Category: Crisis Management

Below are some news items and blog posts relating to the Crisis Management services provided by Mangold Consultancy.

Our aim is to help you prepare for and manage a crisis so that if and when a problem develops your business is well prepared to assess, act and respond.

For details on the full range of services we provide, please visit the main Mangold Consultancy Services page.

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Why reputation risk for leaders moves fast online

Why reputation risk for leaders moves fast online

Did you see the viral clip from the US Open that captured global attention?

A Polish CEO (recently unmasked by the internet) was filmed snatching a hat from the hands of a young fan, as the tennis player Kamil Majchrzak signed autographs at the end of his match.
A moment that quickly became a flashpoint online.

As a parent, I cannot help but feel awful for the boy at the centre of this moment…what could have been a special memory has become a story of reputational damage and online outrage.

I was chuffed to see that the boy in question has since met with Kamil Majchrzak and got a replacement for the hat that was yanked from his hands.

The CEO in question has finally apologised and apparently deleted his social media. His company was flooded with negative google reviews and comments.

This is a powerful reminder that reputations are not shaped only by share price, strategy or statements but by how you act.

As a leader you ARE your brand.

In a world where a single moment travels far faster than context – how you behave speaks volumes – empathy, being human and behaving with decency are critical currency for leaders.

 

Millionaire snatches signed hat from child

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Why crisis retainer support changes the outcome

Why crisis retainer support changes the outcome

In the last 12 months, I’ve handled multiple crises

Some were national news.

Some were small but had the potential to get messy fast.

Every single one started with a phone call that began with an element of panic.

The longer it took for that call to come, the harder the recovery was.

With crisis retainer support, it is different.

We already know your business, your risks, and your people.
We can move in minutes instead of days.

In crisis work, speed is not a luxury. It is the difference between headlines that fade and headlines that haunt.

If you want to know how ready your business really is, let’s talk.

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Why reputation in crisis communications matters

Reputation in crisis communications - you don't need to go viral

You don’t need to go viral

You need to stay credible.

The next headline won’t care how many views your last post got.

What matters is

  • Can you be trusted?
  • Are you consistent?
  • Will people believe you when it counts?

A tech founder I worked with had all the right metrics online. But when their product failed and the media called they froze.

The polish cracked. The trust dropped.

In crisis comms, reach is nice. But reputation is everything.

Build that. And everything else follows.

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Why crisis leadership is not always about the job title

In a crisis, leadership is not always about the job title

After following my son onto a roller coaster, I realised something about crisis leadership.

I have led crisis teams through events watched by millions.

I have guided CEOs through live interviews knowing the wrong phrase could cost them everything.

But on a rollercoaster in Florida, my youngest son was the leader.

I just followed.

It reminded me that in a crisis, leadership is not always about the job title.

It is about the person with the calm, clear head when everything feels like it is going off the rails.

I have been that person in the middle of breaking news and corporate storms.

It is why organisations keep me close before they need me.

If you do not have someone like that in your corner, you are leaving it to chance.

And chance is not a strategy.

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The one question that shapes every crisis communication strategy

There’s one question I’ve asked in dozens of boardrooms, training rooms and crisis management rooms over the years.

No matter the sector, the size of the organisation or the titles in the room – it always changes the energy.

I usually wait for the right moment. The conversation is flowing. People are confident. They think they’re prepared.

Then I ask it.

“What’s the one thing you’ve not told me that you hope no one ever finds out?”

It’s not about digging for secrets. It’s about surfacing risk. Because that’s usually where the real vulnerability lives and where the real comms work begins.

You cannot build a credible crisis comms strategy without being truly honest about what would do the real damage, if revealed.

That one question has shaped entire strategies. It has revealed gaps, rebuilt trust and prepared teams for headlines they never thought they’d face.

What’s the hardest question you’ve ever had to ask a client or a leader? I’d love to hear.

At Mangold Consultancy we help teams prepare for crisis situations through practical communication training. Get in touch to find out more

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There was no dead rat in the yogurt

Interview with Tom Mangold

Tom Mangold shares advice for spokespeople: be prepared, avoid jargon, rehearse key points and take responsibility in tough interviews.

“There was no dead rat in the yogurt.”

Thank you to everyone who suggested questions for veteran journalist, Tom Mangold.

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Briefing tour crisis spokesperson: 5 Top Tips

Abby Mangold Top Tips for Briefing

If you’re briefing a spokesperson before an interview in a crisis situation, there is a high chance that you’ve got a lot to juggle.

You’re probably managing multiple communications to people inside and outside the organisation while responding to a fast-changing situation in a swirl of facts and rumours.

So, to get the most out of your time and support your spokesperson in this really challenging environment, these are my top tips:

Top tips for briefing your CEO / spokesperson in a crisis.

  1. Block out time for rehearsal interviews. I promise you they will thank you for it.
  2. Walk through some physical prep so that they can limber up.
  3. Run practice questions which probe around rumour and speculation.
  4. Build in comfort breaks, a gulp of water, a snack – especially if they’ve got multiple interviews.
  5. Pinpoint a clear interview entrance and exit strategy, especially if things run over.

These are the things your spokesperson needs from you to help them give their best performance

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5 things a crisis communication spokesperson does

5 Things a Crisis Communication Spokesperson Does. Photo by Fardad sepandar on Unsplash

Being the face of the organisation in a crisis is a BIG ask.

So a spokesperson must ask a few things in return before doing an interview.

Here are 5 things great spokespeople do in a crisis:

  1. Complete clarity on what they can say publicly at this stage.
  2. Answers on information gaps. Even if the details are not available.
  3. Space to rehearse key messages, and their way of saying them.
  4. Confidence to make the most of the interview, conveying empathy and personal commitment.
  5. A reliable deputy for their usual role so they can focus on the media.

Comment here if you have any more tips…

Featured Image by Fardad sepandar on Unsplash

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Navigating changes & strengthening client relationships in Spring

Navigating Team Changes: Strengthening Client Relationships in Spring. Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash

Spring into action. No seasonal pun intended.

Coincidentally, several clients have new team members who are replacing, stepping up or temporarily covering for other colleagues.

It feels a little unnerving when long-established relationships shift. So, we are taking a breath and using the opportunity to revisit their needs.

How to start?

• Make time to meet in person.
• Discuss the crisis comms blocker they most want to shift.
• Draw up an achievable plan.
• Remind them of how much we have already achieved together.
• Finally, remind myself and the team of our USP, the breadth of client issues we’ve helped navigate over the last 10 years and continue our growth to meet all our clients’ needs.

Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash

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Pretty proud of this one

Pretty Proud: Abby Mangold & Jess Mangold: "They are the critical friends you want on speed dial"

We’ve been working with this retail client for 5 years.

We’ve gone through the good times and the tougher ones.

We’ve supported each other to grow as organisations.

So we were chuffed when they told us:

“Abby and Jess consistently provide clear thinking and boil down complex matters, into concise guidance.

As media trainers they are industry experts, give honest and fair feedback in a safe environment.

They are the critical friends you want on speed dial.”

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Spoiler alert. Crises are nothing like disaster movies

Disaster Movie. Photo Credit:IGN

Spoiler alert. Crises are nothing like disaster movies.

Disasters (unlike the Rock) don’t fall out of the sky.

99% emerge from issues which have been bubbling for some time. People are aware and assume someone else will fix it or it will ‘just go away’.

Surprise – there are no silver bullets (or the Rock suddenly appearing to save the day). Solutions come step-by-step, from the A – Z of preparation and a tonne of hard work in ‘peacetime’.

Real heroes don’t look like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Well, some might but universally heroes are the people doing their jobs well, who know their organisation and have the empathy and communication skills needed to act in difficult situations.

Full transparency I’m a huge disaster movies fan (nothing to do with the Rock)

Photo Credit: IGN

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Busy days for Team Mangold Consultancy

Jess Mangold, Justin Clark & Abby Mangold

Busy days for Team Mangold Consultancy.

Jess Mangold and Justin Clark were in leafy North London with our client the historic Alexandra Palace and Park, delivering a workshop to evolve their use of social media to better serve their visitors.

Abby Mangold headed to sunny Westminster talking with the UK Government Communication Service, finding out more about how they are using “Assist”, the dynamic AI tool transforming government communications.

Worth noting that their Crisis Communications Planning Guide and STOP Template are a fantastic resource for anyone interested in managing crises.

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What did dodgy washing machines & Matt Allwright teach me?

Matt Allwright & Abby Mangold

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.

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Tom Mangold has worked in media for 70+ years – what would you ask him?

Abby & Tom Mangold

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!

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What keeps you awake at night?

What keeps you awake at night. Photo by cottonbro studio at Pexels

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