VW. Chipotle. Target. What comes to mind with these names? Defective emissions equipment? Or deception and fraud? Food-borne illness? Or mismanagement and stock price freefall? 100 million credit card records hacked? Or denial and inadequate crisis management plans? Each of these examples represents a business crisis that damaged reputations, hurt sales and negatively impacted the…
Being able to communicate during a crisis is essential for any organization. Understanding what to say and how to say it should be part of the crisis preparedness planning process. All stakeholders need to be addressed and your spokespersons should know what to say when the media request an interview. Have you ever considered being…
As we start this years Olympics and millions of people converge on Rio, the publicity machine is starting its usual move into overdrive-both negative and positive. Already the media doom mongers are running stories (and have been for some time) that it will be a disaster and that Brazil isn’t ready for the Games. Turn…
As is painfully well known to many companies that have endured crises, social media can be a troublemaker: An irate consumer posts a recording she captured of some impolite customer service she experienced from your company, and it’s being re-Tweeted ad nauseum. Or, a diner’s video of a cockroach backstroking through your restaurant’s clam chowder…
Does your organization have a workplace violence policy? Are there procedures to follow? Has your organization conducted an active shooter or other violent intruder drills or exercises? Are your staff and other key stakeholders prepared for such an attack? How would your staff respond and how would you manage the event? Answers to the above…
Personal resilience is essentially our ability to overcome the challenges that life throws at us, to bounce back and critically, to maintain a positive outlook in the face of adversity. We all have some innate resilience but this can be developed; we can train ourselves to deal with unexpected disappointments or even really serious…
Violent situations can happen at a moment’s notice and are typically planned events. Dallas police just experienced an active shooter situation that took five police officers lives during a peaceful demonstration. How do you prepare yourself and your organization for violent attacks? Do you have a process for evaluating your organization’s ability to respond to…
In episode 17 of the PreparedEx podcast, we discuss five security tips for the business traveler. Although we focus on the business traveler, anyone travelling for pleasure may also find this useful. When traveling to a foreign place on business or for pleasure, it is important that you understand the inherent dangers associated with that…
The great game of people watching. Always a fun pastime (especially when it’s part of your job). Next time you’re in a public place such as an airport, try this game: “Guess the Nationality”. Apart from obvious facial features and tribal dress, people from certain countries inadvertently (or purposefully) advertise where they are from. In…
Security isn’t always on the top of your mind when we travel, but it should be. Be alert when you step off the plane Traveling long distances can cause tiredness, and tiredness and lead to making mistakes that could impact your journey. When you arrive into the country by air, there are a number…