From wildfires in Hawaii to hurricanes in Florida, and sweltering heat, ice storms, boil-water notices, tornadoes, and extended service outages everywhere in between, 2023 has provided many crises (or near crises) on which utility communicators must communicate. That’s why we sat down with Thomas Fladung (left), managing partner at Hennes Communications, a crisis communications firm, to assess the current state of […]
Since the tragic events of October 7, when innocent Israeli civilians were victims of Hamas terrorists’ actions, senior executives have faced the challenge of whether to say something on behalf of their organizations – and then what to say. As Bloomberg pointed out in a wide-ranging look at the issue, “Many companies won’t have a […]
Introduction by Thom Fladung, Hennes Communications As suppliers of essential services, utility firms are frequently on the front lines of controversies that can spark public outrage. And for public utility firms, the stakes are raised even higher. Effective communications are vital for utilities – to share important information on an ongoing basis, to keep the […]
By Mike McLean for PRNews Even the biggest companies aren’t entirely self-sustaining. They require a network of vendors and partners to grow and maintain their everyday operations, and with an extended network comes an extended realm of risk. Even with long-standing, trusted partners, you need to remember that their problems can become your own. In […]
By Kelly Lyons for Newsweek Everyone communicates differently—even in the workplace. According to Princeton University, there are four main communication styles: passive, passive-aggressive, aggressive and assertive. An assertive style generally leads to the most effective communication. But not everyone reacts the same in every interaction, so it’s best to learn how to work with team […]
By Megan Shen for Entrepreneur It’s no mystery that continued major waves of layoffs in the tech industry are causing suffering for those who are being laid off. But a major elephant in the room is overlooked among remaining employees: grief. Ignoring the grief that the remaining workers are experiencing threatens to impact the remaining workers’ well-being and companies’ bottom […]
By Kathleen Meyer for Business Wire Crises happen when they are least expected, which is why every organization should have a crisis communication plan in place. Crises communications refers to information that is shared when an event occurs that impacts customers or a company’s reputation. The intent is to mitigate negativity, ensure all employees and […]
By Adam Petrilli for Entrepreneur Business reputation is the public perception of the brand, its products or services and its treatment of employees and customers. A good reputation serves a company well, but a lousy reputation inflicts damage and potential ruin. That is not to say a company cannot come back from negative reviews or missteps. Reputation management is […]
By Asiya Bakht for PRovoke Media As disinformation becomes rampant, communicators and brands need an arsenal of tools to combat it effectively. These could range from social listening tools to media intelligence tools that aid in identifying emerging threats and, at times, even mitigating them, helping you to stay prepared. This was view of the […]
By Eva Rothenberg for CNN Innocent until proven guilty might hold up in the court of law, but the court of public opinion tends to play by hazier rules. From celebrity scandals to business blunders, crisis communication is a cornerstone of public relations. It’s a specialty of PR dealing with protecting reputation, because a blow to […]
