Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Commentary

6 comments
2019-07-31 16:11:12

The optics were terrible. I know some of the comms people at the RCMP, and I trust they're too smart not to have given the advice for the commissioner to stay until the final question was asked and the family left. Nothing else mattered that day, from the public's perception, and, as tough as it is, whoever the lead communications person was should have insisted the Deputy Commish stay until the bitter end.

What was he thinking? He undermined any positive public perception they might've gained that morning, tough as it would have been.

2019-07-31 16:28:25

I don't know what happened in either case. I do think that communications people aren't to blame. Unfortunately, they take as much heat for what happened.
-Grant

2019-07-31 15:48:39

Hi Grant You are absolutely correct The optics were terrible

People won't remember every word

But they will remember abrupt behavior

2019-07-31 16:27:01

They remember "how you made them feel".

Thank you.
-Grant

2019-07-31 13:33:46

Very compelling post. On behalf of communicators and public relations professionals, THANK YOU for acknowledging that it isn't always their fault when these things go sideways. I have learned over my career that my role as a communication professional is to provide my best advice to leadership, but it doesn't mean they have to take that advice. If they don't, then I have to ensure we achieve the desired results (and potentially work on a mitigation strategy in the background if things go sideways). These can be hard lessons for leadership, but hopefully it is a lesson learned.

2019-07-31 16:26:27

I don't know of any good communications/media relations/public relations person who tells their bosses "let's not talk to the media - they don't need to know."

Yes it usually is entrenched management that is resistant to speaking to the media and that's why i said that. Thanks for highlighting it.
-Grant.