2. Fall 2015 / ENC 3242: Technical Communication for Majors Week 6: Communicating About (and In) a Crisis Length of this lecture audio (8 slides): 00:37:10 © 2015 by T. E. Roberts, Instructor / USF Sarasota-Manatee http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3242_welcome.htm http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3242_welcome.htm Record the lecture audio codes and the slide numbers where they are mentioned. You will submit these along with the codes from the Week 7 and 8 lectures with Assignment 3 by 6 p.m. on Oct. 19, 2015.

3. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 1 of 8 Today’s Agenda Why manage communications in a crisis? Examples of crises What role does a professional communicator play? How do you prepare for the unexpected? Assignment 3 directions

4. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 2 of 8 Why Manage Communications in a Crisis? Businesses, institutions, and even some individuals function constantly in a public bubble The creation, control, and distribution of information have a major impact not only on success or failure but also on public perception When an enterprise or organization loses control over events -- and thus information about events -- it must act quickly Those who are unprepared for a crisis risk being damaged or even destroyed by it

5. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 3 of 8 Examples of Crises Personal reputation Celebrities: Robert Downey Jr., Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods, Joy Behar (“The View”), Tom Brady and “Deflategate”... the list is a long one Politicians: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, Ben Carson (the list grows long in an election season!) Companies, organizations, institutions, government, media Jared Fogle child-porn scandal (Subway restaurant chain) Facebook’s handling of users’ privacy concerns Systemic child abuse by Catholic clergy IRS scrutiny based on political motivation Ongoing domestic spying by NSA and other government agencies Common theme: The cover-up is often worse than the crime.

6. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 4 of 8 What Role does a Communicator Play? Many large companies and institutions employ professional writers, editors, researchers, media contact specialists, legal analysts, and senior communications consultants -- what cynics might call the “spin department” Most enterprises, whether for- or non-profit, recognize a need to prepare for potential problems Crisis management and crisis communication aim at protecting what might be damaged (and sometimes even damaging what might be protected) Crisis management = 28.7 million Google hits (without restrictive quote marks, Sept 2015) Crisis communications = 18.2 million Google hits (without restrictive quote marks, Sept 2015) People able to think analytically and creatively, research diverse information sources quickly, write and edit skillfully, and stay calm in stormy weather are in high demand for such responsibilities Preparing a thoughtful Communications Plan is worth the time and energy

7. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 5 of 8 How to Prepare for the Unexpected Treat others fairly when things are going well because you’ll need their support and confidence when disaster strikes The bigger the enterprise or the riskier its activity, the bigger the crisis (and the sooner it will hit) Risk varies with nature of activity Pharmaceutical companies Financial companies Government (Social Security, Medicare, IRS, Affordable Care Act, Education) Social service agencies dealing with the vulnerable (homeless kids, e.g.) Companies selling complex products to millions of consumers (e.g., the iPhone) Preparation requires thinking the unthinkable and accepting the unacceptable The public may forgive mistakes and misjudgments, but not lies

8. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 6 of 8 Assignment 3: Welcome to the Crisis Assignment Objective 1.Gain overview of how professional communicators contribute to successful crisis communications 2.Gain direct experience by writing a Press Release and Internal Memo, two brief documents often used to deal with a crisis; and 3.Write an analytical essay of 300-500 words in which you analyze the ethics problem provided in the assignment scenario, explain the challenges involved, and propose a solution Scenario: the Happy Sass snack company has mistakenly allowed food products tainted with dangerous e-coli bacteria to enter the retail consumer distribution stream Research Component: Read thoroughly the top five to 10 links in a Google search of “crisis communications.” Pay particular attention to advice from writers and professionals who have prepared communications in the face of an actual major crisis. These links may be especially helpful as starting points: http://www.niu.edu/newsplace/crisis.html http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/bad-news.htm http://www.niu.edu/newsplace/crisis.html http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/bad-news.htm

9. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 7 of 8 Assignment 3 (continued) THREE COMPONENTS: Press Release, Internal Memo, and Essay Press release (150 to 200 words) to be sent to all public media (print, internet, TV/radio) locally and internationally Internal memo for staff (150 to 200 words) that contains basic talking points to be used when discussing the crisis with family, friends, and others Analytical essay (300 to 500 words) that explains the ethics problem in the Happy Sass scenario in terms of management and communication challenges involved and discusses how you as a senior manager would try to meet those challenges (this essay will be provided, without your name, to the USFSM Pillars Course committee for evaluation) Submit both documents by Oct. 19 in a single file labeled either Lastname_3242_3.docx or Lastname_3242_3_markup.docx Format See directions on course website and in FILES section on Canvas for details Samples of press release and internal memo, and outline of analytical essay, are included with those directions

10. ENC 3242, Technical Communication for Majors Fall 2015 Week 6 Lecture Slide 8 of 8 Assignment 3 (continued) Grading criteria Demonstrate high-level understanding of response to a crisis (you are not expected to be an experienced professional or expert) Show clarity, conciseness, and professionalism in your research, writing, and overall message Choose sources that are relevant and authoritative as basis for your work on this assignment (list under SOURCES CONSULTED at end of submission) Will discuss the assignment also in Week 7 lecture Submit Assignment 3 via Canvas by Monday, October 19, 2015, 6 p.m. (include Week 6, 7, and 8 audio codes in “Comments” section of Canvas submission page)