Crisis Leadership Blog
Insights and perspectives on being the lighthouse during a crisis.
You Aren’t Crying Wolf
Have you ever wondered why some people are always worrying about the next step down the road and others just wait for the problem to happen before dealing with a big mess? This was the source of a discussion I recently had with a friend who, like me, honed his skills...
Trust and Crisis Confidence
I bet you remember doing fire drills as a kid in school. Your teachers were trying mightily to get 25 fourth graders (if you are Canadian, grade fours) to follow the predetermined route, in a “calm and orderly fashion.” You would then proceed to your designated spot...
Speed in the Face of Social Risks
My mom used to point out that I have been through every type of natural disaster except a tsunami. Wildfires and snow storms were a regular occurrence growing up in the Canadian north. My college education was ended by a historic flood. I’ve been through earthquakes,...
Clarity is Critical When Preparing for Social Risks
Happy New Year! 2022 is here! By now, the confetti is swept up and champagne glasses cleaned or, if you were like me, your PJs have been put away, and you've awoken from a long winter's nap. Either way, 2021 has been wrung out, and a new year has begun. A fresh...
A time for Grace and Gratitude
This will more than likely be our last post for 2021. And what a year it has been. For those of you that follow along in this space, you know that in July, I had a pretty severe accident and spent a week in the ICU. Last week I had the final of 4 surgeries on my right...
By definition, Kith means a cadre of peers who shape opinions and attitudes while instilling sophisticated habits for action. As a way to live this value, we like to share resources that are building blocks to good crisis management and can help you start the path of protecting your reputation.
More Recent Insights
People Processes: Bill Coletti – Kith
On the People Processes Podcast, Rhamy Alejeal interviewed Bill Kith, a crisis management expert and they covered in depth communication strategies to help you navigate the COVID Crises internally. LISTEN HERE
Integrate & Ignite Podcast: Crisis Communications and Reputation Management with Reputation Management
Listen And Learn: Why he recommends a hands-on approach. how successful reputation management hinges on recognizing and responding within those critical moments in time. The importance of involving executive leadership. The difference between reputation management and crisis management/crisis communications. Setting expectations with the Four As. LISTEN...
What’s Next for Communicators re: COVID-19
On the first webinar in Kith's COVID-19 Communications Series, Bill Coletti and guest presenter Gerard Braud share their insights and top recommendations on "what's next" and what to do in this very uncertain phase between shutting down and re-opening for business. Specifically, they discuss: Best practices for writing a good response statement What to...
Responding to the Coronavirus: Kith’s top six tips for effective response
We’ve been tracking the spread of the Coronavirus and the cases of COVID-19 around the world and here in the US as we imagine you have. There’s no doubt in our minds of the seriousness of this challenge to individuals, communities, organizations, and countries. We have spent a good bit of time this week and last on the phone with clients as they work...
Beyond Deepwater Horizon: How BP has stopped saying sorry and is moving forward
Critical Takeaways BP made a major announcement in February 2020 to become net carbon-neutral by 2050. This announcement signified the end of their somewhat unsuccessful efforts to rebuild their reputation after the Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010. There is a time where every firm hit by a crisis will have to stop saying sorry but knowing when to do...
Geeks Geezers and Googlization Show: Covid-19: An Opportunity to Make-or-Break Your Reputation
There’s a lot of things your company can’t control and the coronavirus is just one of them. But how you respond should be at the tip of your tongue. According to our guest, crisis communication expert Bill Coletti, “Plan now like your company’s reputation depends on it because it does.” According to Coletti (via way of Seth Godin), your reputation is no...
The Company You Keep: The Reverse Halo Effect and What You Can Do About It
Critical takeaways Companies often accept litigation based on the behavior of others but are unaware that the behavior and actions of their associates can also affect their reputation. This reverse halo effect means that your clients, suppliers, staff, and associates can all have a negative effect on your reputation, even if the link is tenuous. Include...
Change is hard: how to successfully make the switch from internal to external communications
Critical takeaways I previously wrote about the challenges for marketers taking over communications but making a switch from an internal to an external comms role is equally difficult. Communicators will actually be hampered by the similarity of the processes and procedures because these mask significant differences in the work itself. Communicators...
The Other Side of Potential Recording Session: Crisis Communications for Small Businesses
What you will learn in this episode: What steps Bill feels smaller businesses can take to better connect with and communicate with their customers and why communication is key in difficult times How Bill defines a crisis differently from day-to-day challenges all businesses face, and why he considers this pandemic to be a critical moment that will define...
“A marketer walks into a crisis…”
Critical takeaways Many organizations prioritize branding over communications. This makes sense when driving market share but leaves them vulnerable in a crisis. Marketers are often asked to fill the crisis communications role but this requires a fundamental shift in mindset and changing their focus from brand and revenue to reputation. Marketers in this...
The Kith Method
Good crisis management comes from a plan. Great crisis management comes from capability – and starts before you even smell smoke. That’s why we developed the Kith Method. We can help build and maintain a flexible capability that works for you.
Your reputation is an investment; time-consuming and costly to build and expensive to repair. Protect it.