Bud Light Backlash – Perspective from Fallston Group’s Chief Executive, on The National Desk
“Crises cost time, money, consumer confidence, and careers and generally in that order,” said Rob Weinhold, a crisis leadership expert and chief executive for the Fallston Group. “And I think as the groundswell continues to grow and valuation decreases, I think it would behoove Anheuser Busch to get out in the court of public opinion and further explain what their longer-term strategy is. And the bottom line is they have to strike the balance between appealing to their existing customer base and then where they want to go generationally as a business,” Weinhold continued. He said in this day and age, brand executives have to have a predictive mindset to understand the consequences of their actions. Please read the full article here
Organizational Muscle Memory Saved Damar Hamlin’s Life
Cal Ripken, Sr., widely known as the professional ballplayer turned coach who created The Oriole Way, joined Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles as a minor league ballplayer in 1957. He went on to coach, spending 36 years with the organization. Of the many “Seniorism” phrases I’ve heard from Cal Jr. & Bill Ripken, the one that most resonates with me is “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” I never thought of it that way, but Cal Sr. was right. Another mantra floating around the universe is “Amateurs Practice Until They Get It Right; Professionals Practice Until They Can’t Get It Wrong.” While hard to find appropriate attribution, this phraseology also shaped my thinking as it takes optimal performance to another level. Whether a musical performer, professional golfer, or keynote speaker whose livelihood depends on making audiences think, feel and act differently, true pros relentlessly rehearse, so they are ready to meet the moment. Let’s take it one step further when lives are undoubtedly on the line. My Dad was a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger who found himself in numerous jungle warzones during his career. Part of the Ranger Creed reads, “Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight, and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.” When I reflect upon these core beliefs, the following comes to mind: Commitment Excellence Ownership Winning What looked like a routine tackle as millions tuned into that week’s Monday Night Football game quickly escalated into a life-or-death moment. The National Football League’s Buffalo Bills Assistant Trainer Denny Kellington’s quick and decisive actions saved Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s life on January 2nd. Kellington administered CPR and is credited by many for saving Hamlin’s life and preserving his cognitive health. Simply put, Denny Kellington is a hero. How did Kellington so effectively spring into action at 8:55p that horrific night? Unquestionably, the 30 minutes he and others who cared for Hamlin during that crisis positively changed the trajectory of many lives. From the training staff to first responders to coaches to the continuum of healthcare providers and many more, there are many to credit with Hamlin’s survival and remarkable progress. Point blank, Kellington did what he and his staff were trained to do. They didn’t feel their way through the situation, try to figure it out on the fly, look up a series of policies or protocols to see what to do next, or even phone other professionals for advice. They’ve been training for this moment for decades – Kellington recognized the situation, responded with conviction, and fully committed himself to Hamlin. Much like every NFL team has a playbook, so does the training staff – it’s called Organizational Muscle Memory. Whatever team you’re a part of, learn from Kellington. Be predictive, relentlessly train and always be ready to meet the moment…you never know who might need you during life’s most critical times. #lovefordamar
Southwest Airlines Fails to Close Vital Communications Gap
Southwest Airlines is in trouble, under federal investigation and the lead story on most traditional mainstream media news outlets. The real long-term crisis Southwest Airlines faces has nothing to do with the cold front that disrupted flights, caused computer glitches, or created staffing issues. Instead, the real crisis is the failure of leadership to communicate quickly and effectively to all of the micro communities that depended on Southwest Airlines, including all of its stranded and inconvenienced customers.. If Southwest had issued regular updates and explanations for the service disruptions, travelers could have planned accordingly. Instead, families are still stranded in airports without any plan of action – an issue which is costing them unnecessary amounts of time and money! Customers who have had flights canceled have been waiting online (or on hold) for hours to speak with or interact with a ticket agent who, in many cases, cannot provide alternative transportation and logistics courier for days, if not weeks. Additionally, customers say they have waited hours on phone calls to the 800-line only to find the next available flights aren’t until after the New Year. Let’s look at the Southwest Airlines communication timeline: The Southwest website issued this statement with no updates since the initial post: “Due to adverse weather events and their resulting effects, we are currently experiencing operational disruptions and are working diligently and safely to restore normal flight schedules as quickly as possible.” It is one very long sentence (30 words) with no direction given to travelers left stranded. On FACEBOOK: only one post (at 11:09 am EST Monday), with no updates: “We continue to experience high call and social inquiry volumes. Please check your flight status and explore self-service options”. (Southwest Airlines | Book Flights, Make Reservations & Plan a Trip). The FACEBOOK post has had 8.1K comments ranging from disappointment to outrage. On Twitter, the same message has been posted with no additional updates. If Southwest Airlines were issuing updates every hour, with information specific to each airport, travelers may still be grumpy but would be more understanding. Instead, travelers are left in the dark. Without the proper knowledge of how to proceed, frustration and anger escalate. The company’s mission statement is “to connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.” The lack of reliability may hurt the company, but the lack of communication may prove most harmful to Southwest Airlines’ reputation in the long run. Remember, crises cost organizations time, money, customers and careers – Southwest Airlines has traveled nonstop down this trajectory of failure. Southwest Airlines executives must open the lines of communication quickly to offer empathy and explanations. Their actions will decide where the airlines’ image lands in 2023. Remember the general basics of the Resilient Moment Communications Model: What happened? What caused it? What are the short and long-term effects? What’s being done now? What’s being done, or what do we need to do, in the future? If Southwest Airlines quickly embraces this communications model, perhaps they can at least begin to build the trust they’ve already withdrawn from their reputational piggy bank!
The Power of Crisis Leadership: Protect Your Reputational Piggy Bank – Your Most Important Account
The critical importance and value of crisis leadership has perhaps never been more apparent than it has been during the past few years, as companies across the globe have felt the weight and impact of one societal crisis after another. Each and every time a leader delivers a message – be it a board meeting, media interview, keynote, community meeting, or social platform, their reputational piggy bank sees a light deposit or heavy withdraw. Thinking strategically about what the right message is and how it will resonate with many micro, diverse communities will help assure both your reputational and cash balance pays dividends over time. I’ve learned from so many incredible leaders who communicate spectacularly under duress. It is an art, not a science. The best communicators I know are obsessive about every syllable they utter, piece of clothing they wear, and message point they deliver. They’ve learned how to steer clear of organizational jargon, are detail-oriented and compassionately deliver messages in a conversational manner that quickly and emotionally connects with those who consume their words. They are analytical, well-timed and process loads of information, almost instantaneously. And they are never too high or too low – they have a steady hand under pressure no matter the gravity of the situation or tightness of deadline. They understand the big picture – it’s what they do best – see the whole room and move people to proper perspective, balance and action. Mishandled, crises will cost you time, money, stakeholder confidence, careers, and in the worst of scenarios, freedom and lives. Make no mistake about it, the decisions you make today will be judged by many for years to come. In my view, you don’t spin your way through crisis, you lead your way through. It’s not about shallow window dressing, it’s about long-term sustainable change. Real leaders emerge when the chips are down, and the stakes are at their highest. Let’s face it, anyone can lead when the sun is shining, profits are high and company culture is beaming. After decades of helping people during life’s most critical times, I’ve come to realize that crisis is not to be feared. In fact, crisis is a growth strategy. That’s right, a growth strategy, as counterintuitive as that may sound! Remember this…reputation leads to trust, and trust leads to valuation. YOUR reputation leads to trust and trust leads to valuation…and, not all currency is financial. I’ve had the privilege to critically advise leaders in large health care, academia, financial, legal, hospitality, and insurance organizations, along with many other public, private, government and nonprofit entities who are fighting for their futures. The key is to understand each organization’s navigational fix, where’d they like to be then chart the path forward using a deep well of instinct and experience. Make no mistake, crisis leadership is an art, not a science where every nuance counts, and a predictive mindset is a nonnegotiable asset. To illustrate, I’ve worked with those in the health care space on a myriad of issues, including accusations of patient dumping, mismanagement, sexual harassment accusations and medical malpractice claims, to name a few. There is no shortage of issues to contend with in this industry, and many are insured by captive insurance companies. Generally, those filing claim will lay their case out with an aggressive demand for settlement. Layered into the claim is often the subtly veiled or overt threat of “going public” if the demands are not met. At that point, the health care client, and their legal/risk teams, have a decision to make – do we settle and avoid the court of public opinion or risk reputational damage for the sake (1) saving dollars and/or (2) doing what’s right. This is a tricky balance as the court of public opinion weighs heavily in favor of the plaintiff as their legal team is often first to market, putting the health care organization on defense. Many types of entities evaluate this type of risk while the vice tightens. To manage this dynamic, the forward-thinking legal teams I’ve worked with quickly engage to conduct an analysis of this treacherous traditional and digital landscape – the who, what, where, when, why and how of storytelling – in other words, how will the story land on varying media platforms to the varying micro-audiences who care, and what impact will the news have. Concurrently, there is a ton of due diligence to ensure all of the facts are known; spokespersons are identified and trained; ambassadors, detractors and influencers are accounted for; media market is sized-up and executive alignment is in tow, to name a few dynamics. This is literally a real-time chess game whereby filings or press conferences can occur at any moment. A few critical tips to ensure your reputational piggy bank continues to overflow: Never erode your integrity. Misinformation breeds distrust. There can be an immense pressure to “make your organization look good.” Many want you to press your nose up against the ethical window of truth and transparency. Do not cave into others who would like you to lie, distort the truth or leave vital facts behind which alter messaging and perception—this is tantamount to a lie. Once lost, you will never fully restore your integrity. Be relevant. As the art of traditional and digital press relations evolves within a changing worldwide media landscape, I hear about more and more leaders not returning reporter calls, delaying the release of information and simply refusing to feed the “media monster.” If you choose to stick your head in the sand and not respond, you quickly make yourself irrelevant and ineffective. Remember my mantra, “If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. And, when someone else tells your story, it certainly won’t be the story you want told.” Know the facts. A common mistake of many who speak publicly revolves around not fully preparing and gaining a sound understanding of the facts before articulating their position. Too many times I have seen professionals jump out
