When I looked at the schedule of sessions for this years conference, I remember putting a star next to the session on crisis communication. It truly did not disappoint! The speaker, Richard Levick, President and CEO of Levick Strategic Communications, kept our attention and got everyone in the room involved in discussions on recent crisis communication events; specifically Netflix, Taco Bell, and the BP oil spill.
Here are just a sampling of Levick's most memorable lines and advice from the session on crisis communication:
-People believe what they hear first.
-The longer a crisis goes on, the more likely your allies are to turn on you.
-The cost of doing nothing during a crisis is being guilty.
-Words are the cheapest, easiest things on the planet.
-Learn from the mistakes of others, "study death".
-In the moment of crisis, it's goal switching time.
-Facts don't matter, perception trumps reality.
-People are not logical, we're emotional.
This session was easily the highlight of the conference for me. In addition to his commentary on crisis communication, Levick answered questions from PRSSA students who are entering the workforce. Overall his biggest advice was to know the industry, and research everything about the company, especially blogs. If you can identify risks for a company in your interview you could be well on your way to a career with them!
Awesome session with an inspiring speaker!
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