Communications in a Crisis

Recent events have been a stark reminder of many thing:

- the difference in comfort levels in our communities

- the difference in attitudes and opinions towards authorities

- the lack of understanding between citizens of the same country

While there are many things to lament, there are also many things to consider. We'd rather leave that to the experts in those fields to sort through.  However one thing became clear to us that should be considered - What is your Crisis Communication Plan?

While it's possible to prepare for every eventuality, you need to have a plan to begin with:

- what are your vulnerabilities?

- what are the most likely things to go wrong?

- what is likely to be misunderstood?

Next you need to consider response:

- who is the designated spokesperson?

- what can / should they say for each issue?

- who will handle follow up inquiries?

And that is about as far as most communications plans go.  It's also where the breakdown begins.  More often than not the problems of a crisis occur because of a lack of familiarity and cooperation between interest groups.  Your plan needs to go further if you don't want to see a complete breakdown.

Your next step is asking how you are going to move forward:

- who can help heal the problems? Business consultants, therapists, ministers?

- what strategies should be implemented to heal? Community forums, outreach trees, group leaders?

- what is being done to record and promote those healing activities?

Your final task is turning that forward progress into a story of success.

Would any such plan have changed what happened? Probably not. But what it can do is create a less acrimonious situation than when emotions supplant reason.

What are my odds? Can polling predict your future?

“C-3PO: Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1.

Han Solo: Never tell me the odds!”

With several upsets and surprises in the recent elections both at the federal, state and local levels, many candidates might be scratching their heads wondering if knowing their polling numbers was a good or a bad thing while campaigning.  And for many election season might have made them feel like Han Solo in Star Wars fighting through an asteroid field.  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know your odds.

Whether your polling shows you up 10 points or down 10 points at the beginning, middle or towards the end of the campaign, anything can happen on Election Day! We are a fickle voting public and our minds change easily and rapidly.  Knowing your odds, knowing your polling numbers, knowing the perception voters have of you, are all vital aspects to your campaign.  Polling may not be an exact science but it’s still an essential part of having a glimpse into your future.

As Yoda once said, “Difficult to see.  Always in motion is the future.”

What's in Your Backyard?

By now you've probably seen the social media map where you can click on the state's you've visited.

It was put out by a company named MapLoco and has been all over Facebook.  If you want to do your own, Click Here.

Here's mine:

Yep, 45 of 50.  Some tell me I can't include Michigan because I only had a layover in the Detroit airport (but I did go outside of security and to non airport land in post 9/11 travel lines & Michaganders have told me it counts, so I am going to count it).

Seeing everyone else's maps though brings up a really interesting observation -

We, as Americans, don't travel enough.  What's more, we don't travel our own country.

Every state I've been to, I have nothing but praise for.  There's something uniquely different about each and every state that you can only see in those states.

Even more uniquely, even in the square states out west, the differences between states are stark even along those man made lines.

The painted desert of Arizona, the mountains of Utah, the Cliff dwellings of New Mexico, Colorado's plains contrasted with their mountains, the black soil of western Oklahoma, Kansas' rolling hills...

Each state is absolutely amazing.  And the food!

You don't know what you're missing if you haven't had Franklin BBQ, or a Green Chile Burger in New Mexico, or seen the Big Texan live and in person (webcasts dont count), or G & M Crabcakes in Baltimore, Grimaldi's Pizza in New York, the Varsity in Athens GA, Gus' Chicken in Memphis, a peanut butter burger from the Blue Door in Minneapolis... You haven't lived!  So many others I could name too.

Or what about things you wouldn't have expected?  Des Moines has the most beautiful State Capitol Building in the country.  The Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City.  Or the original Bass Pro Shop... Not the one you've visited nearby, the ORIGINAL one in Springfield Missouri. The NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis. Old Market in Omaha.  Everything in Hot Springs Arkansas...

So if your map ends up looking like the Peruvian flag, it might be time to put down your coastal judgement, stop calling them "fly over states" and check out what you may be missing.

You can really better understand Americans as a culture, as a people, and how we inter relate... if you just get out there and explore.

Oh and by the way, pretty much every one of these places has an amusement park near by so you can keep the kids entertained.

Go See America!

100% Miss Rate

Last night Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers became the NBA's all time shot missing leader.  Now being he is a shooting forward, and has played in the NBA for nearly two decades this isn't all that surprising to find out.

Conversely, Michael Jordan famously quipped "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Kobe's comment was less eloquent, "well I've been playing for 19 years"

Jordan's point was that you have to try to succeed.  Both are top five all time scoring leaders in the NBA - so succeed they certainly have.

The top 5 scorers in NBA history are-

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387)

2. Karl Malone (36,928)

3. Michael Jordan (32,292)

4. Kobe Bryant (31,887)

5. Wilt Chamberlain (31,419)

By contrast the top 5 missed shot leaders in NBA history are - 

1. Kobe Bryant (13,421)

2. John Havlicek (13,417)

3. Elvin Hayes (13,296)

4. Karl Malone (12,682)

5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12,470)

Quite a few common names on those lists.

Often in government affairs we run into problems where we have a road block before we try something.  Whether it's pursue legislation, respond to media, or push forward on PAC fundraising.

Each one of those road blocks are keeping you from making any progress.  If you really want to succeed. You have to try.  There is no other way.

Scanning through Wilt Chamberlain's NBA records that he still holds, you can see that he led the league in attempted field goals from 1959-1966, half his career. He was never held back for fear of failing a shot, and you shouldn't be either.

Where does Michael Jordan land on the list of all time missed shots?

Sixth.

The post mortem that matters

To those who won last night, congratulations. 

To those who lost, please stay engaged. 

To everyone who ran / supported an issue, thank you for participating. 

To those who voted, thank you. 

To those who didn't, please register and commit next time. 

To those who were inspired, welcome.

To those who were disheartened, get back up.

To those that want to know more about government, let me know how we can help you.

Owning the Moment

A year ago today I was in New York, recovering from one of the most grueling experiences of my life.  The New York Marathon.

• I was undertrained
• I was overweight
• I was out of my league
• I was pretty sure I wouldn't do very well

Not quite the ringing endorsement for a marathoner.  But I was faced with a very simple choice:

• Run it and push through enduring it all,
• Take my time, enjoy it, own it, and see what comes, or
• Drop out

Well I'm not one to quit, pushing was likely to get me injured.  Or I could own the moment.

So I did.

Empire State Building Lit Up

Boarding the Staten Island Ferry

 26.2 miles of people jammed packed 5 people deep on either side of the road there to cheer on 50,000 strangers as they ran through the streets of their city, completely messing up traffic.

If ever there is a moment to own... this was it.  The greatest marathon in the greatest city in the world.  With the greatest people in the world.  An experience truly unlike any other.

Starting Line

 If you ever want to know what you are truly made of, challenge yourself.  But when you do.  Don't just do something small, do something real.  Big.  Unexpected.

A statue the French sent us

On the last .2 mi

 It was absolutely amazing.  I would never have had it any other way.  And I was even with friends who had inspired me.

But that wasn't enough.

With my Friend Andrew who coached me

Now I needed to have a little fun.

So that night at dinner, I set the stage.

A pretty great pizza joint off of Times Square.

In the picture with Andrew you can see a staircase behind me.  That's where I owned the moment.  After all I have done, I wanted to have a little fun.  So I told everyone at the table, I was heading to the top, and I wanted them to applaud whatever I did.  They complied...

I had the entire restaurant applauding me.  A few even came over and congratulated me, one asked if I won.

Yes... Yes I did!

I owned the moment!

See what owning the moment can do for you!