By Walter HillPrincipal of WH Hill Communications LLC and Senior Consultant with Smith & Harroff Those experienced in crisis communications know that you can’t just relay facts in a crisis and expect to win over an audience. And frustrating as it may be, sometimes you have facts backed up by even the most rigorous science
- Published in Crisis Communications
The Crisis Communicator and the Power of Empathy
January 22, 2022
A real crisis introduces stresses few can fully anticipate. You may do some things well. And other things not as well. If nothing else, you can anticipate and learn from the things those in the crosshairs have done well.
- Published in Crisis Communications, Training
“Just the Facts Ma’am”
December 15, 2021
Jack Webb, the no-nonsense cop on TV’s long-running show Dragnet, created the character Joe Friday and memorable lines such as “Just the facts ma’am.” Joe Friday wasn’t interested in opinion or conjecture; he needed the facts to solve the crime. When and how a communicator uses information – data, research, statistics, etc. – is not simple.
- Published in Crisis Communications, Rick's Tips, Training
Short is Beautiful
November 12, 2021
“Small is Beautiful” became a catch-phrase for environmentalists in the 1970s, made popular by the influential book Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered, written by E.F. Schumacher. When it comes to effective communications in 2021 and beyond, I think “short is beautiful” is a must technique for communicators.
- Published in Crisis Communications, Rick's Tips, Training
Effective Communications: Preparing for a Crisis
November 19, 2019
In times of crisis, we’ve seen the best step up when it matters most. Their outreach to the media and other key audiences establishes strong bonds of trust.
- Published in Crisis Communications, Training