What Were They Thinking?: Crisis Communication -- the Good, the Bad, and the Totally Clueless

Some corporations spend millions of dollars on so-called "crisis communication plans." Others offer lip service, avoiding the subject like the plague. They simply hope for the best, praying that they never face a crisis. Either way, as Steve Adubato says, "Wishful thinking is no substitute for a strategic plan." Nationally recognized communication coach and four-time Emmy Awardwinning broadcaster Steve Adubato has been teaching, writing, and thinking about communication, leadership, and crisis communication for nearly two decades. In What Were They Thinking? Adubato examines twenty-two controversial and complex public relations and media mishaps, many of which were played out in public. Among cases and people discussed are: Arranged in short chapters detailing each case individually, the book provides a brief history of the topics and answers the questions: Who got it right? Who got it wrong? What can the rest of us learn from them?

some Corporations Spend Millions Of Dollars On So-called Crisis Communication Plans. Others Offer Lip Service, Avoiding The Subject Like The Plague. They Simply Hope For The Best, Praying That They Never Face A Crisis. Either Way, As Steve Adubato Says, Wishful Thinking Is No Substitute For A Strategic Plan.

nationally Recognized Communication Coach And Four-time Emmy Award-winning Broadcaster Steve Adubato Has Been Teaching, Writing, And Thinking About Comm-unication, Leadership, And Crisis Communication For Nearly Two Decades. In What Were They Thinking? Adubato Examines Twenty-two Controversial And Complex Public Relations And Media Mishaps, Many Of Which Were Played Out In Public. Among Cases And People Discussed Are:

the Johnson & Johnson Tylenol Scare: Perhaps The Best Crisis Management Ever

don Imus: Sometimes Saying Sorry Is Too Little Too Late

former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: Authority Does Not Put You Above Questioning

bill O'reilly: Know When To Stop Defending Yourself And Save Face

former Epa Administrator Christie Whitman: Proof That Your Written Words Can Come Back To Haunt You

hurricane Katrina: A Natural Disaster That Led To A Larger Governmental Disaster

the Catholic Church's Pedophilia Scandal: Denial Won't Get Rid Of The Skeletons In Your Closet

arranged In Short Chapters Detailing Each Case Individually, The Book Provides A Brief History Of The Topics And Answers The Questions: Who Got It Right? Who Got It Wrong? What Can The Rest Of Us Learn From Them?

Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Introduction......Page 15 Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol Scare: Getting It Right......Page 26 The Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker Spill: The Invisible and Clueless CEO......Page 34 The New York Knicks: Know When to Fold 'Em......Page 41 Chaos in a West Virginia Coal Mine: “They're Alive!”......Page 52 The Church’s Pedophilia Scandal: Skeletons in the Closet......Page 61 Dick Cheney: Misfiring Under Pressure......Page 71 The Glen Ridge Rape Case: “Stand by Our Boys”......Page 82 The Death of Pat Tillman: The Cover-up Is Always Worse......Page 93 Rudy Giuliani: A Tale of Two Leaders......Page 104 Christie Whitman and the EPA: Coming Clean on Ground Zero......Page 118 Prudential’s Terror Threat: The "Rock" Gets It Right......Page 130 Virginia Tech: A Deadly Delay?......Page 140 Don Imus: “I Can't Get Anywhere with You People”......Page 150 Jon Corzine: Getting It Right . . . And Getting It Wrong......Page 162 Jet Blue Airways: A Late-night Disaster......Page 172 The O’Reilly “Factor”: Knowing When to Shut Up......Page 182 Taco Bell’s E. Coli Scare: When Good Intentions Aren't Enough......Page 191 The New York Times: Covering Up for Jayson Blair......Page 198 The Duke “Rape” Case: A Rush to Injustice......Page 210 Alberto Gonzales: Paying the Price for Playing with Words......Page 221 NFL Boss Roger Goodell: Scoring Big Points Under Pressure......Page 232 FEMA Fails during Katrina: Talk About "Clueless”......Page 242 Notes......Page 253 About the Author......Page 263 Some corporations spend millions of dollars on so-called "crisis communication plans." Others offer lip service, avoiding the subject like the plague. They simply hope for the best, praying that they never face a crisis. Either way, as Steve Adubato says, "Wishful thinking is no substitute for a strategic plan." Nationally recognized communication coach and four-time Emmy Awardûwinning broadcaster Steve Adubato has been teaching, writing, and thinking about comm¡unication, leadership, and crisis communication for nearly two decades. In What Were They Thinking? Adubato examines twenty-two controversial and complex public relations and media mishaps, many of which were played out in public. Among cases and people discussed are: The Johnson et Johnson Tylenol scare: Perhaps the best crisis management ever Don Imus: Sometimes saying "sorry" is too little too late Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: Authority does not put you above questioning Bill O'Reilly: Know when to stop defending yourself and save face Former EPA Administrator Christie Whitman: Proof that your written words can come back to haunt you Hurricane Katrina: A natural disaster that led to a larger governmental disaster The Catholic Church's pedophilia scandal: Denial won't get rid of the skeletons in your closet Arranged in short chapters detailing each case individually, the book provides a brief history of the topics and answers the questions: Who got it right? Who got it wrong? What can the rest of us learn from them? Some corporations spend millions of dollars on so-called 'crisis communication plans.' Others offer lip service, avoiding the subject like the plague. They simply hope for the best, praying that they never face a crisis. Either way, as Steve Adubato says, 'Wishful thinking is no substitute for a strategic plan.' Nationally recognized communication coach and four-time Emmy Award winning broadcaster Steve Adubato has been teaching, writing, and thinking about communication, leadership, and crisis communication for nearly two decades. In What Were They Thinking? Adubato examines twenty-two controversial and complex public relations and media mishaps, many of which were played out in public. Adubato discusses the Johnson & Johnson Tylenol scare, the Don Imus controversey, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former EPA Administrator Christie Whitman, Bill O'Reilly, the Hurricane Katrina crisis and the Catholic Church's pedophilia scandal.Arranged in short chapters detailing each case individually, the book provides a brief history of the topics and answers the questions: Who got it right? Who got it wrong? What can the rest of us learn from them? Some corporations spend millions of dollars on so-called 'crisis communication plans.' Others offer lip service, avoiding the subject like the plague. They simply hope for the best, praying that they never face a crisis. Either way, as they author says, 'Wishful thinking is no substitute for a strategic plan.' In this book he examines twenty-two controversial and complex public relations and media mishaps, many of which were played out in public. Adubato discusses the Johnson & Johnson Tylenol scare, the Don Imus controversy, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former EPA Administrator Christie Whitman, Bill O'Reilly, the Hurricane Katrina crisis and the Catholic Church's pedophilia scandal. Arranged in short chapters detailing each case individually, the book provides a brief history of the topics and answers the questions : Who got it right? Who got it wrong? What can the rest of us learn from them? This title examines 22 controversial and complex public relations and media mishaps, many of which were played out in public