2. “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” -- Rahm Emanuel, Advisor to Barack Obama, speaking in Nov. 2008 about the ongoing financial crisis and high unemployment ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Tips on Assignment 3: Crisis Communications Presented by T. E. Roberts, Instructor ENC 3242 USF Sarasota-Manatee Fall 2015 http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3242_welcome.htm Week 7 Lecture Length of this lecture audio (9 slides): 00:31:27 © 2015 by T. E. Roberts

3. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 1 of 9 Week 7 Agenda Assignment objective Overview Press Release & Memo Analytical Essay “Ethics” in this context Research component What will you learn?

4. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 2 of 9 Assignment Objective: Overview FIRST: Gain an overview of the way professional and technical writers contribute to the successful response to a major public relations crisis that threatens to embarrass, damage, or even destroy an enterprise “Overview” is by necessity high-level, broad, and somewhat shallow Public relations (PR) is sometimes studied in academic departments of communications, journalism, or marketing, but is often learned on the job Writing and editing -- and sharp, analytical thinking -- are essential skills in this specialty Base this on the “HappySass” scenario outlined in the instructions

5. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 3 of 9 Assignment Objective (cont.) We may define the impact of a “crisis” in terms of several categories Financial impact (“damage in dollars”) Reputation (ongoing damage to respectability among customers, investors, employees, regulatory authorities, and the general public) Morale (especially important to management, staff, and their families) Political and social credibility (impact on current or projected investment plans, regulatory clearances, court actions, and environmental impacts) How do you think these categories apply to the HappySass company?

6. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 4 of 9 Assignment Objective: Press Release & Memo SECOND: Write a press release and internal memo that will mitigate or even undo the effects of such a crisis Press release and memo are often dismissed as mundane, routine documents, but in this context they can have a powerful effect, both positive and negative It’s nice to expect people to be honest, factual, and above-board, but such noble and heroic traits may fade quickly under stress Main motivation: survival... of profits, market position, jobs, and personal/professional status What does a person... or enterprise... do when cornered?

7. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 5 of 9 Press Release & Internal Memo (cont.) Press release content Who, where, what, when, why... but carefully controlled for your purposes (not like a conventional newspaper story)... “managed news” Language must be subtle – the message is aimed at persuading the 95% of readers who are either indifferent or not analytical enough to see through the smokescreen What can you do about the other 5%? These will be the skeptics, cynics, professional journalists, critics, and enemies of your enterprise Internal memo Message similar to that in press release, but aimed at staff, management, shareholders, suppliers, and others on the “inside” This may have more ripple effect than press release -- it is used to create “talking points” for those who will spread the (positive, you hope) word

8. Analytical Essay THIRD: Analyze the ethics problem provided in the HappySass scenario in terms of the management and communication challenges involved, and explain how you as a senior manager would try to meet those challenges. This 300- to 500-word essay will be provided (without your name attached) to the Pillars Course Committee at USFSM for review and evaluation. The essay should be focused on three subjects: Defining the Ethics Problem Explaining Challenges in Addressing This Problem Presenting an Effective Solution to This Problem ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 6 of 9

9. “Ethics” in This Context As a focus of philosophy, ethics has concerned serious thinkers since ancient times Ethics can be seen in both abstract and concrete terms Concepts draw from religion, evolutionary science, abstract philosophy, mathematics, scientific and folk healing methods, and spiritualism Pragmatic, applied guide to human behavior in everyday and high-stress situations Driven by wide range of motives, from self-protection to altruistic sacrifice for others Influenced by, and exerting influence upon, principles of law and justice For background, read these links (skim over what appears irrelevant to you): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/whatisethics.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/business-ethics/ ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 7 of 9

10. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 8 of 9 Research Component Read top links in a Google search of “crisis communications.” Pay particular attention to advice from professionals who have prepared communications in meeting an actual crisis This link is an example: Five Steps to Better Crisis CommunicationsFive Steps to Better Crisis Communications If you lack business experience with such a situation, consider how a crisis would affect you personally in your own family and community Example: October 2, 2015 shooting of innocent victims at Umpqua Community College in Oregon (see news accounts about Chris Mintz, who helped save would-be victims) What are the key risks, challenges, and messages to consider in handling such a crisis? College officials Friends and family of victims Friends and family of the shooter

11. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 7 Lecture Slide 9 of 9 What Will You Learn? Although it can be regarded as a specialized professional discipline, the phrase “crisis communications” refers merely to what we do in everyday life to prepare or protect ourselves through positive communication As noted in Rahm Emanuel quote on title slide, a crisis can also be exploited for the benefit of certain groups or individuals, especially in politics One person’s crisis is another’s opportunity! Contact me if you have a question