Page 149 - The Voice of Authority

crisis communication. They brought together a team of
managers from several departments to coordinate both in-
ternal and external messages during the storms. They used
e-mail, an internal satellite TV network, press releases to
the public, Web posts, and telephone hotlines to update
employees and customers alike and to keep operations
running.
They also set up another stream of communication to
take care of their affected staff in the area: what benefits
they could access, how to get their paychecks cashed, how
to access relief funds collected. Executives visited the areas
to have face-to-face time with employees.
Contrast these efforts and those of other organizations
that value speed in commu-
nicating with employees
and customers . . . with the When the government
blame-game that went on learns there’s an attack
for months and months planned involving the
among different govern- plane you plan to board,
mental agencies about com- the building where you
munication that didn’t hap- work, or the conference
pen. you’re attending, how
Terrorism. Need I say long do you want the
more about the need for powers-that-be to hold
speed—in gathering, coordi-
nating, accessing, intercept- the information before
ing, and interpreting infor- releasing it to you? Al-
mation, and then deciding though not always life-
and acting on that informa- and-death situations, co-
tion? workers and customers
When the government have a similar angst
learns there’s an attack about product or service
planned involving the defects.
plane you plan to board,

Is It Current? 137