We’ve all been watching the news and seen the recent violence that has happened in D.C.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about this through the frame of crisis and crisis response and what organizations should do. In fact, I was speaking about this on a panel and was joined by an intelligence analyst.

The intelligence analyst brought up a very unique point that there was a lack of imagination when it came to thinking about the risks and threats presented by those coming to D.C.

Because although this was a very serious event, there is definitely something that can be learned from it for organizations of all sizes. …

One of the things I enjoy most is sailing. I try and spend as much time as I can sailing, and it has taught me many important lessons that I frequently apply to my life and my business.

For example, think about the mast of a ship. It’s that tall spiky thing that sticks up, typically, from the centerline of the boat. This is where the sails are attached up high to propel the boat. A place where the lights are affixed so that the boat can be seen at night. …

Simulations Build Muscle Memory for Teams

Crisis simulations are a sure fire way to build “muscle memory” of response and action that can be deployed during an actual crisis impacting you or your organization. We believe simulations are one of the most effective tools in a communication team’s toolbox.

During a simulation, teams are required to respond with the speed and accuracy that they would if things truly were on fire, but they’re able to do so in a “safe” environment without the potential for negative reputational consequences.

Crafting the Perfect Crisis Simulation

Creating the perfect culinary recipe can take years. Ingredient measurements are carefully calibrated, spices are meticulously added and subtracted, and numerous taste tests occur before the perfect combination is uncovered. …

We’re really excited about the launch of our new website, kith.co, which highlights exactly how we help organizations gain reputation resilience. We work with companies, associations, and other organizations to help them find that resiliency, which often begins by helping them get out of the tough situation they find themselves in.

We’re certainly here to help when a crisis happens, but that’s not all we do at Kith to protect and strengthen an organization’s reputation. We offer services that help strategic communicators grow as leaders, their teams respond better to crises and their enterprise attain reputation.

The best strategic communicators provide value far beyond their ability to write great press statements or craft key messages to the audiences that matter. It starts with how you show up to a crisis, how you rise above the moment and become that true, trusted advisor to your CEO. Kith Academy is a professional development program that focuses on the mindset, behaviors, and skills that transform a good tactical communicator into a great strategic communicator. …

Take It Easy

The sun will rise tomorrow, and there will be paths forward for you and your organization.

Sometimes it’s hard to take it easy, especially when something you’re responsible for goes off the rails. But it’s critically important that you not be too hard on yourself. You will not grow as a strategic communicator if you live in a mistake. Give yourself a break.

Earlier this month, the highly regarded news anchor Chris Wallace moderated the first, and potentially only, presidential debate. …

We just finished a strategic planning session for a client virtually over Zoom. One of the things that came up during the sessions was people don’t have time to be strategic. They’re too busy and too task-focused — responding to the inputs they constantly receive. It got me thinking about strategic thinking.

I call myself a strategic communicator. It struck me that there must be something I’m doing to find time for strategic thinking.

So I want to give some tips for communications leaders, who are always being pulled in so many directions, to really think about strategic thinking.

First of all, find a 15-minute segment of your day that you can carve aside simply just to turn everything off. Your phone, notifications, and email — turn them all off for 15 minutes. Use that quiet time just to do strategic thinking. …

What kind of communicator are you when the lights are bright and hot?

Obviously, humans are warm blooded as a matter of biology, so I’m really asking more about your nature as a strategic communicator. Some are warm-blooded creatures and some are cold-blooded creatures.

Warm-blooded communicators manage their metaphorical body temperature regardless of whether it’s hot or it’s calmly cool. They’re consistent, self-regulating — never too amped up and never too reserved.

Cold-blooded communicators are at their absolute best when the lights are hot and bright — like during a crisis. Cold-blooded communicators excel in the moment of a crisis. …

What we’ve observed during the season of COVID is that major corporations are getting the basic blocking and tackling of traditional crisis communications right. What businesses are struggling with social risk — issues that affect specific communities at a personal and collective level.

Think about the Black Lives Matter movement and issues of systemic racism and social injustice. The LGBTQ+ community faces its own set of historical societal challenges. Issues around climate change expose divisions and differences across ethnic, social, and economic communities. We’re seeing that corporations are struggling to respond to this social risk.Last week, I spoke about purpose. For some time now, there have been conversations about corporations’ purpose — where they fit within a societal set of expectations and challenges. …