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Checkmate Update
September 3, 2002
The online newsletter
dedicated to "Defending Good Science."
Who does the talking?
This is a series
of articles dedicated to exploring the basic principles of
effective crisis communications. We are all crisis managers
at some point in our lives – whether we succeed depends
on how well we are prepared.
Preparing your spokesperson.
Within each team, there should be individuals
who are the only ones authorized to speak for the company
in times of crisis. The CEO should be one of those spokespersons,
but not necessarily the primary spokesperson. The fact is
that some chief executives are brilliant business people but
not very effective communicators. If the issue is a scientific
one, the same rule applies to your chief scientist –
he or she may be wonderful in their chosen specialty, but
not necessarily a good communicator.
Two typical quotes from well-intentioned
company executives summarize the reason why your spokespersons
should receive professional training in how to speak to the
media:
"I talked to that nice reporter
for over an hour and he didn't report the most important
news about my company."
"I've done a lot of public speaking.
I won't have any trouble talking to the press."
"60 Minutes," "W5," and "Dateline
NBC" have made very successful television shows based
on interview ‘victims’ who thought they knew how
to talk to the press. As anyone who’s survived a ‘crisis
communications’ drama knows all-too-well, communicating
in a crisis is nothing like public speaking to a friendly
audience from a podium.
There are a number of reasons for a breakdown
in communications once a crisis hits. For one, whether the
story is about a damaging study related to your industry or
an emissions leak at a manufacturing facility, you have to
assume that your audience does not understand the science
involved. Has your spokesperson mastered the art of explaining
what your firm does in 30 seconds or less? Now what about
8 seconds – because that’s about the maximum airtime
he or she will get in the event of a crisis.
Even more importantly – can your spokesperson
explain in 8 seconds what your company does without raising
unnecessary alarm bells? Can he or she do it without relying
on industry labels or technical jargon? If he or she has trouble
– which is normal – it’s time to consider communications
training.
Analysts, institutional investors, individual
stockholders and other key investment community audiences
are just as capable of misunderstanding or misinterpreting
information about your firm as the media. It is a communicator’s
responsibility to minimize the chance of that happening.
Spokesperson training is the Boy Scouts
of media contact. It teaches you to be prepared, to be ready
to respond in a way that maximizes the chance of a story or
analyst's evaluation coming out the way you want it to.
There are expert spokesperson trainers in
most major metropolitan areas, operating either as independent
consultants or as part of public relation agencies. Checkmate
Public Affairs has a unique training program called "Defending
Good Science in Tough Times" which we would be happy
to talk to you about conducting. Otherwise, contact your local
chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, Canadian
Public Relations Society or International Association of Business
Communicators if you need a referral.
Checkmate Link of the Month
Environmental advocate – or eco-terrorist?
Take a look inside an eco-terrorist network with this New
York Times Magazine Series, written this April by Bruce Barcott.
It may require a membership in the New York Times online edition
in order to read the article, but membership is free.
From
Tree Hugger to Terrorist
About Checkmate Public Affairs
Bad
things can happen to good companies.
When it happens, the smart companies call Checkmate Public
Affairs.
Checkmate Public Affairs specializes in
‘Defending Good Science.’ We stop activists.
We manage issues. And we deliver results.
Checkmate is Canada’s premier issues
management firm dedicated to assisting corporations with science-based
crisis communications and corporate defense. We are a small
firm with a niche practice – which means we aren’t
loaded with the overhead and complicated structures of many
big agencies.
Free Consultation
Do you have any questions? Are you feeling
uncomfortable about a situation? Are you on the wrong end
of an attack? Why not call us? Checkmate is happy to offer
a free 100% confidential initial consultation. Let us take
you through some basic issues management. If you don’t
think we can provide value added service, there’s no
risk to you. If your challenge is in an area of our expertise,
I’m convinced we can provide an effective solution at
a competitive price. Contact information is at the bottom
of this newsletter.
The Checkmate Update is a service
provided by Checkmate
Public Affairs. Please
feel free to share this newsletter with anyone who would find
it useful, but have them sign up too! Our sign-up page is
located at http://www.checkmatepublicaffairs.com/newsletter.
(If you want to stop receiving
the Checkmate Update, we understand, but we’re sorry
to see you go. You can unsubscribe on the same web page.)
Please tell us what you think of this newsletter.
Any suggestions, comments or advice are always welcome.
Jeff Chatterton, President
Checkmate Public Affairs
Phone (519) 342-0025
Tollfree (877) 284-7952
Fax (519) 342-1221
http://www.checkmatepublicaffairs.com
"Defending Good
Science "
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