Appearances do matter leadership in a crisis

Appearances Do Matter: Leadership in a Crisis Jane Jordan-MeierThe Media Skills Academy

“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the

strategy.” Norman Schwarzkopf

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Head and Heart: the Key

• Fall in love with “We”

• Emotional Intelligence

• Compelling, compassionate

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Roll Call

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Michael McCainLeads the Way

“. . . Our best efforts failed

and we are deeply sorry.“

Maple Leaf FoodsPresident, in 2008 5

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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Michael McCain: best practice

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Rudy Giuliani:Mayor of the World

“Tomorrow New York is going to be here. . . we're going to rebuild and . . . be stronger thanwe were before . . . I want thepeople of New York to be anexample to the rest of the country and the rest of the world, that terrorism can't stop us. . .”

New York City Mayor, 20018

Rudy Giuliani: Heart of the Matter

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“… we need to feel it … nothing wrong with that”

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Being Human

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E.Q. in action

“Together, we will survive …” Bob Parker, Mayor, Christchurch, NZ 12

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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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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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Rupert Murdoch

“This is the most humble day of my life.”

SPLAT!

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Tony Hayward.htm

“ “We’re sorry for the massive disruption it’s caused. There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back.“

Tony Hayward

SPLAT!

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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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What not to Wear

SPLAT!

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Choices

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More Choices

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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

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Parting Thought

Brad Shaw, Home DepotArthur 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 DepotArthur W. PagePage Society: Building Belief

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“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 Cottamas quoted in the Four Highly Effective Stages of Crisis Management

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@certifyingmedia @janejordanmeier

jane@themediaskillsacademy.com

The Four Highly Effective Stages of Crisis Management:

How to Manage the Media in the Digital Age

USA: +1-707-386-9864

Jane Jane Jordan-Meier Thank You! Do Connect!

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