speaking with confidence

Operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC for NNSA

U N C L A S S I F I E D

Speaking with confidence

Techniques for the effective spokesperson



Today’s Goals

Staying on message

Handling tough questions

Maintaining control over story content

Avoiding misquotes

Understanding soundbites

Communicating in a crisis



Who is this guy?

An investigation of security violations is under way at Los Alamos ... As for the reports of e-mail security violations, spokesman Kevin Roark said…

...... Kevin Roark told The Chronicle on Friday. Roark also said Holian's statistical charts showing Los Alamos' high performance in safety miss the point. ...

National Public Radio Kevin Roark is a lab spokesman. Mr. KEVIN ROARK (Spokesman, Los Alamos National Laboratory): No one's been idle. The lab has been open. ...

CBS News Lab spokesman Kevin Roark said Los Alamos officials are "eager to explain all the lab has done in response to this latest incident and to outline for the ...



Resources

http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/MediaGuide.pdf

http://www.e911.com/

The Crisis Store — James Lucaszewski



A Favorite Interview

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Media in the Information Age

We find ourselves at a crossroads

Journalism -- what has become of it?

http://www.journalism.org/

The Internet’s effect on the practice

Radical ideas



New Delivery Systems

Weblogs

e-Papers

Broadcast web



New Rules of Engagement

New kinds of news sources

Reporting opinion as fact

Sins of omission

Standards of inaccuracy

Inconsistent reporter behavior



Feeling hopeless?

All is not lost

Our jobs are just harder

Preparation is the key



New Communication Techniques

Managing expectations

Making communications a process

Communication planning

Key Consent Factors

Messaging — The Triangle



Break



Working with a message triangle




Key Message Point ｧ Proof Point—where possible, incorporate throughout your message triangle such message enhancers as specific examples; meaningful statistics; analogies, metaphors & similes; the “Three Cs”” (colorful words, clichés, contemporary references); one-liners, personal experience; quotes from experts—or your opposition

Proof Point

Proof Point

Subsidiary bullet

Subsidiary bullet

Proof Point

MAIN MESSAGE

(TYPICALLY UNSTATED)




Off-message question or issue to redirect

Point

Point

Subsidiary bullet

Subsidiary bullet

Bridge to a key message above whenever possible


Point

Point

Subsidiary bullet

Subsidiary bullet



Point

Point

Subsidiary bullet

Subsidiary bullet




Reduced performance anxiety

Stagecraft

Rehearsal

Simplicity

Brevity

Enthusiasm

Accuracy



Anatomy of a soundbite

How are soundbites captured?

How are they used?

How soundbites have changed

How to get the soundbite of your choosing into the story



Break



Crisis Communications

What is a crisis?

Anticipating versus reacting



Crisis

— News clipping research by the Institute for Crisis Management shows that 86 percent of crises stem from issues previously known to management, so-called “smoldering” crises. Only a small percentage of crises arise from the stereotypical sudden crisis, such as an explosion, fire, or industrial accident. Clearly, the majority of crises can be anticipated—and potentially prevented from ever becoming a crisis in the first place.



Crisis defined

Crisis—An event, other than a declared emergency, that creates or threatens to create an unusually high level of harshly negative media coverage and external criticism.

Emergency—As defined by your Emergency Management organization or police force. Emergency Communications are wholly separate from and would supersede crisis communications activities.

Issue—An external or internal factor, usually mid- to long-term, that threatens your institution’s interests, especially those that could prove damaging to the institution’s reputation.



10 steps to effective crisis planning

Start now to establish a method for identifying and anticipating potential crises.

Form a crisis response team. Include individuals from all key functions. The team should be well practiced before handling a crisis. The team must be empowered and able to respond quickly.

Identify and understand interests of target audiences. Establish and maintain open lines of communication between

team members, spokesperson, Lab management, and audiences (internal and external).

Work with the media, not against them. Realize that appearance and tone are important.



10 steps to effective crisis planning

Identify a central spokesperson; during a crisis it is vital that the institution or organization speak with and through a single voice.

Be watchful for and mindful of the emotional response; intellectual arguments are worthless in the face of public anger.

Control the information; stay in front of the release of facts—don’t be reactive.

Constantly evaluate your messages and feedback. Don’t fear a rapidly changing situation; change tactics when necessary.



Avoid the common failure patterns

Mismanaging the victim dimension: It is the treatment of victims that maintains or destroys trust and reputation.

Failing to involve the boss: For any crisis response to succeed, the boss or someone the boss trusts must be involved from the very beginning of the planning process.

The presumption of readiness: A 2003 study by Guardsmark, a security consulting firm, estimated that 75 percent of American businesses are significantly under prepared for a crisis or serious emergency.



Avoid the common failure patterns

Over-generalized planning: Crisis prevention and response require scenario-based approaches − picking specific potential problems and working them through using a highly organized approach.

Failing to recognize that crises are truly different: Failure occurs when serious problems are treated as “normal course of business.”



Beware of revisionist history

Sooner or later you will have to answer these basic questions:

What did you know, and when did you know it?

What did you do, and when did you do it?



Crisis during emergencies

Deal with the problem—NOW— Tend to the victims— Deal with employees— Manage those indirectly involved— Deal with the critics—The “self appointed self

anointed”



Crisis communications rules

OPENNESSAvailability and willingness to respond

TRUTHFULLNESSUnconditional honesty is the only policy

RESPONSIVENESSRecognize that all concerns are by definition legitimate and must be addressed.

TRANSPARENCYNo secrets; behavior and attitude must be beyond reproach

ENGAGEMENTActively seek out and contact those with concerns



Profiles in Jello

The seven mistakes managers make in a crisis

DENIAL VICTIM CONFUSION TESTOSTERONE POISONING FEAR OF THE MEDIA ARROGANCE SEARCH FOR THE GUILTY INDECISION

speaking with confidence

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