Team 4 Readings/Presentation
Team 4’s reading provided some insight into a subject most of us didn’t know the details of (Red Cross’s mishaps regarding both September 11 and Hurricane Katrina) and things we didn’t even know we should be thinking about (Think Like a Sociopath, Act Like a Saint)!
As we learned in the Red Cross case, sometimes, no matter how prepared an organization is, unexpected crises appear without warning. As Coombs states, “An organization avoids crises by taking action on crisis warning signs and reducing its factors.” Well, if you can’t even see on the horizon the hiring of a convicted felon, how could you possibly prepare for that? Of course, deadly natural disasters and crises of Katrina’s proportions weren’t foreseen either (although, ask the Army Corps of Engineers about that one) and the Red Cross desperately needed volunteers.
One could argue that this man, maybe reformed maybe not, was doing his job of being a good volunteer. Did his track record really affect the job he was doing on behalf of the Red Cross, and as a volunteer (not a paid employee), mind you? As we discussed in class, has he paid his dues and now should be absolved of all wrongdoing, as long as his past doesn’t affect his job? Whether or not that’s the case, he was technically a member of the Red Cross. Although he wasn’t an employee, he was working on behalf of the organization, the organization trusted him enough with a management role and substantial financial responsibility. The real issue here is that Red Cross’ communication systems was quite jolted by the hurricane and it needed in place more managers to do background checks on potential volunteers. Red Cross is certainly suffering these days; as Coombs says, “A favorable reputation builds up the (bank) account, whereas a crisis subtracts from the account.”
The Mitroff article was great and should be required reading for public relations managers in any arena! This article really showcases how important it is to examine the improbable. I thought, too, that the article and issues brought up in it just weren’t for public relations professionals. PR is there to help management see what they aren’t seeing, but PR cannot be the final word. PR can only offer so many suggestions hoping management sees the light. But suggestions from the article, such as the crisis wheel, where managers are forced to deal with uncomfortable situations in a quick-thinking atmosphere, are just what they need to think outside the box.
It struck me when the article mentioned, “it will be a long time before we can say that the entire food system is truly protected against bioterrorism, if ever fully.” This is absolutely true. Terrifying, but true. As much as we like to think most people are rational and couldn’t possibly commit the unthinkable, they can and they will. I think of many popular TV dramas these days such as 24, CSI or Law & Order. We see criminals on these shows every week commit horrendous crimes and yet we know very well that people are watching these shows and getting ideas. It’s scary and we must be aware this is not just television! Most companies at some point will have some disgruntled employees who may consider doing harm to the company or its employees. The article describes these people as “internal terrorists” or “internal assassins.” These are people who have intimate knowledge of companies, products and procedures and can do more damage than managers may be willing to admit. You can apply some of the Coombs reading here. Whereas, “likelihood” of something happening may be low, “impact,” or the amount of damage a crisis can inflict on an organization, can be infinite.
As we learned in the Red Cross case, sometimes, no matter how prepared an organization is, unexpected crises appear without warning. As Coombs states, “An organization avoids crises by taking action on crisis warning signs and reducing its factors.” Well, if you can’t even see on the horizon the hiring of a convicted felon, how could you possibly prepare for that? Of course, deadly natural disasters and crises of Katrina’s proportions weren’t foreseen either (although, ask the Army Corps of Engineers about that one) and the Red Cross desperately needed volunteers.
One could argue that this man, maybe reformed maybe not, was doing his job of being a good volunteer. Did his track record really affect the job he was doing on behalf of the Red Cross, and as a volunteer (not a paid employee), mind you? As we discussed in class, has he paid his dues and now should be absolved of all wrongdoing, as long as his past doesn’t affect his job? Whether or not that’s the case, he was technically a member of the Red Cross. Although he wasn’t an employee, he was working on behalf of the organization, the organization trusted him enough with a management role and substantial financial responsibility. The real issue here is that Red Cross’ communication systems was quite jolted by the hurricane and it needed in place more managers to do background checks on potential volunteers. Red Cross is certainly suffering these days; as Coombs says, “A favorable reputation builds up the (bank) account, whereas a crisis subtracts from the account.”
The Mitroff article was great and should be required reading for public relations managers in any arena! This article really showcases how important it is to examine the improbable. I thought, too, that the article and issues brought up in it just weren’t for public relations professionals. PR is there to help management see what they aren’t seeing, but PR cannot be the final word. PR can only offer so many suggestions hoping management sees the light. But suggestions from the article, such as the crisis wheel, where managers are forced to deal with uncomfortable situations in a quick-thinking atmosphere, are just what they need to think outside the box.
It struck me when the article mentioned, “it will be a long time before we can say that the entire food system is truly protected against bioterrorism, if ever fully.” This is absolutely true. Terrifying, but true. As much as we like to think most people are rational and couldn’t possibly commit the unthinkable, they can and they will. I think of many popular TV dramas these days such as 24, CSI or Law & Order. We see criminals on these shows every week commit horrendous crimes and yet we know very well that people are watching these shows and getting ideas. It’s scary and we must be aware this is not just television! Most companies at some point will have some disgruntled employees who may consider doing harm to the company or its employees. The article describes these people as “internal terrorists” or “internal assassins.” These are people who have intimate knowledge of companies, products and procedures and can do more damage than managers may be willing to admit. You can apply some of the Coombs reading here. Whereas, “likelihood” of something happening may be low, “impact,” or the amount of damage a crisis can inflict on an organization, can be infinite.
posted by Lauren at
3/07/2007 12:01:00 AM
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