By AKCG – Public Relations Counselors This article is written for independent schools, but its crisis communications guidance applies far beyond education. Whether you lead a school, nonprofit, healthcare organization, corporation or public agency, the framework is practical: identify risks, assign responsibilities, establish communication protocols, prepare in advance and evaluate your response afterward. Independent schools […]
In high-stakes situations, what leaders say matters — but how they say it can matter just as much. This practical guide examines how executive presence, nonverbal communication, active listening and disciplined message delivery can strengthen credibility during media interviews, board meetings, difficult conversations and crisis communications. Learn how posture, eye contact, vocal tone and preparation […]
Effective apologies are essential to leadership, crisis communications and trust repair. Experts say a meaningful apology requires taking responsibility, acknowledging harm, avoiding excuses, promising change, offering repair and allowing space for forgiveness. For CEOs and communicators, the lesson is clear: accountability and empathy can strengthen relationships, rebuild trust and protect credibility. By Jancee Dunn, writing […]
Effective crisis communications requires more than legal expertise. During a corporate crisis, legal risk and reputational risk must be managed simultaneously. The strongest crisis management strategies pair experienced legal counsel with seasoned crisis communications professionals—working as co-pilots to manage litigation exposure, media scrutiny, stakeholder trust and reputation management through one coordinated strategy. By Bruce Hennes, […]
We are pleased to announce that Hennes Communications is now a division of AKCG – Public Relations Counselors. A Strategic Partnership AKCG, a leading strategic communications firm headquartered in the Philadelphia area with offices in D.C. — and now Cleveland — brings additional depth to our work and the services we can now offer to […]
AKCG – Public Relations Counselors Acquires Cleveland-based Hennes Communications The acquisition, bringing together two long-established national crisis communications agencies, strengthens AKCG’s reputation management footprint AKCG – Public Relations Counselors, headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia Region, today announced that it has acquired Hennes Communications, a nationally recognized crisis communications agency founded by Bruce Hennes in 1989. […]
By Thom Weidlich for PRCG | Haggerty LLC Not every crisis is a major facility fire or data breach. Companies must watch for the smaller crises, too. Let’s say, for example, a salesman in your car dealership refuses to sell a vehicle to a customer unless she agrees to a date with him — and […]
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications Before James Comey headed up the F.B.I., he served as general counsel of Lockheed Martin Corporation. While at Lockheed, he spoke at the National Security Agency about how studying law is similar to the education intelligence analysts receive. “You read a case and decipher…relevant facts, the [outcome] of the case…you are drilled […]
Crisis communications is a sub-specialty of the public relations profession that is designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organization facing a public challenge to its reputation. Crisis communications is aimed at raising awareness of a specific type of threat, the magnitude, outcomes, and specific behaviors to adopt to reduce the threat. […]
By Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, writing for Provoke Media PR officials offer their greatest wisdom on how to lead through angry times. CHICAGO — There’s no debate that society is living through an “age of rage” — from the murder of health care executives to the polarizing political debates that dominate news headlines. But at Provoke […]