticut and employees of Hartford Distributors probably know that all too well after yesterday’s tragedy. 

For the rest of us who follow these situations and wonder if lessons are evident, the statistics provide some context.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workplace homicides have fallen 52 percent between 1994 – 2008.  Yet, nearly 2 million U.S. workers still fall victim to workplace assaults.  And 70 percent of U.S. workplaces do not have a formal program or policy in place to address the problem.  (See page 14:  http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osch0033.pdf)   Thus, while most experts concede that workplace violence cannot always be prevented, there is clear room for improvement from the private sector. 

Eventually, the media cycle in Manchester will lead to questions on Hartford Distributors’ values, corporate environment (indeed, early reports suggest some racial intolerance directed at the suspect) and its overall focus on workplace safety.    Time will tell if the company had adequate measures to protect their employees.  Companies that do have best-practices to help minimize these situations typically: Continue reading Tips to Mitigate and Respond to Workplace Violence →

crisis response, opinion and insights

Preliminary lessons from the gulf oil spill

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Provided by Deepwater Horizon Response's photostream (Flickr)

I don’t like to “rate” crisis responses as they’re unfolding, but I suppose you could glean lessons from the 4th inning of a baseball game when they’re evident.  Thus, I decided to join the opinionated crowd by responding to a question posed on a LinkedIn PR News Group discussion on “What are the top 3 crisis management lessons you’ve learned from the BP oil spill?”

Here are expansions from my short replies, with links that help round-out perspectives.

 

1) Companies that take great business risks must have a commensurate risk management system when things go ker-plewy.It’s easy to criticize BP, if you enjoy fishing out of a barrel.  BP is the designated “responsible party” among all responders of the Joint Incident Command, and as such, the lead butt to kick.  BP also has a history of mishaps and mammoth profits that make many uncomfortable.  Their executives have certainly made some blunders…even before the spill.  (Describing risk calculations in “three little pigs” terminology is colossally stupid, and the company’s oil spill response plans were based on unrealistic data.)

Of course, several parties were pushing limits to get oil out of the deep sea bed, without the equal attention to the safety net required in taking such risks.  Learning nothing from White Star, this was akin to not having enough lifeboats on the Titanic.  Those involved include BP, Transocean, Halliburton and the government’s formerly-named Minerals Management Service.  More analysis is required to untangle the blame.

Continue reading Preliminary lessons from the gulf oil spill →

crisis response

NYIT asked, I answered

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New York Institute of TechnologyBack in April, I was happy to lead a session on “Managing Online Crises” for a group of students at the Manhattan campus of the New York Institute of Technology. As usual, the best part of the session was addressing some really great questions.  Student-organizer David Shaulov was gracious enough to send a recording of the entire session and I edited clips with some of those great questions, such as:

Following are the remaining edited clips: 

I hope you find these useful.  They’ll also be made available through the Video Clips link above, under About J.D.

Comments?  Questions?  I’d love to hear from you, below.

crisis response

Lessons from a Messy Diaper (Situation)

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I have my reasons why I refrain from giving thumbs up/down opinions on specific crisis situations.  However, I try not to miss opportunities when current lessons can be applied to the profession of crisis management.  A recent Advertising Age article provides such a case, through its rare in-the-moment account of strategic planning and execution that takes place in a crisis “war room.”  Here’s a link to the article.

In this case, Procter & Gamble assembled a crisis team to help protect the Pampers brand of diapers when critics began to question whether its new Dry Max formulation was creating “chemical burns.” 

Although the situation is ongoing and a quick scan of the brand’s Facebook page suggests the situation is far from over, the article does provide insights to some very good crisis management practices:

Continue reading Lessons from a Messy Diaper (Situation) →