Protect Yourself and Your Business From the ‘Flash Mob’
What is a Flash Mob? The term “flash mob” can be used to describe a sudden social gathering in a public place to perform some form of premeditated action. These acts tend to be unusual–and, in some cases, are a threat to those in proximity such as innocent bystanders and local businesses. With the ever-rising popularity of social media networks, flash mobs have become increasingly frequent and, at times, harmful and disruptive. Recent events, such as the riots in London and convenience store thefts, are examples of just how fast and furious flash mobs mobilize – all made possible through social media channels and fast paced information. When crises arise, how can you protect yourself and your business from being impacted? The following are a few tips to help prevent or mitigate potential damage caused by flash mobs: Personal Safety Tips: Personal safety is key. If you are in the vicinity of a flash mob, move away quickly to a safe location; Never attempt to personally intervene and stop a flash mob – immediately contact authorities; Report any suspicious behavior to the police quickly; Be vigilant and observant of unusual activity in your neighborhood – understand the early warning signs of a potential flash mob or fast-forming large gatherings; Social media often plays a key role–if you are asked to participate in a flash mob alert the authorities so that they can prepare; Monitor social media channels to see if a flash mob may be about to form; often citizens are one or two steps removed from a digital media “friend” who may be alerted. Tips for Businesses: Invest in surveillance equipment so in the even of a flash mob the thought of personal anonymity is removed from violators. People are less likely to participate in a mob situation if they feel like their identity might be revealed (contact www.s3integration.com for more information about surveillance strategies); Clearly post signage on the front of your business indicating the premises is being monitored – will act as a deterrent; If a mob is forming outside of your business, quickly lock your doors and windows then contact police; if the mob is inside of your store, move away to safety then call authorities; Promote interconnectivity with your neighbors. Utilize all avenues of communication such as email and text messaging to spread the word about suspicious activity to area merchants; Formulate a plan for what you, neighboring businesses, co-workers, and customers should do to protect one another – train for this situation before it occurs. For more information, call a Fallston Group representative at 410.420.2001 or send an email inquiry to info@fallstongroup.com.
5 Tips For Effective Crisis Communication
London police are still scrambling to maintain order in the face of the largest outbreak of violent, public protests in more than a decade. Masked looters, burned businesses, smashed windows and dismantled cars were only small elements of the civil unrest realized during the last 48 hours – the tension continues to rapidly grow and spread into other cities surrounding London. Some Londoners have said that most of the violence is from economically-challenged areas that have dealt with a long history of unemployment and police tension, leading some to believe the riots were ultimately caused by frustrations resulting from the economic slowdown; others have blamed the popularity of teenage gangs. In either case, the riots were clearly triggered by the growing emotion and distrust citizens have toward their police department. The Wall Street Journal reported the riots began in Tottenham, North London on Saturday when residents were protesting the death of a 29-year-old resident who was shot and killed by a police unit who investigates gun crime in minority communities. One major conclusion we can draw is that the ongoing communication between the police and the community is grossly ineffective. In fact, one of the most common sources of community crisis is strained public and police relations. The art of communication is paramount in today’s digital world; however, the ability to communicate during a crisis is a skill unto itself. The following represents just a few top-line communication tips when managing a public crisis: Tell the truth and tell it yourself, first. The truth is your most important asset. Capital Business Magazine says, “One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is to withhold the truth and avoid accountability to their own people. Even when there is no official communication, the need for information does not go away. Something will fill the vacuum.” At the Fallston Group, our mantra is “If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. And, if someone else tells your story, it certainly won’t be the story you want told,” — and, we stand by it! Act fast. Timeliness is key. The first 24 hours (sometimes 24 minutes!) of a crisis is when people are turning to one another and leaders for answers. Be the one to answer those questions–it maximizes your control of the situation and your ability to provide perspective, direction and relief to those affected. Remain calm. During crisis, people look to leadership for reassurance. It is your golden opportunity to demonstrate your leadership skills–act with empathy and reason, not raw, reckless emotion. Respond through the appropriate channels. Know where your stakeholders get the majority of their information and communicate with them on their terms. Social media is your friend! It can be your most effective tool in dealing quickly and directly with the public. Utilize all social media avenues available to you. Embrace accountability, when and if appropriate. Admitting mistakes is an admirable quality in a leader; it is also a valuable asset in business. Be sure to “make it right” to those negatively impacted. Pledge to fix the problem while keep your promise to do so. Integrity is not negotiable. Crisis, if not properly managed, costs time, money, customers and careers!
Debt-Ceiling Emphasizes Public Disapproval as Elections Draw Nearer
Congress, take note: the court of public opinion matters! According a to a poll conducted by CNN and ORC international, 77 percent of the American public was in disapproval of the way that Congress handled the debt-limit debate which ended Tuesday after many months of prolonged deliberation. The debt-limit “ceiling” – the legal limit on borrowing – has been an historical problem, consistently pushed aside. The first limit was set in 1917 at $ 11.5 billion and on May 16, 2011 the nation hit the $14.294 trillion mark. The agreement reached attempts to reduce the deficit while avoiding default; however, the drawn-out process has caused consequences for politicians in the public eye and most likely at the polls. According to the Pew Research Center, the debate has affected candidate image – “The debt ceiling debate has tarnished the image of both President Obama and Speaker Boehner – about a third say they have come to have a less favorable view of each leader in recent weeks.” Nationwide, 72 percent of Americans have used words such as “terrible, disappointing, childish and joke” to assess the how Congress handled the agreement. When asked who they trust to address the nation’s biggest problems, a record 20 percent of Americans (and more than a third of political independents) said “they have faith in neither party,” according to one reporter at the Washington Post. Meanwhile, 2012 elections are just around the corner and this time Americans may not have as short a memory. And while the court of public opinion was while seemingly not more important that the perceived bickering, one has to wonder which candidates will take advantage of the opportunity to regain American trust before it’s too late?
Social Media Pushes Boundaries in China; Inspires Change
Traditional media has, on many occasions, served as a “checks and balances” system for those in power. Social media has taken it one step further—erasing the middle man by allowing individuals to directly challenge those in charge. Saturday’s fatal crash of China’s first generation bullet train highlights an important functional aspect of social media: Is it impossible to silence? The crash killed nearly 39 people when one train derailed and collided with another which was stalled near the city of Wenzhou. Officials initially said lighting cut power supplies affecting monitoring systems. However, rail officials concluded that signaling issues may have been the cause. Chinese authorities published a set of guidelines for the press on a website called “Ministry of Truth” which often posts copies of government directives; the posts included: “The major theme for the Wenzhou bullet train case from now on will be known as ‘in the face of great tragedy, there’s great love,’” states the orders. “Do not question, do not elaborate.” However, the crash is being labeled as a “public-relations disaster” for the government as efforts to quiet and control the media have been unsuccessful—including alleged attempts to pay-off families of victims while burying parts of the wreckage, according to various news reports. The Chinese people have taken to social media platforms to vent their frustration, questions and demands of their government—a notion that is proving a major change in the landscape of Chinese media. While many micro-blogging communities in China have made bold statements about the government’s alleged dishonesty, journalists seem to be slowly following suit. Traditional media, previously monitored closely by the government, is catching up with its worldwide counterparts. China is seeing “more publications and journalists who are interested in pushing the boundaries,” says David Bandurski, editor of the China Media Project website via USAtoday.com. “This is one of the biggest ever venting of anger and doubt, through social media, in China.” While there are still large parts of this evolving story to unfold, one thing is certain – many in China have an opinion and are expressing themselves through various social media distribution points, without the “middle man.”
News Corp. Scandal Continues, Leadership Questioned
Tuesday, July 19th—Rupert Murdoch and his son James are appearing before Parliament to give their testimonies on the News of the World’s phone hacking scandal. One of the key issues discussed is the Murdoch family’s involvement with News Corp.—the parent company to the newspaper. When questioned about Rupert Murdoch’s seemingly “hands-off” approach, Murdoch reveals he “very seldom” spoke to the News of the World. “I’m not really in touch,” he says, adding that he frequently corresponds with the Wall Street Journal. However, he denies that he’s “hands-off.” Denying that the fault lies with him, but rather with those that he hired and trusted—Murdoch represents a classic example of leadership gone awry. Whether or not his awareness of the matter existed—the point he makes is no doubt a troublesome one for many businesses, and leaves us asking, what is the extent of a leader’s field of vision? In an interview with media writer Ken Auletta on Monday night, Piers Morgan, host of CNN and former News of the World editor spoke on behalf of Rupert Murdoch, saying that he “cannot be expected to micromanage the methodology of every single part of his company.” After the current scandal, we now see that unethical practice can result in huge losses, and preventative measures must be put into place. In a statement to the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, Rupert Murdoch was quoted as saying, “We now know that things went badly wrong at the News of the World. For a newspaper that held others to account, it failed when it came to itself. The behavior that occurred went against everything that I stand for. It not only betrayed our readers and me, but also the many thousands of magnificent professionals in our other divisions around the world.” While it is nearly impossible to control every aspect of your business alone, it is possible to make smart decisions about the people that surround your business. It is now clearer than ever; a leader’s field of vision only extends as far as the people he trusts to represent him. The old adage, “trust but verify,” couldn’t be more true as leaders may choose to delegate authority, but can never shed accountability.
Scandal Brings an End to 168 year-old ‘News of the World’
The empire that Rupert Murdoch built continues to crumble a bit as the Murdoch-owned British tabloid, News of the World, remains under fire for allegedly hacking into the voicemail of many public figures and other subjects of its reporting. The 168-year-old tabloid announced that it would shut down amidst the scrutiny and allegations it has received for the past five years. The move was a scramble to salvage what was left of the tabloid’s reputation. James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch and chairman to News Corp, was quoted as saying, “News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself. Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued.” Once seen as an asset to its parent company, News Corp, the tabloid’s reputation has reversed itself at lightning speed. The statement made by Murdoch, along with other efforts such as donating the tabloid’s profits to charities—however carefully calculated; serve as last ditch efforts to regain the integrity lost by the brand. Reputation is not the only facet of the company impacted by the scandal. After multiple firings, the question still remains of where to place blame. While the dishonesty of those closest to the scandal—the reporters and editors, can certainly be held accountable, the Murdoch family itself and others at the head of the company are also being called into question. At least one of Rupert Murdoch’s current business acquisitions is in jeopardy because of the controversy. Murdoch was in the process of bidding on the satellite broadcasting company, BskyB before the scandal broke, but Prime Minister David Cameron’s office said the British government would vote to support a motion asking Murdoch to withdraw his bid. Whether it be the inability to provide adequate leadership for such a large corporation–or just pure negligence, it is clear that certain measures must be taken to ensure resilience from these types of scandals. The relentless mission of securing your assets, protecting your people and strengthening your brand is never a responsibility that wanes or can be delegated. Integrity starts and ends at the top – what are you doing today to protect your brand?
Casey Anthony Trials: The Social Media Verdict
While Casey Anthony may have been found ‘not guilty’ this Tuesday—the court of public opinion had decided quite the contrary long ago, reacting to the decision with an outpour of disgruntled opinions on Facebook and Twitter. The much awaited verdict of the murder trial was reached on Tuesday when the jury found Casey Anthony, mother of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony, not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated child abuse of her daughter. The outcome left many reeling with confusion. On Tuesday afternoon, Twitter users tweeted 34,000 updates with the term ‘Casey Anthony’, and according to MSNBC.com, almost 325,283 of updates of that day were trial-related—and had negative opinions of the verdict. Throughout the 36 day trial, Facebook pages popped up showing support for Caylee Anthony, urging users to commemorate her death. Statuses educated users on the findings of the trials. The sites gave an incredible testament to how public opinion is reflected heavily through these networks, as well as how they are rapidly advancing to become sources of information and systems of interacting with news coverage. As for Casey Anthony—she remains forever guilty…on Facebook.
Did He Cross the Line, Hon
How quickly can a seemingly non-violent protest become a threat to public safety and personal property? Recent controversy revolving around Baltimore’s iconic, Café Hon, has made it more apparent how easily that line can be toed. Café Hon owner Denise Whiting’s decision to trademark the word ‘Hon’ to protect her business and brand, caused an uproar when some felt trademarking the word was capitalizing on a Baltimore tradition—as well as trying to create proprietary rights around the city’s colloquialisms. The debate over ‘hon’ took a more serious turn during Honfest—a summer festival and local tradition run by the Café. Steve Akers, a fervent protestor of the brand, allegedly opted for a more aggressive approach—harassing and scaring patrons by shouting slogans into the crowded Café Hon during the festival. Other allegations against Akers include trespassing into Whiting’s businesses, harassing employees, and cyber-bullying. The sharing of strong opposing opinions always can become heated, and as the ‘Hon’ controversy illustrates, in these situations it is not always clear where to draw the line. How far is too far? That question is now in the hands of a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge who has already made a first move to impose a temporary restraining order. We’ll keep you posted.
Congressman Weiner: What Can We Learn
In a digital age where information can be received and delivered instantly, many fail to realize that it is not as easy to retract–or suppress. So seems to be the case with former Representative Anthony Wiener who found himself at the hands of social media when he “tweeted” revealing pictures to a young female “follower” on the microblog, Twitter. With a slip of the mouse, Weiner’s pictures, intended to be private, were made public. When not careful, this is extremely easy to overlook as all Twitter posts are public by default. This is not the first time a public figure’s carelessness has been displayed on sites such as Twitter. The end results can be career-crippling. Weiner’s resignation serves as a reminder to us all that in 2011 it is becoming increasingly easier to broadcast yourself, and it is important to be aware of the image we are broadcasting. A fleeting lapse in judgement cause catastrophic consequences to one’s reputation, and ultimately career.
Proactive vs. Reactive Security
By Frank Barile — Heckler & Koch is a German weapons manufacturer. Their weapons are used by elite military and police units all over the world. They have a saying, “In a world of compromise, some don’t”. This saying reflects a corporate attitude that has passed down to all levels of management and manufacturing. H&K produces some of the very best weapons known for their reliability, durability and quality. They know that when your life is on the line, you need the very best weapon and there is no room for compromise. In the world of security, many times it is just the opposite with plenty of compromises. Many organizations that need security services truly do not understand what security is, or what types of security should be obtained. In a post 9-11 world, security companies have sprung-up all over the country, ranging in all levels of experience, capabilities and resources. It is a maze of offerings which takes someone very experienced to help corporate management navigate through. Once the security services are obtained, corporate managers responsible for the security services generally make several mistakes. The first mistake is overwhelmingly created by inadequate financial resources. Limited financial resources, combined with the lack of research and experience, create a reactive security operations plan. What this means is that organizations requiring security are not adequately protected; and, if any significant security crisis emerges the security company will not be able to handle the incident properly. Inadequate security protection will leave the corporation exposed and open to liability – it will cost time, money, customers and careers. Upper management will be forced to react to the incident and reinvest more financial resources to protect from further liability while engrossed in damage control. The second mistake is created from inexperience alone. The corporation requiring security services generally has limited or no experience with what type of training should be required for their security personnel and omits the specified training requirements with the contracted security company. Just because you have a security firm now protecting your organization (or investment) doesn’t mean they are qualified to do so. This lack of proper training or “failing to train to standard” is a costly mistake when your corporation is sitting in court. Juries typically have no patience for inadequate training standards. The attitude of “we don’t need to spend the money because it won’t happen to us” is like playing Russian roulette. In today’s world it is not a matter of “if” an incident requiring security will happen; it is a matter of “when.” Are you prepared and fully protected – the decisions you make today will be judged by many for years to come! Conversely, proactive security operations plans appear more expensive at first glance but when you consider the financial cost associated from liability, proactive security plans are a smarter investment. In order to create a proactive security plan, you need a manager or an outside firm experienced with the many types of security services offered. This experience will save you time and money. Proactive security plans are created by having a proper security evaluation conducted by a qualified individual or security consulting firm. The security evaluation will make informed recommendations for security firms, to include types of services and the training qualifications necessary to really protect a firm’s people, assets and brand. This information is invaluable for corporate managers who are ultimately responsible for obtaining security services. When it comes to providing personal security and protection to your family or organization, it is best to remember the H&K saying, “In a world of compromise, some don’t. For more information or help with security matters please contact the Fallston Group at 410-420-2001.
