insignia

Communicating with Confidence

Many business people are affected by nerves when speaking in front of an audience: especially one which is made up of their colleagues! This can result in fluffed lines, hesitant body language or a shaky voice. Communication skills training can help t... Read >

Four Questions to Ask Before the CEO Faces the Media

There's a principle of crisis management written on tablets of stone that says: "In a crisis, the chief executive must be your media spokesperson". The principle has served many corporations well...but in other situations the tablet of stone is beginnin... Read >

Three Steps to Avoid Being on the Wrong End of a Media Encounter

It's 10.15am, you're in your office and the phone rings. You pick up and a voice says: "Hi, this is John Davis from the BBC, we'd like to ask you a few questions…." By now, your heart is racing and your mind is whirling. So what do you do? Here ... Read >

Ten Ways of Reducing Your Crisis Vulnerability

No organisation is immune to crisis. That's a fact. But it's wrong to assume crises are always random, unpredictable or simply "acts of God". The truth is that there are things you can do to significantly reduce the possibility of your organisation suf... Read >

Media Interviews: Effective Preparation for Successful Performance

Many business executives get extremely concerned about the prospect of a media interview. Others take a more cavalier view, believing that they can blag their way out of any question. Both groups should remember that thorough and effective preparation i... Read >

Handling a Media Ambush

It seems like just another day as you saunter from the car park towards the entrance of your office. The sun is shining and you're considering the tasks for the day ahead when suddenly, out of nowhere, a camera and microphone are thrust towards your face... Read >

Crisis Communication: Three Ways of Creating the Right Image

Successful crisis communication is not just about what we say: words are important of course, but so is the imagery which accompanies them. Many people spend too little time thinking about this important element of their crisis communication, and suffer ... Read >

Managing a Crisis: Ten Principles for a Successful Outcome

No one can hope to convey the pressure that a full-on crisis can create. And no article can promise you a magic wand to successfully manage a major incident. But the experience of those that have faced the furnace and emerged with their corporate reputa... Read >

First Steps To Protect Your Corporate Reputation

A strong corporate reputation is recognised as a valuable asset, one which takes years to build, and requires constant nurturing to maintain. A crisis, whether a product safety scare, an environmental incident, labour relations, management scandal or onl... Read >

Ten Golden Rules for the Crisis Spokesperson

Speaking on behalf of an organisation in the white heat of a crisis can be harrowing, even for experienced executives. And the truth is that the performance of the spokesperson will affect how the public views that organisation, and not just in the short... Read >

Crisis Management – What Happens When It’s All Over?

Getting through a crisis successfully can suck every bit of energy from individuals as well as a company: it seems to occupy every thought, decision, and action of executives, and to some extent all employees. So when the heat of the crisis subsides, it's... Read >

How Crisis Communication Can Combat Misinformation in a Digital Age

As communication has become nearly instantaneous today, the need to quickly and actively address a crisis before an irreparable amount of damage is done is a necessity for any corporation. Indeed, a recent blog posting by Advertising Age journalist Ja... Read >