This presentation was given 25 June 2012 at HighEdweb Syracuse.

1. We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
Web Communication Before, During and After a Crisis
Tonya Oaks Smith  HighEdWeb Syracuse  25 June 2012
#hewebSYR  @marleysmom

2. Flickr photo by SchizoDelight

3. Flickr photo by Bird Eye

4. Flickr photo by Telemal

5. Flickr photo by jonathon_simon

6. JAWS

7. On the Agenda...
• Who am I?
• Who are you?
• What is a crisis?
• What can we do before crisis?
• What can we do during crisis?
• What can we do after crisis?

8. @marleysmom
Kittenshark by @radiofreegeorgy

9. Who are you?
Photo by @shelleykeith

10. What is a Crisis?
An organizational crisis is a specific,
unexpected and nonroutine event or
series of events that create high levels
of uncertainty and simultaneously
present an organization with both
opportunities and threats to its high-
priority goals.
- 2011, Ulmer, Sellnow & Seeger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crisi-tunity.png

11. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

12. Surprise!
Flickr photo by Doug88888

13. Threat or opportunity?
Flickr photo by donnagrayson

14. Perspective
Don’t say you’re
starving. You’re
not. Children in
Africa are
starving. You’re
just hungry.
@bekahsayshey
Marley photo by @bootsmc
Marley photo by @bootsmc

15. What
qualifies
as a
crisis?

16. Your star
quarterback
comes down
the flu and
has to miss
a game.
Flickr photo by naturalhomecures34
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51438986@N07/5019396750/

17. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

18. A dorm burns down, forcing
many students to find new
housing in the middle of finals.
Flickr photo by Abdullah AlSaeed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3abr/2376313418/

19. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

20. A dean at your college travels
extensively out of the country and
you find he’s been filing expense
reports twice for each trip.
Flickr photo by ksbuehler

21. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

22. Real
crises...

23. Rudy Giuliani and 9/11
Flickr photo by jptully85

24. BP spill and Tony Hayward
Flickr photo by Talk Radio News Service

25. Horace Mann and abuse
Photo from The New York Times

26. UCA and campus shooting
http://t3chgeek.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/uca-update/

27. Amity Island and the shark

28. Answer. It. Now.
Flickr photo by bennettdesigns

29. What do we do to
take advantage of
the opportunity
inherent in crisis?

30. The book

31. Before
Accept that crisis is quick and unexpected
and that the threat of a crisis is relative.

32. Before
Determine goals and develop
good intentions prior to a crisis.

33. Before
Engage in simulations and training.

34. Before
Develop strong, positive relationships
with primary and secondary stakeholders
and a positive organizational reputation.

35. Before
Establish effective organizational leadership.

36. During
Communicate early about crisis, acknowledge
if you do not know something, and
then promise to stay in contact.

37. During
Do not attempt to deny or cover up crisis.
Be open and honest.

38. During
Avoid certain or absolute answers to the public
and media unless you are sure.

39. During
Build a case for who responsible
for the crisis and why - if it’s not you.

40. During
Accept that your stakeholders - including
members of the media - are your
partners in managing crisis.

41. During
Listen to your stakeholders.
Cooperate with them and
work to build consensus.

42. During
Do not overassure stakeholders about crisis impact.

43. During
Help the public with advice about
how they can help themselves.

44. During
Ensure that your organizational leadership
is visible and adaptable.

45. After
Be prepared to question how your organization
thinks about and conducts business.

46. After
Acknowledge that positive things
can come from crises.

47. After
Look for and cultivate opportunities
for organizational renewal.

48. After
Generate support from stakeholder groups
for change in an organization.

49. After
Evaluate crisis response and adapt future
responses to make improvements.

50. Amity Island and the shark

51. Before
Before
Flickr photo by Julius Pascua

52. During During
Flickr photo by erik neufurth

53. After After
Flickr photo by Quernus Crafts

54. It all comes down to this...
Marley photo by @bootsmc
#dolesswrong S/O @bpmore and @carriehphillips

55. Questions?
tosmith@ualr.edu @marleysmom 501.324.9896
 