Crisis Ahead

Crisis management expert Edward Segal explains why companies should appoint their crisis management teams before there is a corporate emergency, the best people to serve on those teams, and why they should meet on a regular basis.

In this episode, you’ll learn how and where you can pick up early warning signs that your brand, business or organization could be on the verge of a harmful crisis--and what can happen if you do not know what others are saying about your company, products or services.

In this inaugural episode, you will find out the benefits of having a crisis management plan, the six things company executives will know how to do with a properly prepared plan, and what happened when an organization’s crisis management plan failed to include protocols for responding to an obvious worst-case scenario.

Since 1958, Project HOPE has confronted the world’s greatest health challenges and daunting emergencies. They have responded to hurricanes and earthquakes and the humanitarian consequences of civil war. They were on the frontlines of an Ebola outbreak in Africa and rebuilt creaking public health networks in the Soviet bloc during the Cold War and after the Iron Curtain fell. When deadly tsunamis h...

According to an international study, although a majority of companies surveyed did have crisis plans in place, only a minority of them had tested them to ensure the plans would work. In this episode Caroline Sapriel, managing partner of CS&A International, discusses the results of the survey and issues related to the testing of those plans. CS&A International is a risk, crisis, and continuity mana...

In the coronavirus crisis, the ability of companies and organizations to communicate with employees effectively and efficiently has become more important than ever before. This week’s guest is Gary Ross, president of Inside Comms, a training, coaching, and consulting firm that is focused on internal communications. Ross discusses several aspects of this timely topic including best practices, commu...

The pandemic has thrust every leader — whether they are prepared or not—into a crisis situation. Covid-19 has upset financial projections, internal and external communications, and core business models— not to mention the challenges of keeping employees safe and healthy. In this episode, Andy Freed, CEO of Virtual, inc, an association management company in Massachusetts, discusses the steps he too...

About two-thirds of full-time workers experience burnout in the job, according to a 2018 Gallup poll. In this episode, Janice Litvin, author of the recently published “Banish Burnout Toolkit” shares her advice and insights on how to spot and respond to employee burnout and help prevent it from impacting how your company or organization responds to and manages crisis situations. The World Health Or...

Companies can find themselves in a constant crisis as they seek to win the war against fake news, misinformation, and rumors. A lot can be at stake, including their image, reputation, and credibility. Goodwill Industries has waged a years-long campaign against a rumor abut the ownership of the organization. In this episode,Lauren Lawson-Zilai, Senior Director of Public Relations and National Spoke...

Who is the best person to represent your company or organization in a crisis? What are the best practices for individuals to follow when they are the public face of your company? Mike McCurry, a former White House Press Secretary in the Clinton Administration, discusses the best practices for spokespeople, who he thinks are role models for today’s spokespersons to follow, and why top company offic...

Zoom is an important communication tool for companies and organizations in the coronavirus or other crisis situations.. But like all tools, executives should learn how to use Zoom the right way. Wendy King is an award-winning Zoom expert who discuss the dos and don’ts of using this widely-used video platform. King-was recently recognized by Ecamm Live, a broadcast software development company, for...

Concerned about the slow and uncoordinated response by Minnesota government officials to the civil unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd, PR veteran Paul Omodt and four of his colleagues volunteered their expertise and skills to help public officials manage the crisis. In this interview with host Edward Segal, Omodt recounts what he and his team did, how they did it, and the crisis manag...

Christine Andrukonis of Notion Consulting shares how how one of their clients —Otsuka Pharmaceutical — was proactive in responding to the pandemic. In his weekly commentary, podcast host Edward Segal discusses how some people and organizations refuse to accept responsibility for their role in creating crisis situations.

Laura Guitar shares her insights and perspectives about the recent crisis in the Dominican Republic in which several American tourists died at different resorts. Guitar has a lot of experience working with clients in the hospitality industry who are having a crisis. She is executive Vice President of RBB Communications in Miami, Florida where she leads Reputation & Risk Advisors, the agency’s cris...

Volkswagen’s emissions scandal is back in the news. The company has paid billions of dollars to car owners because of rigged emissions equipment and software that gave misleading information about the pollution emitted by diesel engines. Matt Tidwell, who has written a case study about the scandal for a public relations textbook, shares his insights and perspectives about VW’s dieselgate. Tidwell...

Trial lawyer and award-winning author Shane Read shares seven courtroom tactics business executives can use to effectively tell their side of the story about a crisis. Read also discusses key lessons from the mistakes Johnson & Johnson made that led to their losing a lawsuit in which 22 women alleged the company’s baby power caused them to develop ovarian cancer. In his weekly commentary host Edwa...

Lane Kasselman, Uber’s former head of communications, talks about his approach to managing multiple crisis situations at the ride-hailing company and his role in responding to the unusual crisis that confronted Strava, a mobile app for athletes.

PR veteran John Davies takes you behind the scenes with stories, anecdotes, and observations from his work on three headline-making crises situations in California. In his weekly crisis management commentary, host Edward Segal discusses companies that will - or won't - respond to the pandemic. 

Kurt Mansperger, Chief Technology Officer of the Boston Library Library is interviewed by host Edward Segal about how the organization responded to COVID-19 and what others can learn from their experience.

Pamela Garber, a therapist with the Grand Central Counseling and Mediation Group in New York City, shares her advice on how companies can help employees in the aftermath of a mass shooting or workplace violence. In his weekly crisis commentary, Edward Segal discusses the problems that leaked emails can create for organizations.  

Jeffrey Davis, managing partner and leader of the Baltimore office of Van Eperen, shares his advice on how organizations can ensure immediate access to their crisis management plans, the importance of receiving media training before a crisis hits, and the dangers companies can face from TikTok and other similar technologies.

Paul Furiga, CEO and chief story teller of Word Write, shares his insights and advice on how the pandemic has changed the practice of crisis communications, the steps organizations should take to prepare for a crisis, and the lessons to be learned from how a nursing home responded to the pandemic.

Jill Greenberg, the spokesperson and public information officer for Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, talks about some of the crisis situations she’s worked on. They include the recent failure of two dams, a toxic green ooze that leaked onto a major Detroit freeway, and the continuing impact of the Flint water crisis.

Crisis management consultant and author Edward Segal interviews Richard Levick, chairman and CEO of Levick, a public relations firm in Washington, DC. Richard Levick is a veteran crisis management expert who has had a role in numerous headline-making crisis situations around the world. Levick shares his experiences and crisis management advice in this expanded edition of Segal’s weekly podcast.

Crisis management expert, consultant, and author Edward Segal reveals the two questions managers and CEOs should ask before they have to deal with a crisis, and discusses the five things companies should do now to ensure they can and will respond immediately to disasters, scandals, or other emergencies tomorrow.