¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬A crisis is a defining moment. How a leader reacts will determine if their career and leadership are destined for greatness like Rudy Giuliani or if your report card will be marked by failing grade like former BP CEO, Tony Hayward. Leadership in a crisis is as much about managing appearances and perceptions as it is the actual management of the crisis. In this dynamic, interactive session, author, crisis media trainer and coach, Jane Jordan-Meier will examine why appearances matter, why style matters as much as substance; and what strategies leaders can adopt in a crisis. Body language, dress, actions are all part of the crisis code of trust and even more so in the ever present, no deadline media world where an aberrant quote can go viral in an instant. In this presentation, Jane gives a report card on the performance of some of the world’s most famous leaders – from the winners like Giuliani to Gov. Chris Christie, and New Zealand’s Bob Parker to the fallen like Tony Hayward, disgraced cyclist, Lance Armstrong and Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons.
5. Michael McCain
Leads the Way
“. . . Our best
efforts failed
and we are
deeply sorry.“
Maple Leaf Foods
President, in 2008 5
6. It’s not About the Money!
“Going through the crisis there
are two advisers I’ve paid no
attention to. The first are the
lawyers, and the second are the
accountants. It’s not about
money or legal liability; this is
about our being accountable for
providing consumers with safe
food …”
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8. Rudy Giuliani:
Mayor of the World
“Tomorrow New York is going
to be here. . . we're going to
rebuild and . . . be stronger than
we were before . . . I want the
people of New York to be an
example to the rest of the
country and the rest of the
world, that terrorism can't
stop us. . .”
New York City Mayor, 2001
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14. Why Some Leaders Shine
• Unconditional honesty from start
• “The number of casualties . . . will
be more than any of us can bear.”
• Excellent communication skills
• Perfect mix of shared grief and consuming
anger, à la Churchill
• Courage
• “It take guts …”
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15. And Others Shame
Obfuscation
• "The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean . . . The
volume of oil . . . we are putting into it is tiny in
relation to the total water volume.“
Blame game
• "This was not our accident . . . This was not our
drilling rig . . . This was Transocean's rig, their
systems, their people, their equipment."
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18. Values are on Display
SPLAT!
“… I'm smiling
because I'm
relieved no one
was hurt … the
crop was saved, …
people going to
be fed — the type
of smile when you
get a good report
card or achieve a
goal”
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23. What to Wear: Some Rules
• Avoid wearing pronounced stripes, checks, or small
patterns, and anything shiny
• Grey, brown, blue, or mixed colored suits and dresses are
best
• Grey, light-blue, off-white, or pastel shirts or blouses are
best;
• Avoid button-down shirts (avoid visible buttons which
may flare)
• Neat jewelry or none at all, depending on the
circumstances
• Avoid having a haircut right before the interview
• If makeup is offered, use it, particularly if your interview
is in studio 23
24. Parting Thought
Brad Shaw, Home Depot
Arthur W. Page Society: Building Belief
“Actions are the new words. We have a
responsibility to educate the enterprise
about how behaviors and actions play in
an environment that is ultimately
transparent.”
Brad Shaw, Home Depot
Arthur W. Page
Page Society:
Building Belief
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25. “I like to get to the heart of the matter,
To shake your closet and see what rattles.
I like to get to the heart of the matter,
Anything else would deceive to flatter.
Straight to the point, get to the crux,
I’ll start in the middle into which everything
looks.”
—Andrew Cottam
as quoted in the Four Highly Effective Stages of Crisis Management
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