My thoughts after it was suggested to me recently that running media training is easy.
Someone just told me media training is easy
Two friends talk parenting & business
30 years of friendship with this beautiful woman Aliya Vigor-Robertson.
Turns out, all these years after University, we’re basically the same people, just with a few more stories to tell.
Here’s to all the ladies rocking it as Mums to teenagers and killing it at work too.
What did dodgy washing machines & Matt Allwright teach me?
Walking onto the set of BBC Watchdog in Television Centre in 1997 was daunting.
As a Junior Clerk my job was simple – do whatever anyone asks and do it well.
It was always fast paced and often last minute – as you would expect when producing a live, weekly, consumer affairs programme for BBC1.
As I moved up the ranks to Researcher, Assistant Producer and finally Producer/Director there were a handful of people who took the time to teach me the skills I continue using today.
Matt Allwright is the best scriptwriter I’ve ever worked with.
- Where I used 20 words, he could say it in 10.
- Where I struggled with structuring a 5 minute film, he knew the narrative before I’d put pen to paper.
- Where I battled to make broken washing machines look sexy – he always had a clever, and often funny, treatment.
Producing programmes for a BBC1 audience meant making every word count and finding an engaging way to keep viewers interested.
I use those same skills every day, helping clients communicate in a crisis which ironically, is often triggered by a call from BBC Watchdog.
And I think it’s fair to say that Matt Allwright and I continue to learn from each other to this day.
Tom Mangold has worked in media for 70+ years – what would you ask him?
This is my Dad, Tom Mangold.
- He’s an award-winning journalist and author.
- Reporter on circa 120 episodes on BBC Panorama.
- He’s 90 and STILL working.
- He cycles every day.
- He continues to inspire me and our work at Mangold Consultancy.
If you asked him, he’d tell you I stole everything I know from him. I will neither confirm nor deny this.
I’m going to film interview content with Dad and share it online.
We tend to talk about:
- the state of journalism and television
- crisis communications
- media interviews
- “news” on Social Media
- rubbish spokespeople
Watch this space for unique insight from someone who has worked in the media industry for more than 70 years!
Tips to boost business confidence
2025 is going to be tough.
So business confidence really matters.
Here are some of my thoughts as a business owner following a challenging report from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
I’m happy to talk to you for free if you need it, just get in touch.
A dream come true – training music industry experts
Dua Lipa, Fred Again, Coldplay, Gorillaz…
Being asked to run media and presentation training for Warner Music Group is one of the most incredible starts to the year Jess Mangold and I could have asked for.
Some of our happiest times together have been rooted in our shared passion for music.
So, 2 days of training down-to-earth, music industry experts was frankly a dream come true.
Thank you to Adam Merrett and the whole team for having us.
The bravery of those who speak out against appalling behaviour
For the last couple of months I’ve been supporting a close friend as she worked with Sejal Karia and the team at ITV News to reveal the appalling behaviour of Gino D’Acampo.
Some of her friends and family told her not to take part, that it might ruin her career, that it was too risky. If I’m honest that was my initial reaction too.
But as we talked and reflected on the disgusting comment he made to her as she was trying to do her job in the early 10s, I realised that I needed to support my friend with whatever decision she made.
We need to stand with the people who are brave enough to call out these ‘celebrities/talent’ who think they can get away with behaving anyway they want.
And we need journalists and producers working tirelessly for months to gather the evidence to tell these stories, despite the constant threat of legal action if they publish anything.
Thank you to all the people brave enough to call out these perpetrators.
Reference image from ITV News report “ITV News uncovers multiple claims of sexually inappropriate behaviour by Gino D’Acampo“ February 2025
What keeps you awake at night?
It is never easy asking people this question when you meet for the first time.
But tasked with writing the crisis communications guidelines for new clients, we have to take the plunge, so we know early on where they could be exposed from a reputational perspective.
4 years on from asking one client this question, we are their retained crisis communications agency, available 24/7 responding to calls, and working with the whole team to test and reinforce their crisis communications protocols.
Tough questions = good results.
Photo by cottonbro studio at Pexels
We all learn from mistakes
So here are some errors in crisis communications that we’ve seen:
• A 9-5 mindset: Crisis management is round-the-clock. Use peacetime to prep and improve how you manage a crisis.
• Fear of asking the obvious: Who, what, when, where, why. If any of this is unclear then ask. Often other people have the same questions.
• Slow sign-off: The bigger the business the greater the challenge. To avoid approvals becoming a bottleneck, nominate who is signing off and stick to it!
• No clear crisis comm process: Without it, you’re playing catch-up and reacting rather than managing the situation.
Address these, and you’ll be better equipped to handle crises with confidence.
Photo by Luis Cortes on Unsplash
What is retained crisis communications support?
Our team is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
We are hands-on in a crisis: using 20+ years in national journalism, global crisis communications and social media expertise.
AND, if you remain crisis-free we use your retainer to grow team resilience, since any time not used for actual live crises goes toward preparation.
You can choose from
• workshops to assess reputational risks
• crisis simulations to test your team and processes in a safe space
• media training on camera
• social media management to handle challenges online
Retained crisis communications support = knowing you and your team are prepared for the unexpected.
Photo Vlad Deep at Unsplash
What kind of journalist were you?
Jess and I are often asked this.
People’s interest veers between fascination and horror. I am hugely proud of these roots and the lessons I earned, such as…
• People love being asked about themselves. Thoughtfully chosen, well-timed questions allow people to share something about themselves, cracking open a door to their world.
And with the privilege of being invited in…
• it pays to listen closely. The tone of voice, the pace at which they speak. These are as important to what someone is saying as the words they use.
• And with that always ask the obvious – who, what, when, where, why, how – sometimes twice to be sure you have truly understood.
Every journalism job added to the skills I use in crisis communications and media training now.
And I was pretty chuffed to make it into the papers myself once while filming for a BBC Airport special from Edinburgh Festival!
Learning to face the unexpected
Having worked on multiple crises, I now accept I will always face the unexpected.
And in the most serious crisis, even experienced ‘crisis mature’ teams need guidance. What do I remind them about?
• The good – zero in on the basics, ensure up-to-date contact lists and access to all communication channels. With little notice small tasks make a big difference.
• The bad – hone in on detail at the expense of the big picture. Details matter, nominate someone to confirm the specifics. You must assess the immediate impact of the crisis, while keeping the long-term reputational effects in clear view.
• The ugly – collapse into a fit of jargon and industry speak at your peril. In a crisis people need to see people. Be human.
45+ spokespeople and counting
In the five years since we started media training one client, they have invited us to lead sessions with:
• 47 people
• in three UK offices including Manchester
• plus virtual meetings from mainland Europe
• on a multitude of corporate, legal and financial matters
It is the clients we know best who keep us on our toes!
We love learning from them while sharing our knowledge to bring their professional expertise to life for the press.
Manchester photo by William McCue Unsplash
What if you’re faced with a megalomaniacal spokesperson?
What if this megalomaniacal spokesperson won’t listen to your advice about managing a media interview?
Even seasoned spokespeople recognise the benefits of new tips and practice for media presence and interview skills.
Here’s how to make the case to your spokesperson if your comms advice is challenged:
-The competition for airtime is fierce and your time is precious. A few rehearsals now will save huge amounts of time over the medium to long term and reinforce your profile as a great spokesperson.
-You are a seasoned pro and your objective is to ensure your message reaches your audience. Trying new ways of delivering your message helps you be heard and understood by more people.
-You are setting an example for others. By making time for media training, you demonstrate the value of preparing for the press.
Can you risk colleagues going on the record without media training first?
Photo by Hunters Race on Unsplash
It’s 9pm on Saturday night, the phone rings, it’s work
This can only mean one thing, bad news. Who do you call next?
In crisis management, timing is everything.
I well remember those late afternoon Friday calls to press offices, chasing a response to the story we were about to broadcast.
Everyone’s on the clock, press teams scramble to reply before the weekend, risking rushed comments and heightened media exposure.
But what if a crisis happens out of hours? Waiting until Monday morning is not an option.
That’s where retained crisis comms support comes in. It provides:
• 24/7 support to swiftly navigate crises and safeguard reputation
• Quicker decision making and strategy setting through established trusted relationships with senior leaders
• Proactivity to anticipate potential media scrutiny and the trajectory of the crisis
This is the unparalleled advantage of having a crisis comms agency on retainer.
Original photo by Quino Al on Unsplash
Talking crisis communications & reputation management
It is good to be back!
For the 2nd year running, we’ve been here in the Netherlands talking crisis communications resilience on a global scale.
Having recruited us as their retained 24/7 crisis communications support, this client doubled down on their commitment with annual training for the whole team.
Crisis communications and reputation management is not just a comms job and if you haven’t had a crisis recently it’s easy to forget the important stuff.
Regularly involving other colleagues creates business-wide awareness so that:
• more people are alert to potential issues
• feel comfortable raising concerns if a crisis happens
• they are equipped and confident to support the response
Main photo Joshua Kettle on Unsplash
Wishing you and your team a crisis-free Christmas
All the best Mangold Consultancy Team
The rain actually stopped!
We had a great day working with the team at Alexandra Palace and Park.
So lucky to have the chance to be in such an iconic British building, steeped in so much history.
Crisis don’t come out of nowhere
Most of the crisis we manage are “slow burn”.
– They’re the issue ignored
– The complaint overlooked
– The employee concerns dismissed
So what should you be doing when you hear about an issue?
1. Do the groundwork, gather intel, fact check, craft key messages
2. Get into the detail, define the comms strategy
3. Anticipate it going live, plan for the ‘day in court’, prep those involved
Remember “slow burn” = prep time. Use it wisely.
Photo by Sebastian Pociecha on Unsplash
Media training unfairly gets a bad rep
Media training unfairly gets a bad rep.
Why?
Because of the reputation of trainers who choose intimidation and aggressive tactics leaving leaders scared to speak.
Actually with this approach, everyone loses:
– the public who rightly expect to hear from those responsible when something goes wrong
– the comms team
– the spokespeople themselves
Our media training is supportive and empowering, it’s not always an easy ride but it will give you confidence.
And we do it like this because we know exactly what it’s like to be on both sides of the microphone.
Like Jess Mangold here, interviewing then Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
If speaking to a journalist feels daunting, you’re not prepared. Let’s change that.