Crisis Communications: An Independent Study @crisiscommunications-blog - Tumblr Blog

David Bohm - On Dialogue pt. 3

I've felt at a loss all day and it hasn't been due to a lack of sleep. I need my David Bohm fix. Back to On Dialogue!

We left off discussing how to get beyond the urge to feel like any sort of dialogue needs to have a set objective. Rather, dialogue's purpose should just be the act of communication, of creating new between persons. Letting go of the urgent neediness is hard to do, to resist sudden impulses, especially absolutely necessary ones.

Absolutely Necessary Assumption 1 V. Absolutely Necessary Assumption 2

To get past these absolute necessities in order to engage in dialogue you need freedom.

Freedom makes possible a creative perception of new orders of necessity - David Bohm

If this microcosm of society met to engage in dialogue over an extended period of time then there would be a coherent movement of communication at the tacit level. This is where thought comes from, that vagueness in the back, and so when dialogue reaches this level, thought can actually change.

Suspending Assumptions

Actively and truthfully suspending assumptions leaves the persons engaging in dialogues as mirrors for the other. This highlights the connection between the thoughts of the dialogue, the body's feelings and the emotions. As these connections are made apparent it is necessary for each person to notice and observe how thought is actually worked out and through an individual.

Proprioceptive Thought

The point of suspension is to help make proprioception possible, to create a mirror so that you can see the results of your thought - David Bohm, 25.

Proprioceptive thought then can lead to collective thoughts, where we take part in a participatory consciousness. At this stage, assumptions will be aired but only to be shared and not defended or scorned. This allows for the participants to remain utterly free, both from impulses and from an overbearing thought process. It also builds a new culture through the shared coherent meanings. And if a culture is built on coherent meanings, then wouldn't that create a true and coherent culture of interpersonal fellowship?

Dialogue Difficulties

Adoption of certain roles, which are based on assumptions, interfere with true dialogue.

Pressure to say your two cents ASAP

Defensive attitudes

Notion of truth conflicts with sharing of meaning. However, there is no one unique truth to stand by. Neither is there absolute relativism.

Limited Dialogue

Purpose exists and limits dialogue but principle is to know each other's assumptions

Notes

Bohm's chapter on Dialogue address multiple interesting issue. I remember discussing the nonexistence of an absolute truth in my class in regards to the works of Alan Watts. It reminded me of that class I took and others where really the whole point is to have a dialogue. And yet, so many classes have left that sort of discourse and instead are attempting to persuade and, ultimately, win the class debate. How much more would I have gotten out of my schooling if students were willing to engage in (limited) dialogue rather than discussions and arguments?

Bohm's work, applied to crisis management, focuses on how to be free of the assumptions which lead to impulses. Without these impulses and assumptions inhibiting our view, we can actually view one another and share meanings. For an organization to do this is something else. I wonder if an organization could focus on creating a dialogue with their stakeholders in order to facilitate a deeper connection instead of just managing the organization's reputation.

Bohm, David. “On Dialogue.” On Dialogue.

Situational Crisis Communication Theory - W.Timothy Coombs

Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) by W. Timothy Coombs provides a framework for organizations to practically apply crisis communications theories. It gives the organization a way to predict the threat of reputation damage due to a crisis, which in turn, assists the organization in deciding on a strategy for handling the crisis.

SCCT is connected at to Attribution Theory, which seeks to place responsibility of crisis somewhere. Reactions to the organization range from anger to sympathy, depending on the level of responsibility the stakeholders perceive the organization of having.

The resulting amount of reputational damage incurred from a crisis can be predicted by these 3 factors.

1. Crisis Responsibility: How much is the organization at fault?

2. Crisis History:

3. Prior Reputation

Now, lets look at how the crisis can be framed. Framing options include communication and thought frames. Communication frames focus on the way in which the crisis is presented influences thought frames that focus, instead, on cognitive schemas for framing the crisis.

From the three factors and how the organization and crisis is framed, crisis type clusters are formed.

1. Victim Cluster

2. Accidental Cluster

3. Intentional Cluster (bears the most responsibility and, consequently, threat of reputational damage)

From these clusters the following reputation management strategies can be applied with a better understanding and capacity for correctly handling a crisis and the impending risk to the organization's reputation.

Deny

Diminish

Rebuild

Bolster

Reminder

Stakeholders are #1

Coombs emphasized the first objective any organization should ethically have in a crisis management plan; to protect the stakeholders from harm. Stakeholders feels a surge for information during a crisis. The best thing an organization can do at this point is to ensure the needs of the stakeholder are taken care, to the best of the organization. By withholding valuable information organizations are missing an opportunity for corrective action. Companies like Toyota should have concerned themselves, first, with providing more information to their stakeholders rather than coming off as a secretive company. As Coombs is quick to point out, concern for an organizations' stakeholders during a crisis does not equate responsibility for the crisis. Only after the organization has helped the stakeholders should it concern itself with its own reputation management.

Notes:

This article was the perfect procrastination read from my crisis management plan I am making for a client as part of my independent study. Reading through, I realized that, unaware, I was choosing primarily rebuilding and bolstering strategies, with the exception of one reminder strategy for all of the possible crises I am planning for. Quite honestly, it is a difficult decision to make when you are sitting with your laptop and attempting to hypothesize on which strategy will best suit the organization and the stakeholders' needs.

Coombs, W. Timothy. (2007). Protecting Organization Reputations During a Crisis: The Development and Application of Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Corporate Repuation Review, 10(3), 163-176. Retrieved March 27, 2012 from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1337538591).

#situational crisis communication theory #attribution theory #crisis communications #PR Ethics #W. Timothy Coombs

It all started in a bar...Deveney Communication

More than three years ago I found myself in a bar around Charles St. in New Orleans for spring break. I was eating chicken strips and the man next to me was drinking beer. He was very nice and talked to me about college and the post-college life. I wish I knew or remembered his name. I did remember the company he worked for, Deveney Communication. As a nineteen year old, his passion for and satisfaction to a company at such a young age struck me as unusual, and more importantly, something I wanted. Since that night, I've watched Deveney Communication from afar, read their case studies, watched their tweets and browsed their website multiple times. I'm still as attracted and in awe of the company as I was that first night.

"To achieve balance, discover who you are. What brings you joy? What are your passions and priorities? It takes a lifetime and true effort to discover these things. But as you discover them, let them direct you: Do what you love and do it in your own way." - John Deveney

Deveney is renown for its crisis management work, perhaps most significantly for its quick response after Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, the Deveney team managed the State Tourism's strategy post BP Oil Spill. With these numerous case studies that show the effectiveness of Deveney's crisis management methods, what they propose just makes sense. This is what John Deveney, president of Deveney Communications, had to say on creativity during a crisis.

This quick article focused on the 4 Hard C's of Crisis Communication and how to integrate the ever important 5th C; creativity.

1. Quick

Don't just rely on typical modes of quick communication, be creative and use resources (eg: hashtags, photo streams) to best communicate message quickly to public.

2. Candid

Consider using other spokespersons other than the CEO in order to provide accurate information with a highly knowledgeable spokesperson who can provide more specific details on the crisis.

3. Place everything in Context

Look beyond the typical crisis response method of communication - what does the organization want to convey to the public, other than the crisis?

4. Remain Consistent

Consider creating expert bureaus who, together, provide a consistent method but in a unique way.

But don't forget to be Creative! Crises can threaten the health of an organization but can also be the source of new and innovative changes and progressions for an organization.

Deveney, John. "Being creative in the face of crisis: How innovation plays a role in communication." Public Relations Society of America. (2011, August 1). Found at http://www.prsa.org/ Intelligence/Tactics/Articles/view/9305/101/Being_creative_in_ the_face_of_crisis_How_innovatio

#creativity #crisismanagment #deveneycommunication #hurricanekatrina #publicrelations #BPoilspill #neworleans #PRSA

David Bohm - On Dialogue pt. 2

Bohm, David. “On Dialogue.” On Dialogue.

This post will discuss Bohm's chapter that directly talks about dialogue. While reading it I became aware of many facets of my own thinking and basic assumptions that have gotten in the way of true dialogue in the past. It is quite a feeling to be suddenly aware of the deception of the mind and then try to hold onto that while thinking about, say meeting a friend, but being aware or trying to be aware of the actual thought process that is going on. I think having a certain level of awareness, one that can be used as a pause button to ensure that we are not automatically defending our assumptions, will help us to have more fulfilling and honest relationships. At the same time, having this sort of stop-gap measure is not only hard to continuously do, it leaves you feeling vulnerable as you stop defending your assumptions and then are more open to being attacked by others. It necessitates a certain amount of acceptance and comfort with one's own unimportance.

Dialogue - stream of meaning flowing among and through us and between us. New understanding are able to emerge something new (see communication)

Discussion - Emphasizes analyzing and breaking up ideas. Emphasis on winning the game.

When people get together their differing basic assumptions on life (religion, self-interest, country's interest, priorities) are challenged and must then be defended. These assumptions, or opinions, are experienced as truths for each individual, which is why we jump to defend them readily.

Individual thought

Fragmentation - thought that divides everything up. Select and separate certain things from the actual oneness of the world.

Active thought process- constantly changing but tell us the this is just how things are, that it isn't always changing. "Thought produces results, but thought says it didn't do it. And that is a problem."

Thought defends itself - Thought automatically defends its assumptions by pushing other thoughts aside and categorizing them as wrong. Often, we are unconsciously defending our opinions.

Collective Thought

Collective thought is more powerful than individual thought. Individual thoughts are often results of collective thought. A group of 20-40 peoples is a microcosm of society with numerous differing assumptions within the group. If groups were able to collectively think coherently (with dialogue) then these groups would have enormous power and ability, especially at the tactic level.

Engaging in Dialogue

Sitting in circle best engages for direct communication with less dependence on facilitator. You are not trying to decide on what to do about anything, rather, this should be a free and empty space to for discourse and communicating coherently.

Necessity creates powerful impulses and leaves each person in a state of conflict. All these serious talks are about what is absolutely necessary. Often what we consider to be abosolutely neccesary will clash with others, creating conflict in a dialogue. Freedom makes possible a cerative perception of new orders of necessity.

This is only the beginning of Bohm's thoughts on dialogue - more is on the way!

David Bohm - On Dialogue pt. 1

To discuss how we successfully communicate I've turned to David Bohm.

"I would say that in my scientific and philosophical work, my main concern has been with understanding the nature of reality in general and of consciousness in particular as a coherent whole, which is never static or complete but which is an unending process of movement and unfoldment...." (David Bohm: Wholeness and the Implicate Order)

Bohm, David. "On Communication." On Dialogue.

In today's world we continue to create communication networks yet more and more it seems like we have a problem with communication. What is our problem with communication? To begin, you have to think about what communication is, which is to make something common. Communication is the process where two individuals work make something common between them through communication. This is a necessary process in all facets of life. Bohm calls living in harmony to be communicating freely as part of a creative movement. The difficulty is that there are no two identical realities since both people are working behind a "screen of their own thoughts," so that there are no two identical realities, only similar realities. However, often, rather than focusing on listening to the other person and processing the others communication we try to force our own reality on the other. Without realizing it, our emotional and psychological needs create blocks to listening freely and focusing on what the other person is saying. To work on communicating, then, we need to continuously focus on truly listening to another and pushing past our own blocks which inhibit us from creating something common with each other.

Intro to Conflict Management and Negotiation

The semester is almost done and I haven't even begun to discuss conflict negotiation tactics! It's about high time I did since with warm temperatures come heightened moods and it seems that everyone is just one melted ice cream cone away from a full-blown conflict. So lets begin. With an encyclopedia, of course. No better way to start off this new direction.

Conflict Management and Negotiation

Encyclopedia of Management Ed. Marilyn M Helms. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. p115-119

Ed: Victor, David A. and Lanier, Patricia A.

Conflict: Can be dysfunctional or functional. Dysfunctional conflict is destructive while functional conflict is productive and can lead to an increased work ethic. Historically, there have been different prevailing theories on conflict management in the U.S.

Avoidance

Conflict was seen as a destructive force, no matter the context, and was something to be avoided at all cost. There was no winner post-conflict since someone always had to be a slighted, therefore it was better to avoid it rather than address the issue. However, this led to feeling of neglect by those who were being avoided or whose conflicting needs were not addressed directly.

Human Relations

Viewpoint that dominated during the 1940-1970s. Focused on conflict as a natural occurrence. Recommended course of action was the acceptance of conflict in life.

Interactionist

Began in the 1970s up to present day. This sort of conflict management focuses on not only accepting the naturalness of conflict in life but also encouraging its existence.This method focuses on ensuring that conflict is functional and is a source of growth for the organization.

Sources of Conflict

Resources (or lack there of)

Personality Clashes

Power and Status Differences

Goal Differences

Jurisdictional Ambiguities

Communication Breakdown

Handling Conflict

Thomas and Kilmann created the featured matrix as a way to breakdown the differing methods for handling conflict resolution.

5 A's Technique

Assessment - collect information about the issue

Acknowledgement - build empathy through hearing each side of the story

Attitude - remove differences in perception in order to see the matter clearly

Action - begin chosen management method

Analysis - decide on what happens next and review

Image Rehab

Journal Article Discussion

Rehabilitating Your Organization's Image: Public Relations Professionals' Perceptions of the Effectiveness and Ethicality of Image Repair Strategies in Crisis Situations.

Denise P Ferguson, Ph.D., APR, J.D. Wallace, Ph.D. and Robert C. Chandler, Ph.D.

Public Relations Journal Vol. 6, No. 1

2012 Public Relations Society of America

Quotes

Crisis communication is a broad area of research and application that includes pre-crisis, crisis response, and post-crisis decision making, training, planning, teamwork, goal setting, and crisis communication plans (Coombs, 2007a).

Threat is described as “the amount of damage a crisis could inflict on the organization’s reputation if no action is taken” (Coombs, 2007a, p. 165).

Overview

Overall emphasis on Benoit's Image Restoration Theory and how PR professionals' viewed the effectiveness/usefulness of 5 strategies and 14 specific message strategies. Mortification and corrective actions were most useful/effective while bolstering, minimization, provocation and denial were least.

A study was conducted on advanced PR students to see how they viewed these macro and micro strategies. Students decided corrective action, compensation, mortification and bolstering should be chosen more while denial strategies were considered the most damaging/negative strategies.

Discussion

This study showed that students and PR professional alike shared similar views on which strategies to employ before, during and after a crisis. The conclusions help other students and professional to focus clearly on the strategies considered most ethical or efficient across the board; mortification, corrective action and bolstering. At all costs, it seems, silence should never be employed as a successful strategy during a time of crisis. Rather, the PR professional should actively engage in communication in order to not dismiss the public's needs.

Nancy G. Brinker, founder of the Susan G. Komen foundation, defends the decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood

Susan G. Komen PR Crisis

Currently the Susan G. Komen foundation for researching and fighting breast cancer has been in the news for the decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood through grants.

The crisis began when two days ago when Susan G. Komen announced the decision to not continue its partnership with Planned Parenthood anymore. The backlash against the foundation has grown remarkably since then and has been in the news quite a bit.

Komen's reasoning for ending the partnership surrounds the new grant-allocation process it has recently implemented. The new standards require that the organizations who get the grants not be under any local, state, or federal investigations and since Planned Parenthood seems to always be under investigation it was disqualified as an organization able to receive funding. Another reason given was the pass-through rather than complete care services that Planned Parenthood provides for breast cancer screening and preventative education.

In response, Planned Parenthood and women's rights supporters have started a petition against the foundation and are showing through social media, rallies, and many other platforms that they stand with Planned Parenthood. They show that the foundation's leaders are strongly pro-life and right wing minded and are taking the opportunity to stop funding to Planned Parenthood because some of its locations offer abortions. In addition, Planned Parenthood's donations in the past two days has already surpassed $400,000 as many people strive to show through financial means that they support Planned Parenthood.

For a more in depth look into the issue check out these news articles!

backlash grows over Susan G. Komen-Planned Parenthood flap - cbs

Susan G. Komen Loses Support - Huffington Post

Susan G. Komen Planned Parenthood Funding - Washington Post

Top Susan G. Komen Official Resigned - The Atlantic

As Komen Defends Itself - NPR

So This is the situation or the identity crisis for Susan G. Komen. What are they doing?

First, their founder, Nancy G. Brinker, is leading as the spokesperson and has created a video that defends their position. The video focuses on strengthening the foundation's image by an emphasis on carrying out Komen's mission and the promise that Brinker made to her sister to fight cancer. The video came out yesterday so response to the crisis has been good. With Molly Williams, Komen's top PR exec leaving , they are not able to defend their position as best as they can. However, with timely responses and a cool-headed spokesperson who provides quick responses to the crisis on hand they are doing well, so far.

#Susan G Komen #Planned Parenthood #Funding #Public Relations #Crisis Management

Contents of a Crisis Management Plan

Currently reading Code Red in the Boardroom by W. Timothy Coombs. So let's talk about the crisis management plan. According to Coombs, it should include the following.

Crisis Management Plan Contents

Cover page

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Rehearsal dates

Crisis management team list

CMT contact sheet

Secondary contact sheet

Crisis risk assessment

CMT strategy worksheet

Stakeholder contact worksheet

Business continuity plan reference

Crisis control center

Postcrisis evaluation tools

Edelman Trust Barometer

This is pretty basic, but when it is related back to the Edelman Trust Barometer then it needs to be rethought. Main points of the trust barometer included that the CEO as a spokesperson has dropped in trustability this past year. What does that mean for 2012 and creating a crisis management plan?

Spokespersons

First off, the CEO as the head of the company often times is the best choice for a crisis spokesperson due to the leadership role he has. That doesn't mean in certain crisis situations that a different spokesperson shouldn't be chosen. Rather, it highlights the need for specific and practical crisis management plans instead of a generic plan for all.

Crisis Management Plan

The trust barometer also returns to Coombs' issue regarding treating the crisis management plan as a living document. This means it should be reviewed, changed and updated annually. Additionally, the actual strategies of the plan should be practiced in mock exercises in order to discover any points that need to be reassessed. For instance, if the spokesperson reacts wrongly during a practice exercise then the organization will know to change the spokesperson on the crisis management plan.

Edelman Trust Barometer 2012

#crisis #public relations #edeleman #trust issues #2012

Why I Care About Crisis Communication

The world is my oyster, I just need to figure out how to tell it to open up.

Communication. That's what it's all about. Proper, honest, direct communication that helps rather than hurts. Communication as the pathway and tool for stopping, avoiding, and fixing conflicts between people, organizations, countries, the world.

Communication can really do all these things. I know that when it comes down to it most of us can agree on most things, if we just communicated well enough for others to understand. And when fights and crises do arise wouldn't it be great to say the right thing and work to dissolve the issue? I wish we could. I wish I knew how.

Imagine the Possibilities.

Not fighting over whose turn it is to do the dishes, your boss understanding rather than yelling at you, no more family dinner spats over the holidays.

Unity over discord. That's what I'm searching for, trying to figure out. This course is more than just a fun topic for me to learn about through the course of a semester. It is an opportunity to learn how to practice my hopes for the world and personal beliefs through communication.

#cri #conflict negotiation

Course Syllabus

CAP 399: Independent Study Crisis Communications/Conflict Negotiation

Course Description

The course design is to create a comprehensive understanding and extensive base knowledge of conflict negotiation and the relations to crisis communications.

Objectives

· Basic crisis communication theory knowledge

· Basic knowledge of conflict negotiation theory and strategy

Course Activities

Blog: Online documentation of the student’s work will be publicized through an online blog. It will serve as a tool for discussion and documentation or work.

Crisis Communication Plan: A full-semester project to create a crisis communication plan for a client. It will allow the student to act with a client and learn the aspects of crisis communication within the business world.

Conflict Negotiation Paper: It will focus on conflict negotiation strategy and theory will be due at mid-semester and will be between 5-15 pages in length.

Readings: Weekly reading discussions will be posted online and be 1-4 paragraphs in length.

Professional Interviews: The intent will be to gain more hands-on knowledge through live interviews. Permission to put online must be granted before blogging about the interview.

Grading

Grading will be on a pass/fail system. For accurate grading it is necessary that a biweekly meeting between student and adviser occur regularly. Additionally, emails with concerns and questions will also be used for communication while the adviser can monitor the student’s progress via the blog.

#crisis communications #syllabus #independent study

I am so ready for this class!

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