Heckuva job, Brownie. Not!

If former FEMA Director Michael D. Brown didn't realize how powerful Hurricane Katrina was, he's going to have no idea what hit him as he gets sucked up into a new crisis of his own making.

Instead of following my advice (see The Blame Game revisited) or merely holing up in a spa somewhere newspapers aren't delivered, he's taking an ill advised step by fanning the flames. He should not be in attack mode. He should be licking his wounds and grateful he wasn't indicted for lying on his resume. People don't like incompetence, but they hate liars worse.

No amount of spin he places on this will turn back his role in Katrina. He should have been grateful for the chance to fade into obscurity.

Blame Game Revisited

Every crisis communications manager knows the first rule is to accept responsibility. It really is #1 in the play book.

President John Kennedy discovered this when he accepted responsibility for the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Commentators at the time said that move raised his credibility and made him appear presidential.

So it is no surprise that the current president is now accepting responsibility for New Orleans. It is a good move.

Such a good move, that even the governor of Louisiana piped in and accepted responsibility the same day.

I wouldn't be surprised if more people don't step forward to accept responsibility -- and the hosannas that come with it!

That's because this is a fool-proof strategy,

You see, finger pointers are whiners and cowards. People who accept responsibility are leaders. Plain and simple fact of human nature.

When I was a copy editor at a newspaper a long time ago, I screwed up big time. My editor called me on the carpet. I had just read about the Kennedy thing.I told my boss that I accepted responsibility. That took all the wind out of his sales. He was actually happy that I didn't try to weasel out of it. Case closed. Everyone's happy.

On a related note, do you realize what happens to leaders who accept responsibility?

They don't get fired.

They don't get sued.

They don't get kicked out of office.

They don't get put in jail.

There is absolutely NO downside for accepting responsibility!

In terms of customer service, did you realize that studies show that companies that have solved customer's problems receive higher satisfaction reports than customers who had no problems with the company?

I accept full responsibility for this blog, including the typos and the misspelling of hosannas. I won't even blame the spell checker for not including that great word.

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
www.prleads.com

Story ideas for Katrina

Story ideas for Katrina

Experts can help reporters covering the tragedy resulting from Katrina. Here are possible story ideas you can pitch to reporters. I'm also seeing a flood of inquiries from reporters who want help from my PR LEADS experts on the hurricane and its aftermath:

Here are a variety of ideas that can help the victims of the flood by giving them good, solid information to help get their lives back together.

- How can people reduce stress?
- How can people take control of actions when things seem to out of control?
- What can parents do to get their kids in school in new communities?
- How can schools deal with an influx of new students?
- How can teachers work effectively with kids who have been uprooted?
- How have real estate markets been affected in cities that have accepted thousands of refugees?
- How has the rental market been affected?
- How has long-term executive rentals been affected?
- How will people get their government aid checks?
- How will be mail be delivered?
- What is the effect on airlines scheduling and travel?
- What will happen to hundreds of conventions planned for New Orleans?
- With New Orleans getting all the attention, what's being done to help people in other affected areas? Are they suffering from neglect, as did areas near San Francisco after the earthquake?
- Will people walk away from their mortgages and declare bankruptcy? How can they repair their credit?
- If people default on their home loans, what affect will that have on banks and insurance companies?
- How can New Orleans based companies survive if they don't have offices or workers?
- How to backup computer data and pictures

There are hundreds of other story ideas, of course. I hope this gets you started to think how you can use your expertise to help those people who need it most.

At PR LEADS, I've already received requests from reporters who are moving beyond the Day 1 story and are seeking experts on such areas as:

- consumer spending habits in the wake of Katrina
- cost of building materials after Katrina
- how to do business remotely after Katrina
- should New Orleans be rebuilt
and many others.

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Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
www.prleads.com
dan@prleads.com

What kind of blogger are you?

I've noticed there are several types of blogs and bloggers:

Thinkers -- the highest form of blogging. These people offer new ideas and perspectives that serve to inspire us all.

Linkers -- they can't think, but they sure can research! Their blogs are full of links to thinkers. They serve a valuable function in spreading the work of people whose words deserve to be read.

Blingers -- they use the blogs as personal mirrors, to say "Blogger, blogger on the wall, who is fairest blogger of all? They'll talk about their accomplishments, people they've met and places they are jetiting off to speak at. No real substance, just lots of bling. Sort of like, "Hi. My name is Debbie. While you are reading this, I am off to a blogging conference in Sweden See you later."

Activists --(sorry, I can't get this to rhyme) they use the blog as personal soap box. Right or left, they have proven to be very effective at mobilizing their supports to action and forcing government officials to take notice. Even journalists read these blogs to get a take of the public sentiment barometer.

What other kinds of bloggers have you seen? You get extra credit if your title rhymes with mine!

Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR LEADER
PR LEADS Expert Resource Network
www.prleads.com