Crisis Ahead with Edward Segal: Recent Episodes
Federal News Network | Hubbard Radio
It’s not a matter of if a crisis will hit your agency or company, it’s when — and how much damage it will cause to careers, reputations, bottom lines, and more. Each week Crisis Ahead host Edward Segal interviews government officials, corporate executives, and experts about different crisis situations and what you can learn from the successful and failed crisis management strategies, tactics, and techniques of others. Segal is the author of the award-winning and bestselling book Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey, 2020). He’s also a Leadership Strategy Senior Contributor for Forbes.com who covers crisis-related news, topics, and issues.
The aftermath of the deadly and destructive wildfires on Maui is following a script that many government and corporate executives have faced when trying to recover from a crisis at their organizations. But the predictable nature of the pattern does not make the images and news from the Hawaii any less riveting, gut-wrenching—or instructive.
The deadly and tragic wildfires on Maui have provided three important lessons for preventing and managing a crisis.
Find out why you need different crisis management plans for different types of crises—and how to prepare them.
Richard North Patterson has a special reason to celebrate the publication of his latest novel. Indeed, The Trial represents a triumph over an unexpected obstacle that he faced in the publishing industry and is a cautionary tale about preparing for and managing a crisis. In this episode of “Crisis Ahead,” Patterson shares how he responded to the challenge and what others can learn from his experience.
How will the planned merger of Saudi-Backed LIV Golf with the PGA Tour help or hurt their image and reputation? In this episode, crisis communication expert Andy Barr discusses how the deal could impact the two organizations, and what government executives and business leaders can learn from the pending merger. Quotes “Effective resolution requires constant communication, transparency, and unwavering dedication."-Andy Barr "My advice to people is to go out and meet the ones who caused the biggest headaches during the crisis."-Andy Barr Featured Guest Andy Barr Crisis Management and Leadership Expert Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-barr-ab77291/ Chapters 00:25 - Introduction 01:03 - Insights with Andy Barr: A Career in Crisis Communication 05:16 - The Power of Preparedness: Briefing Key Personnel 09:33 - Sport Washing: The Saudi Government's Strategy 11:11 - Brands in the Golf Sector: New Opportunities 13:11 - The Challenge of Investigative Articles and Media Scrutiny 14:41 - Navigating Brand Risks in the Merged Golf Industry 16:09 - PGA's Crisis Mishap: The Merger Misstep 17:58 - Learning from Mistakes: The Impact of Internal Comms on Brand Reputation 20:06 - Dark and Concerning: High-Impact Crisis Examples 22:21 - Conclusion Produced by HeartCast Media http://www.heartcastmedia.com
Which organizations and individuals do you think are doing the best or worst jobs in responding to a crisis? Constance Dierickx is a crisis management and leadership consultant. In this episode, she shares her opinions on who should be in a Crisis Management Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame—and why. Quotes "Great leaders remain vigilant against insider threats for enhanced safety."- Constance Dierickx "In the pursuit of positive change, we acknowledge the challenges faced in retail banking and aim for a healthier environment."- Constance Dierickx ""Opinions are valid, but to be persuasive,You need to say more."- Constance Dierickx Featured Guest Constance Dierickx Crisis Management and Leadership Expert Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/constancedierickx/ Chapters 00:43 Introduction 01:49 Academic institutions bending to student protests. 03:22 The Importance of Persuasive Reasoning 05:05 Mixed department response to train derailment. 07:30 Unclear on video purpose, possible damage control. 09:11 A Visionary with Impulsiveness and Key Decision-Making 11:15 Recognizing the Risks and Consequences 13:17 The Importance of Paying Attention and Interrogating Disparate Information 16:26 Blindness to company decline; lack of oversight. 20:57 The Power of Diverse Information Gathering and Continuous Learning 22:09 Conclusion Produced by Heart Cast Media http://www.heartcastmedia.com
Do you know how different leadership styles can affect the way your organization will manage a crisis? Ryan McCormick is a crisis communications expert and co-founder of Goldman McCormick PR. In this episode of “Crisis Ahead,” he shares his observations on how the leadership styles of government and corporate executives have impacted their responses to crisis situations. Quotes "Being overly rigid in one's stance prevents them from fully exploring and maximizing their potential impact.."- Ryan McCormick "Leaders who stay true to their principles, even when popular opinion aligns, gain special respect and recognition."- Ryan McCormick "Always anticipate crises as they are career self-defense. Stay prepared, respond sincerely and transparently when they occur."-Ryan McCormick Featured Guest Ryan McCormick Co-Founder of Goldman McCormick Public Relations Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmccormick131/ Chapters 00:53 - Introduction 01:16 - Crisis Communications and Leadership Styles by Goldman McCormick 02:57 - Strengthening Crisis Response in Teams 05:35 - Assessing Leadership Styles in the Political Arena 06:27 - Effective Information Relay in Leadership 09:24 - Crisis in Sales: Unprecedented Drop in Bud Light's Market 12:32 - Positive Leadership: North Carolina's Governor 14:53 - Examining Disney CEO Bob Chapek's Strategies 17:03 - DeSantis: Leadership Style, Scrutiny, and the Road to Presidency 20:10 - Christy Nunn: The Dark Horse Candidate for President 21:48 - Building Resilience in Crisis Communications 22:58 - Conclusion
Organizations that fail to document and study how they addressed a crisis can run the risk of repeating the mistakes they made in managing the situation. Communication consultant Kim Crowder shares her advice and recommendations on when and how companies and government agencies should document a crisis and who should be involved in this important process. Quotes
"Once the crisis subsides, unleash your thoughts, regroup as a team, and document ideas to fuel meaningful discussions and drive progress."- Kim Crowder
"Consider essential team members and seek feedback selectively to avoid overwhelming the conversation with too many voices.”- Kim Crowder
"In times of crisis, organizations must recognize the impact of communication channels."-Kim Crowder Featured Guest
Kim Crowder Founder and CEO of Kim Crowder Consulting Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimcrowder/ Chapters 00:36 Introduction 02:14 Overcoming Implementation Challenges in Organizations. 04:00 Understanding the Impact of Communication Channels. 06:52 Recognizing and Documenting Different Levels of Impact 09:54 Auditing and Feedback for Crisis Plans 07:57 Key Indicators for Crisis Documentation and Planning. 11:44 Building Trust and Accountability through Public Transparency. 13:27 Strategically Reflecting and Evaluating Crisis Aftermath. 15:22 The Value of Including Different Levels of Leadership in Crisis Discussions 17:04 Importance of Feedback, Representation, and Decision-Making. 19:00 Harnessing the Benefits of Criticism in Crisis Management 20:43 Crisis Preparation, Documentation, and Building Proprietary Processes. 22:29 Conclusion Produced by Heartcast Media www.heartcastmedia.com
What can you learn from how the fictional family on a popular TV show responded to a business crisis? Christine Haas is CEO of Haas Media and a former award-winning journalist. In this episode, she discusses what government executives and business leaders can learn from how members of the Roy family on HBO’s “Succession” responded to crisis situations.
Karen Naumann is a veteran public relations strategist. In this episode of “Crisis Ahead,” she shares her recommendations for the steps managers of federal agencies and corporate executives should take to ensure they are ready to respond to a variety of crisis situations. Quotes "Scan diverse sources, beyond your industry, to anticipate future landscapes encompassing political, economic, social, technical, legal, and environmental factors."- Karen Naumann "For an organization to neglect crisis planning is an act of reckless negligence."- Karen Naumann "Embrace strategic foresight through proactive information gathering for anticipating future environments."- Karen Naumann Featured Guest Karen Naumann Public Relations Strategist Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karennaumann/ Chapters 00:02 Introduction 01:22 Differentiating Between Issues, Emergencies, and Crises. 05:35 Proactive Environmental Scanning for Potential Crises. 08:52 Pre-crisis Activities: Prevention, Preparation, & Relationship Building 09:55 Anticipating Negative Impact: Identifying Stakeholders in Crisis 13:33 Safeguarding Stakeholders from Misinformation 14:45 Inoculating Stakeholders: Proactive Defense Against Misinformation Spread 16:56 Applying the Power-Legitimacy-Concern Model 18:58 Exploring Modern Crisis Types: Faux PA and Cancel Culture. 20:35 Containment and Recovery: Responding to Spillover Crisis Situations 21:50 Navigating the Full Spectrum of Crisis Communications 22:38 Conclusion Produced by Heartcast Mediahttp://www.heartcastmedia.com
How and when businesses respond to the need to recall dangerous products can prevent or cause a crisis. Chris Harvey is a senior vice president for client services at Sedgwick and a product safety expert who has managed over 1,500 product recall campaigns for different brands. In this episode, he talks about how well federal agencies are doing overseeing the recall of products, the best practices companies should follow when there are hazards associated with the items they make, and which products are more likely to be recalled now, and in the future.
Quotes “Customize your plan based on your operational model, environment, and unique product line. Generic solutions won't work."- Chris Harvey "Agencies should collaborate, share insights, and improve response rates to enhance recall effectiveness and address industry inconsistencies."- Chris Harvey Featured Guest Chris Harvey Sr. Vice President, Client Services Sedgwick Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-harvey-44028944/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:09 Prioritizing Customer Safety: Owning the Issue 04:02 Reputational Consequences: Mishandling Safety Incidents 10:07 Return of Stricter Regulations: Increasing Recalls 13:58 Improving Recall Effectiveness: Technology and Challenges 19:31 Technology Advances and Electric Vehicles: Vulnerabilities and Opportunities 23:50 Acknowledging CPSC's Success: Small Budget, Big Results 26:01 Mitigating Risks for Companies New to Product Safety Issues 27:21 Customized Recall Plans: Revisiting, Training, and Testing 29:07 Applying Lessons to Business Practices and Customer Loyalty 31:03 The Importance of Proactive Recall Planning 32:18 Conclusion Produced by Heartcast Mediahttp://www.heartcastmedia.com
What are the best and worst ways for government leaders and corporate executives to be seen and heard when a crisis strikes their organizations? Kirk Hazlett, an adjunct professor of communication at the University of Tampa, shares his observations on how well or poorly officials have conducted themselves during crisis situations.