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Unlock the secrets to building unshakeable trust between companies and communities with our expert guest, Mary Sue Knowles. With over two decades of expertise, Mary Sue unravels the significance of community advisory panels (CAPs) for effective crisis management and the cultivation of long-term relationships. This episode is a goldmine for anyone looking to understand the sheer power of open dialogue and genuine engagement in forging community partnerships that withstand the test of time and turbulence.

Join us as we navigate the intricate process of forming CAPs, selecting the right members, and establishing a dialogue that outlasts the immediacy of regulatory approvals. Mary Sue walks us through the stark differences between a community with a CAP in place and one caught unprepared in the face of crises, with vivid examples drawn from recent headlines. By the end of our conversation, you'll grasp why CAPs aren't just good practice—they're the proactive bridge that connects industry to community, ensuring that even in the midst of storms, communication remains clear and conflicts are skillfully mitigated.

For more information about CAPs, contact Marysue Knowles at: [email protected]

To share feedback or submit a guest recommendation, contact Tom Mueller via email at [email protected].

To reach Marc Mullen for help with your crisis communications plan development or review, email him at [email protected].

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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On this episode, we discuss the value of using live, interactive social media simulation for a realistic experience during crisis training exercises.  We're joined by Geoff Paddock, a journalist-turned-communications expert based in the UK, who brings a wealth of experience in the nuclear and chemical sectors. With Geoff we dissect how digital crisis simulations provide an unparalleled level of realism and urgency that paper-based methods can't match. Our discussion takes you behind the scenes of tailoring high-stakes simulations to an organization's specific nightmare scenarios, helping teams plan their communication strategies in a safe training environment.

We discuss the STORM simulation platform, which Geoff pioneered and operates for crisis training exercises with clients around the world.

For more information on the STORM platform and crisis simulations, you can reach Geoff Paddock via email at: [email protected].

Other contacts for podcast information:
Tom Mueller - [email protected]
Marc Mullen - [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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Crisis strikes without warning, and the mettle of non-profits is tested in the heat of the moment. This is part 2 of our sit down with Randy Sumner, the seasoned crisis management expert with a wealth of experience from his days as a television news journalist to his current role as an executive coach and crisis trainer at WPNT Communications. We dissect the critical strategies that non-profits and NGOs must employ to weather the storm, using the harrowing Lakewood Church shooting as our touchstone. Randy's insights into the necessity of a robust operational response, regardless of the size of your organization, are not just enlightening—they're essential listening for anyone at the helm of a non-profit.

To contact us here at the podcast, please reach out to:

Tom Mueller - [email protected]
Marc Mullen - [email protected]
Randy Sumner - [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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Discover the crucial elements of crisis management for nonprofits as Randy Sumner of WPNT Communications joins us to unravel the complexities these organizations encounter during turbulent times. Our enlightening discussion ventures into the necessity of meticulous preparation and the adoption of transparent practices to safeguard public trust and ensure financial vitality. Randy, drawing from a wealth of expertise in media and crisis training, warns against the peril of over-reliance on the inherent virtue of a nonprofit's mission when facing scrutiny. Listen to how the interplay between timely response and sustained public confidence can drastically shape an organization's future.

Use the following addresses to contact Tom, Marc, or our guest today Randy Sumner.

Tom Mueller - [email protected]
Marc Mullen - [email protected]
Randy Sumner - [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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Join the conversation with Tom Mueller and Mark Mullen as we dissect the high-stakes world of crisis management, offering a rare glimpse into Boeing's strategic playbook during the Alaska Airlines incident. Through the lens of crisis communication experts, we unravel the complexities of swift, competing responses amidst public scrutiny and the 'fog of war' that often clouds crisis situations.

Our latest podcast episode takes you behind the scenes of Boeing's handling of the Alaska Airlines incident. We debate the  timeliness and appropriateness of their response to this near-catastrophic incident. We critically analyze their decision to implement a safety stand down and the CEO's strategy of engaging with the crisis head-on. And we also discuss the tactic of leaking internal meeting content to key reporters in order to gain positive media coverage.

We also discuss Southwest Airlines' approach to crisis communication following an in-flight incident and fatality two years ago. Join us as we dissect these case studies and offer invaluable insights into the complex world of crisis communication in the aviation industry.

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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This week Marc and Tom review a case study Tom prepared around the recent Alaska Airlines in-flight emergency involving a suddenly missing door plug on the aircraft.

Tom pulled together a case study around early phase crisis communications and he and Marc review and discuss how the three companies involved communicated to their stakeholders and customers in the first hours and days following the incident. Those companies include Alaska Airlines, Boeing, and Spirit Aero Systems, manufacturer of the fuselage on that Boeing 737 aircraft.

It's a spirited discuss during which Tom and Marc disagree on how some communications were handled in that early phase.

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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We continue our conversation with retired US Ambassador Lewis Lucke around his experiences managing huge crisis responses in Iraq and Haiti.

Find the ambassador's entertaining memoir of his career as a foreign service officer, Duck And Cover, Improbable Tales from a Career in Foreign Service, on Amazon here.

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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We're privileged to have an engaging conversation with retired US Ambassador Lewis Lucke. Now, he's not just any ambassador. This man is a seasoned crisis leader who has been at the helm of some of the most challenging situations around the world. From the reconstruction of Iraq to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Ambassador Lucke was right there, making decisions that impacted and saved countless lives. His tales are riveting, his insights profound, and his wisdom invaluable.

His tales of international intrigue over the course of his career are captured in his book, From Timbuktu to Duck And Cover, Improbable Tales from a Career in Foreign Service, found on Amazon here.

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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Are you prepared to navigate a supply chain crisis? Will you crack under the pressure, or will you lead like a seasoned captain navigating through a storm? Join us as we share the mic with Jeff Zudock, a supply chain maestro with three decades of experience under his belt at ExxonMobil, now retired. 

Jeff gives us a riveting account of managing a supply chain crisis when COVID-induced disruptions threatened a vital raw material's supply. The stakes were high, with potential financial losses scaling millions. But with shrewd communication and the audacity to seek alternative solutions, his team weathered the storm. Let Jeff's story inspire you and arm you with invaluable lessons about supply chain management and crisis leadership.

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].

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On today's episode we talk about managing a crisis in the form of a unique supply chain disruption and the leadership skills required to deliver fast and effective solutions. Our guest is Jeff Zudock, a 35-year veteran of ExxonMobil and an expert in commercial and supply chain management. 

The stakes are high when raw materials go in short supply, and quick action is needed to avert losses that can quickly reach millions of dollars per day if manufacturing facilities are idled owing to a kink in the supply chain. 

You'll hear Jeff discuss leadership principles that help guide him when leading a crisis team, and he also offers insight into best practices to avoid supply chain disruptions.

We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at [email protected].