(Note to readers: Regular readers will know that while I’m intensely political in my own time, I bend over backwards to avoid mixing my ‘political’ life with my ‘Checkmate ‘life. But there are times when the case study is just too obvious to be ignored – this is one of those times.)

Republicans will gather in California this evening to watch the candidates vying to replace US President Barak Obama. But they can gather knowing they’ve squandered a beautiful opportunity.

Obama had asked for an opportunity to address the nation, in order to discuss job creation initiatives. The economy is clearly the most important issue on the ballot, and it’s easy to understand why Obama wants to discuss it.

Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner has refused Obama’s request, and offered him tomorrow evening instead. It may have been genuine, it may have been sneaky partisanship, it doesn’t matter – it was a wasted opportunity.

I understand Boehner doesn’t want to interrupt the debate, but the move is brutally short-sighted. Not only can rescheduling the Commander in Chief appear petty and partisan, it handcuffed a golden opportunity to respond.

Imagine if Obama addressed the nation, while the half-dozen gathered debaters watch in real time. Immediately upon conclusion, the Republicans could have turned to the cameras and said to the nation “You’ve heard the opinion of a man who’s responsible for this mess. But here are some real alternatives.”

It would have been timely, unscripted, genuine debate. It would attract significant media interest. And it would have allowed Republicans to rip Obama’s speech to shreds to a national audience.

Before the 11pm news even aired, newscasters across the country would have clips of Obama’s speech, along with various clips of Republican contenders attacking it.

Now, however, the Republicans will debate prior to hearing the details in Obama’s speech. The television interest will be significantly lower. National media interest will be passing at best. And in a jaw-droppingly stupid move, the Republicans have punted President Obama to the 15 minutes immediately prior to the start of the NFL season. They’ve offered him prime time on a silver platter.

To further add injury to insult, the Republicans have announced they will not bother to offer a rebuttal to Obama’s speech. Although at this point, it’s probably for the best.

What opportunities are you missing, just because you’ve never taken the time to have someone outside your situation say “Um, you know you’re giving your competitor an advantage here?”

Unreal.

All you need to know about this story is the lead sentence:  “OTTAWA — A voluntary recall has been issued for all Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars, imported from Pakistan.”

Anything I add at this point can not possibly be any funnier, any more ironic, or ‘hold your face in your hands’ worthy.

Oh wait – here it is.  “In other news, investigators are also announcing a voluntary recall on “Kellogg’s Factory Floor Mystery Crunch cereal.”

This is neither an endorsement or a recommendation, but I came across an interesting new web-based service today.

I get the complaint all the time: “The reporter got the facts wrong.”  Or “They didn’t even bother to ask us for our comment.”  If I were more cynical, I’d string together all the complaints I hear about media coverage and use them as titles for my new book.

My approach has always been simple – don’t use excuses as a crutch.  By monitoring what’s being said, and knowing how to respond in a way that actually WORKS, everyone wins.

But for those situations where it may be too late, www.newsbasis.com is trying to fix that.  They’re billing themself as a one-stop monitoring/correction agency of sorts.

There’s not much to see… I’ve signed up for the beta service but I’ll report back if I learn more.

PS – sorry for the LONG absence.  No excuses, but I was overseas and dealing with massive client projects.  I’ll try to do better. 

Why do I call them “hidden” ways? It’s simple – chances are good you’ve never thought about them.

I’m working with a client today that had their office broken into.  Despite being under lock and key, three laptops were stolen, and along with them, confidential information onover 8,000 customers.  It’s truly a case of “bad things happen to good companies.”

My client is a victim, yet they are now spending a lot of money to inform eight thousand people their identity is at risk.  Not only is this a huge financial hit short term, the long term consequences have yet to play out.  Will they lose customers?  Not if I can help it.  But needless to say, my client is not having a great day.

My role is to step in and stop the bleeding, and turn things around. We’re going to do it – at the end of the day, this will be a fantastic opportunity to reinforce customer trust and confidence.  But it’s a lot like a forest fire.  Sometimes, a forest fire is a good way to kickstart new growth.  Sometimes, despite the best intentions, you end up burning down entire communities by accident.  No one wants to see that happen.

Since a new year brings new challenges, I thought I’d compile a list of ways you can have a really bad public relations day that you probably haven’t thought of – yet.  Since it’s 2010, I’ll come up with ten (and only ten, as opposed to 2,010!)  Each are conceivable, real life situations that happen every day… and yes, each are easily solved if you’ve prepped for them in advance.  But have you?

10/ Watch your competitors burn with glee (aka ‘afflicted competitor syndrome)
When “Balloon-Boy” Falcon Heene was dominating the CNN feed one afternoon last fall, I received a phone call from one of the largest manufacturers of ballooning equipment in North America.  Obviously, this manufacturer had NOTHING to do with the Heene family… that contraption was entirely home-built.  Nevertheless, by the time I received a phone call, the company had received over fifty (!) media requests for interviews.

If your competitor does something dumb, don’t assume it reflects ONLY on them… especially if you share a territory, a technology or a customer base.  No matter how awful your competitor is, their bad day can quickly become yours as well.

9/ Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
The Challenger blew up because of a bad o-ring.  Maple Leaf staged a multi-million dollar food recall because a knife wasn’t properly cleaned.  If you discover ‘little things’ going wrong, the easiest way for that little thing to become a full blown forest fire is to ignore it.

8/ Short-Sell Stupid
Look – if it’s dumb, chances are good you’ve done it.  I know I have.  And if you’re so clumsy in real life, why do you expect your employees to be better?

Who’s job was it to clean that knife at Maple Leaf – and does it really matter?  Did Domino’s plan for one of their employees to pick their nose, sell it with a pizza and capture it on Youtube?  Of course not.  Can you guarantee one of your customer service reps will never swear at a customer?  Of course you can’t.

People can be inherently stupid.  Planning for that isn’t insulting – it’s just good corporate practice.

7/ A rising tide can lift all boats.  An ebbing tide… well, don’t ask.
Imagine being in charge of a high-tech start up three months before the tech bubble burst in the early 2000’s.  Or how could you manage Investor Relations for ANY publicly traded company between October and March of last year?

Did you do anything wrong?  No, not really.  Does that matter to the investors who want to turn your annual report into toilet paper?  Not one little bit.

6/ Guilty by Association
Do you know where your raw materials come from?  Have you visited their warehouse?  Have you ever wondered WHY their quote was cheaper?  In an era of ’sustainability,’ accusations of sweatshop labour or environmental sins can have damning consequences.  The list of accused organizations reads like a Fortune 500 list – Apple Computer, Nike, Wal-Mart, even Kathie Lee Gifford.  It’s simply not enough to make sure only your own house is in order.

5/ The Golden Competition (aka the OPPOSITE of afflicted competitor syndrome)
I try to avoid partisan examples, but look at  the Republican National Committee.  In one year, their competition a) swept Congress b) won the Presidency, and c) won the Nobel Peace Prize.  If you’re in charge of communications at the RNC, that’s a solidly bad year.  What did the RNC do to deserve all of that?  It doesn’t matter if they deserve it or not – it’s happened.  And as a result, it’s a tarnished brand.

Obviously, time heals all wounds, especially in politics… but it’s not a huge leap to ask, “Has this happened to me or my brand in the past year as well?”

4/ Assume you’re Secure
Look at the example at the top of this page.  My client is spending a small mint to potentially infuriate 8,000 of their best customers – because it’s the right thing to do.  Those three laptops were behind two locked doors and chained to their desks.  It didn’t stop the criminals.  Whether it’s a hacker, a careless employee or downright negligence – how can you prepare for having your dirty laundry aired in public?

3/ Assume your People are Happy
I’m always cynical about claims, “our people wouldn’t do such a thing” or “we have the best employees in the world.”  Keep in mind – I’m self employed for a reason.  I have a simple prism… I am a good, honest and loyal person.  And if I don’t want to work for you, why would anyone else?

Why on earth do you think your employees are happy?  Have you asked them?  Have you asked them… lately?  Have you honestly asked them what you can be doing better?  Try a simple question:  “Would you leave this company tomorrow if you had a similar opportunity?”  You may be shocked at the results.

Companies that ignore their own people deserve what comes from ‘that.’  And typically, ‘that’ is never a good thing.  Damaging headlines… strike action… regulatory reviews… government inspections… Chances are good they were instigated by a disgruntled employee.

Which means, as the employer, you really have no excuse not to have seen that one coming.

2/ You Don’t Know what You Don’t Know
The stories are legendary… Chrysler had to rebadge the “Lacrosse” in Quebec because in French, it’s a synonym for masturbation.  In Spanish, the Chevy Nova translated to “Chevy doesn’t go.”   Tropicana pulled their packaging after forgetting to ask it’s customers if they liked the new design.

Whether it’s cultural sensitivities, regional disparities, religious differences or accidentally using the logo of the wrong local sports team, screw ups happen.  Sometimes you can’t prevent it – no one knows everything.  But how do you repair the damage after it occurs?

1/ Acts of God or Terrorism

Some mistakes you ought to have seen coming.  Not having a response is simply bad judgement.  But then – some mistakes are more than mistakes.  They’re called crises.  Fire, accidents, explosions, shootings… unfortunately, none of them are unrealistic.

Here is an inescapable truth:  The fact you were targeted by tragedy does very little to influence public opinion.  How you respond to that tragedy means just about everything.

How are you prepared?

Here’s your opportunity to get rich and famous.  Well, at least famous.

This week is “stay at home and recover” week (long story, but it involves a deviated septum, a skilled surgeon, some Tylenol and a Lazyboy).  So what better time to get some long awaited work done on my book?

As part of the process, I’m compiling a list of credibility crisis moments for any company.  I’ve compiled a list of events that can happen to you or your business/organization.  Every single one of these is realistic, easy to slip into, and causes sleepless nights for corporate communicators all over the globe.

What would you add?  What events have YOU run into that you can share with your fellow communicators?  (Remember – commenting on a blog post automatically makes you sexier.) 

I’ll deal with strategy and tactics later.  For now, I’m just concentrating on what you need to develop a strategy FOR.

TWENTY WAYS TO GET YOURSELF IN TROUBLE

Wonky test results
e.g. You get an email or a voicemail from the production line “I’m not sure what to make of these numbers.  We haven’t gotten any phone calls yet, but it looks like we’re getting some cross contamination on the floor… do we need to be worried?

Continue reading…

In fairness, this isn’t my work. But I overwhelmingly approve of the concept.

Just a real quick comment.  Yesterday, I’m with a client in Ottawa, visiting some Canadian MP’s.  Our meetings ended early, so naturally we wanted to return home.

We were flying Bearskin Airlines – a small, northern-Ontario centric regional airline.  By small, I mean ‘everyone gets a window seat, you better pee before you leave the ground, the inflight entertainment consists of your window’ small.

We approached the registration desk at Ottawa Airport several hours early with “Hi, we’re on the 6pm flight but we were hoping to get the 4pm flight instead.”  Bracing ourselves, we got ready to hear all about a $100 (or higher) change fee.

After all, Air Canada won’t let you change seats without lots of money and headache.  Even if your scheduled flight is delayed, you are pretty much bound to that flight number.

The agent’s response was one word: “Absolutely!”

Thanks to a common-sense customer satisfaction policy and a friendly frontline staff, I got to see my kids last night.  And THAT makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about Bearskin airlines.

Bearskin Airlines.  Absolutely.

(Sorry about the cheesy headline – I couldn’t help myself.)

I am one of the only crisis communication experts I know who does not like ‘emergency plans.’

I’ve seen countless blog posts and industry articles lamenting the lack of good emergency plans. Here in Canada, one of the Provincial Governments is considering forcing non-government businesses to prepare emergency plans. I have helped organizations large and small prepare emergency plans… but I always say the same thing: “Chances are good that when you need it, this won’t do you any good.”

I have actually heard people gasp, out loud, when I say that. For a crisis communications consultant, crapping on an emergency plan is considered sacrilegious, equivalent to a Catholic Priest skipping his tour of the Vatican and going to the amusement park instead.

Remember, I make my money teaching businesses how to communicate more effectively in the event of a crisis.  So why on earth would I NOT like emergency plans?  The answer, to be blunt?  They are, with few exceptions, a complete waste of time.

What is far more useful is creating a crisis communications mindset. And a crisis communications mindset is nowhere near the same thing as an emergency plan.

If an ‘emergency plan’ causes an organization to sit up, adopt a wholesale rethink of the way they do things and determine how they can do better, that’s fantastic.  I’ll happily eat my words.  Unfortunately, far too often, an emergency plan does exactly the opposite… they fool the company into thinking their bases are covered.

One is a constant, perpetual state of mind. The other is a piece of paper.  One is a way of doing things.  The other is a way that things could, in theory, be done.

Let me help break it down:

- Discovering your building is on fire, you call your managers at 3am since you have their home numbers programmed into your personal cell phone:  crisis mindset.

- Discovering your building is on fire, you drive to the scene, only to recognize that your emergency plan is now ashes:  emergency plan.

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- Gathering your top people around to simulate emergencies on a regular basis, in order to best determine next steps: crisis mindset.

- Hiring a PR consultant to help you write a book, which gets put in a filing cabinet: emergency plan.

—–

- Routinely having team meetings so other members of the team know what all the arms of an organization are up to, or simply letting your tool and die workers learn how to operate a different type of machine so they can fill in “just in case:” crisis mindset.

- Not having any real idea what the person in the next cubicle does, or how he or she does it: emergency plan.

—

A crisis mindset means your employees have a fire drill on a regular basis. An emergency plan means you discussed what a fire drill would look like.

An emergency plan poorly thought out is more dangerous than simply not having one. It’s rather akin to hanging empty fire extinguishers on the wall.  All they do is act as wall decorations, while providing a false sense of security.

When Johnson and Johnson decided to institute a nationwide recall of tylenol, that wasn’t drawn up in an emergency plan.  Same with Maple Leaf deciding to recall packaged meats. These are decisions resulting from a crisis mindset – and a steadfast determination to do ‘what is right.’

Formal plans are a great tool. They can spark an intellectual discussion.  They can act as a crutch when you need something to lean on.  Unfortunately, in the event of a true crisis, it’s very hard to run with crutches.

High speed rail between Toronto’s Union Station and Pearson Airport has been on everyone’s wish list for decades.

And I truly mean everyone – all three levels of government have promised to ‘explore the issue.’ Several studies have spent several millions of dollars exploring possible routes, timetables, scheduling and logistics.

Why hasn’t it happened yet?  Well, there’s the obvious issue, money.  But I have to wonder if it’s also in no small part to idiotic decisions like this.

Forgive me, but you’ve got the money lined up.  The link could remove 5 million people from the roads each and every year… but “18 conditions stipulated by the Ministry of the Environment could set the plan back.”

One of those conditions?  “The trains must use clean technology that is still in development.”

So to clarify – the Ministry of the Provincial Government responsible for cleaning up the environment says in order to take advantage of new, environmentally friendly transportation, you have to use a non-existent engine.

“John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment, says he believes the technology SHOULD be complete by 2015.”  Pardon me if I don’t hold my breath.

Does anyone want to take odds on whether or not our grandchildren will be complaining about the lack of high-speed rail between Union and Pearson?

It started as a simple solution to a simple problem:  14 year old William Kamkwamba wanted to read at night.

Unfortunately, William lived in Malawi, and had no access to electricity to power a light bulb.  So what did he do?  He built a windmill.

That’s impressive enough for any 14 year old… but he did it using old pvc pipe, a collection of beer bottle caps, some rusty car parts and pieces of tree.  And it worked.

One windmill became three, and William not only was able to read at night, but he was able to pump water out of the ground, saving he and his family from starving to death.  He began to carve for himself a better life, using ingenuity and technology.

That was until his neighbours came by and demanded that he take the windmill down.  It was in the midst of a nasty drought, and his neighbours, heavily superstitious at the best of times, had a very good reason for wanting the windmills taken down… they blamed his windmill witchcraft for blowing away the rain clouds.

It makes us shake our head.  This was clearly a case of technology being used to better peoples lives, being scared away for no rational reason other than “this might be the reason and so therefore, in the interest of being prudent, we’ll remove the technology.”  What we mock as being ridiculous is legitimate logic, according to William’s neighbours.

Thankfully, William persevered.  His windmill has survived, his family has diversified their crops, and William can read at night.  He has expanded his windmill network, and as a result, his little village of 60 houses now has clean drinking water and a better life.

Mull this over the next time someone says the precautionary principal is simply “being prudent.”