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In this episode, we continue our conversation with Adam Wine, a 30-year veteran of the US Coast Guard.  Adam discusses the frustration of being on the response team when politics get in the way and politicians seeking the spotlight lie to the public.   

We talk about our experiences working the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response and our frustrations as PIOs dealing with disingenuous politicians (we're being kind here). It can be difficult getting information to the public in a timely fashion when your press releases are being routed to the White House for approval - far outside the normal unified command approval process. That happens. How do you deal with it?
 
In a surprising story, Adam shares how he was fired from the Deepwater Horizon spill response team in Louisiana by the White House. Yes, Adam tells us how political operatives in the Obama White House got him fired from his position leading communications in one coastal area of the spill response. This story came up as part of our conversation about the politicization of crisis situations, which has been going on for decades. 

Tom, Marc and Adam discuss several incidents where politicians intervened in response communications, and Adam shares the story of why he was fired, and how he held his ground when asked to lie about the crisis response effort. 

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Today we share exploits from the front lines of crisis response with Adam Wine, a seasoned crisis professional with over three decades of experience in the US Coast Guard.

Adam has worked with many incident commanders and other leaders, and he shares some stories about leadership failure, the consequences of bad decisions during a response, and lessons we can learn from those situations. 

We also discuss community meeting formats. You can do a town hall/open mic format or posterboard session. Which is most appropriate?

Adam also shares stories from a major oil spill response in Dutch Harbor, AK, and how the ability to adapt and adjust to changing conditions and public sentiment is pivotal to a successful response. 

Adam currently serves as Emergency Management Coordinator for the Fairfield County Virginia Emergency Management Agency. He shares with us a riveting tale of a leadership failure in a crisis, underlining the importance of self awareness and knowing one's limitations. 

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In this episode, we continue our conversation with Adam Wine, a 30-year veteran of the US Coast Guard.  We cover a lot of interesting topics in this discussion, including:

• the relationship between PIO and Liaison Officer during a response; 
• the downside of releasing information to politicians in advance of a press briefing;
• how to manage a team member who isn't pulling their weight, or has just become exhausted;  
• the type of writing skills needed in a crisis team (it's not what your typical English major might bring to the table);
• characteristics of a good PIO;
• working with and coaching inexperienced leaders.

Adam Wine has many years experience working int he trenches for major crisis responses. Tune in to hear some of this experience and guidance for being successful in a crisis.

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In part 2 of our conversation with brand and marketing expert Kathy Leech, we discuss the role research can play in helping reposition a damaged brand. She conducted extensive polling and focus group research during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 and discusses the value added from this kind of data. 

We also probe deeper into the art of managing third-party contractors, the importance of clear roles and responsibilities, and the value of close coordination between the brand and PR teams before, during and after a major crisis. So, tune in to hear real stories from a seasoned crisis leader. 

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History is rife with examples of companies that have suffered major crises. But how do you recover your brand in the aftermath of a major incident or reputation issue? Does advertising work? Should you apologize? How do you gain insight into public perception of your brand?

We discuss all of these issues with the brilliant Kathy Leech, an accomplished brand and marketing expert. Kathy worked with energy company bp during the 2010 Gulf oil spill incident, later managed the corporate brand for Comcast, and now runs a consultancy - Brand Insights - working with companies to uncover insights and develop them into practical marketing plans.

Of course no discussion of brand today would be complete without discussing Bud Light and its recent misstep with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. Kathy offers her take on the issue from a brand perspective and shares some thoughts on how a company can regain traction with its stakeholders after an incident that negatively impacts the brand. 

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Today we're joined by Lynne Miller, former public information officer and regional communications manager for King County, Washington. Lynn is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in the field of crisis communication and emergency response. 

In this intriguing conversation, Lynn shares her best practices for developing and maintaining a pool of potential response personnel who can step in to help when needed.  Lynn also walks us through the Oso landslide crisis in Washington State, highlighting the role of public information officers and the need for a constant pool of personnel to handle various responsibilities. From her treasure trove of experiences, Lynn imparts leadership insights and best practices that can be instrumental for anyone involved in crisis management. 

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Are you ready to seize the reins and lead in a crisis? Today, we pivot to a podcast short that lasers in on prepping for your upcoming crisis exercise. As we head into the fourth quarter, when many firms stage their annual crisis drills, we thought it timely to arm you with some tips to help you be successful in your next exercise. We firmly believe that every member of a response team can step up as a leader during a crisis, and this episode is all about enabling you to do just that.

Expect a thorough seven-point blueprint to ensure you stride into your next drill ready to face any hurdle. We stress on the importance of entering the room with an unambiguous plan, setting up a clear approval procedure, knowing your response resources, prepping FAQs and fact sheets beforehand, keeping your team in the loop, and leading with an upbeat energy. We also discuss the crucial role experienced personnel can play in guiding your team through the exercise. Remember, leadership can spring from anywhere, and these exercises are a golden chance to display your potential. Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to like and subscribe!

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On this episode, Tom and Marc chat with Sam Sacco of Strategy and Communications, a public affairs and crisis firm based in Oakland, CA. We  discuss best practices for effectively managing the liaison and public information officer roles within a crisis response.  We start with a general discussion of PIO and Liaison from our experiences during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill incident, later addressing best practices for navigating the approval process, which is where bottlenecks often occur during a crisis. This conversation is geared toward an operational emergency - an oil or chemical spill - but offers lessons for anyone who might have to join a crisis team. 

Like Marc and Tom, Sam is a seasoned professional who's spent countless hours navigating these turbulent waters. From the importance of crisis training to the role of liaisons during emergencies, Tom, Marc and Sam provide a holistic understanding of how to handle unexpected situations.

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Prepare to unlock the secrets of managing simmering crises with our expert guest, Daren Beaudo. A simmering crisis is one that starts small - a passenger dragged from an overbooked aircraft, or a routine permitting issue that suddenly becomes a political issue - and then blows up via social media or political positioning. Tom, Marc and Daren dive into the simmering crisis and provide some insight into managing these common crises. We also focus some energy on one recent example that involves Northwestern University, where accusations of hazing kicked off a simmering crisis for university leadership and athletic programs.

Like your cohosts Tom Mueller and Marc Mullen, Daren is an authority in public affairs and crisis management. He has worked for two global energy companies and been part of numerous major crisis response efforts. 

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On this episode, Ed Thompson - who has worked crises from both the federal agency and the industry sides - shares his wisdom gleaned from years of emergency response. A former incident commander and deputy incident commander, Ed discusses how maintaining open communication with command staff, taking time for on-the-ground interactions, and gracefully accepting public criticism can all bolster your crisis response.  And regularly renting a helicopter helps, too.

Ed, Marc and Tom share their experiences and discusses issues that can arise when company staff are working shoulder to shoulder with state and federal agencies, and what to do when politics threaten to disrupt critical working relationships.  Ed also tells us where he sees communicators making mistakes - and how to avoid them. Leading in a crisis can be a complex endeavor, and Ed offers his advice to manage the gauntlet successfully.

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