Lessons From a School on Handling Social Media Crises
by Thom Fladung, Hennes Communications Whether in-person or virtual, the kids are still in school. For the moment, however, this will be a class for the adults – and class is now in session on how to handle a social media crisis. On a Labor Day Sunday some time ago, the leadership team at a school […]
Oscar Ceremony Team on High Alert With a Crisis Communications Plan for This Sunday’s Broadcast
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications The Academy Awards ceremony is one of the most high-profile events in the entertainment industry, drawing millions of viewers from around the world. With a large audience and so many moving parts, it’s no surprise that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has created a “crisis team” to […]
U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center Issues Report
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications CAUTION: This information is issued on a need to know basis. We hope you agree that you indeed need to know. Situational awareness refers to the ability to perceive, comprehend, and anticipate critical situations in real-time, allowing individuals to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions. Situational awareness is crucial […]
Mastering the Zoom Apology
By Bruce Hennes & Nora Jacobs, Hennes Communications A CEO, executive director, bar association president or other business executive has to apologize or speak about something very important. The stakes are high – and the apology is going to have to be done using Zoom or another virtual platform. Under any circumstance, delivering an effective […]
Remarks Made by Memphis Police Chief in Aftermath of Tyre Nichols’ Death – A Master Class for Crisis Communications
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications In the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five police officers, the Memphis Police Chief chose not to stand behind the usual “This is a matter under investigation.” Instead, she made remarks that were honest and, in my opinion, stunningly blunt. Her outrage was evident […]
When Legal and Communications Collide: Making the Right Choice
By Richard Levick Speaking with journalists, shareholders, customers and stakeholders is easy when the going is good. As the old saying goes, “We are all capitalists on the way up but socialists on the way down.” But when things turn bad? Communication suddenly becomes much more challenging. As another old saying goes, “The gods of […]
The Age of Outrage: Crisis Management in Social Media Pile-Ons
By Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications There’s nothing the self-righteous embrace more than joining with their fellow self-righteous to gang up on some unfortunate target. The angrier the echo chamber, the better. Social media is their perfect rage machine. It’s where anonymous trolls can obsess and pile on. And they do it relentlessly and instantly over […]
How to Create a Crisis
GoLocal, an online publication in Providence, Rhode Island, recently wrote an editorial critical of recent decisions by Rhode Island education officials. The editorial creatively lists everything those officials have been doing to create a crisis juxtaposed with tips for managing a crisis the right way, written by Northeastern University’s Graduate School. We urge you to […]
Media Training for Attorneys and Their Clients – Done on Your Schedule and at Your Convenience – In-Person or Remote
Whether it’s a staff meeting on Teams, a webinar on Zoom, a private conversation on FaceTime or a short training video you record on WebEx, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. And if it’s an interview with a seasoned reporter, the stakes are even higher. You must be prepared to […]
From a Police Department PIO: 10 Tips for Crisis Communications
Dionne Waugh, formerly a reporter and now a public information officer for the Boulder, Colorado Police Department, has deep experience helping police departments communicate with the public during critical incidents. That experience includes a mass shooting in 2021 when 10 people lost their lives. In a recent article by Wayne Parham written for Police Magazine, […]