Our Thinking

Topic: Crisis Communications

McChrystal and Obama – Perception is Reality or Perception Reflects Reality?
Posted 10/06/09

It is not a little disturbing to me that I am referencing Richard Cohen twice in one week, but it’s only fair to note that his column (Does Obama Have the Backbone?) crystallized a serious problem.  Much of the recent Beltway chatter has been devoted to a public division between the president and his hand-picked commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal.  We know that in politics, perception is often reality.  The more alarming issue is whether, in this case, perception merely reflects reality.

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Crisis Communications 101 - The Public's Agenda
Posted 03/06/09

From peanut recalls to political scandals, it is clear that the public has high expectations regarding how the leaders of corporations and government agencies perform in a crisis.

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