Tag: crisis communication

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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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Kudos to my ex colleagues at BBC Watchdog

BMW

Credit to BBC Watchdog for their investigation on last night’s programme which lead to BMW announcing a recall of hundreds of thousands of cars.

The truth is that no one really knows what goes on inside an organisation during a crisis, apart from the people managing it.  There are often multiple business objectives which reach far beyond being featured on the programme.  Continue reading “Kudos to my ex colleagues at BBC Watchdog”