When Things Go Wrong: Crisis Management
If you’re a public
relations professional, you probably see your work as bringing people together. But what
happens when something unforeseen goes wrong and plunges your organization into a crisis?
What do the media and other audiences need to know? How do you respond in an organized
fashion? And can you formulate a plan for protecting yourself in advance?
The Illinois Woman’s Press Association will address these and other crisis management issues in a panel discussion Sept. 18 at the Courtyard by Marriott (see box for details). Panelists include: Lauri Sanders, director of news affairs for the Chicago Police Department; Kimberly Kumiega, executive vice president and deputy general manager of Edelman Public Relations, Chicago; and Lilllian Williams, director of the Broadcast Journalism Department at Columbia College, Chicago.
The panel will present case studies and offer guidelines you can use in your own jobs. Don’t miss what promises to be a lively encounter between representatives of the media, PR counselors, and an organization in crisis.
Sanders says she knows first-hand what it’s like to have the phone ring at 2:00 a.m. with bad news. Within the last 10 months, she has dealt with the issues of handguns, seen the effects of guns on individuals, and handled citywide emergencies.
One of her challenges is to pull together a crisis manual for the Chicago Police Department to use in emergencies. She will share her anticipated journey developing a strategic crisis plan for an institution that, historically, has not been media friendly.
Kumiega heads Edelman’s Reputation Management Group, specializing in corporate image, issues management, litigation support and business-to-business communications in industries ranging from consumer products to health care and heavy manufacturing. In the area of issues management, Kumiega regularly serves as senior counselor in crisis preparedness and real-time response.
Most recently, Kumiega has spearheaded activities for the ABS Education Alliance, a coalition of the four largest anti-lock brake manufacturers. She also oversees reputation management and other activities for ConAgra; Aon Specialty Group; Sears, Roebuck and Co.; Butterball Turkey Co.; The Minute Maid Company; Kolcraft; S.C. Johnson & Son; Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; AT&T; Kraft Foods; Soft Sheen; InterGen; Armour Swift-Eckrich; and Procter & Gamble. In the past, she did work for the American Medical Association, U.S. Steel, Radiological Society of North America, and many other organizations
Williams has worked as a reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times and for WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston. She will present the reporter's perspective on public relations in a crisis.
"The media needs to know some basics, including who, what, when, where, why and how," Williams said. "Reporters have deadlines that require quick responses from company representatives. If a spokesperson cannot answer questions immediately during a crisis, then the spokesperson should explain why and give follow-up information at a later date."