Category: Communication

Navigating Negotiation

Linda

Negotiating.  Getting to yes.  Driving a hard bargain.  Win-win.

We all do it.  It’s part of navigating daily life.

It could be with ourselves: “If I go to the gym I can treat myself to an icecream on the way home”

It might be with our kids: “You can watch that movie AFTER you’ve done your homework”

It may be with our significant others: “We’ll have Christmas with your family IF we can spend New Year with mine.”

Negotiating for a satisfactory outcome can be a job in itself – for instance, a contract manager negotiates with suppliers for a mutually beneficial supply arrangement, while a union official negotiates work conditions on behalf of organisational members.

But for most individuals it’s often much harder to negotiate in the workplace particularly when it comes to situations such as getting a place on a project team or asking for a pay rise.

Like so many necessary work skills, negotiation techniques can be learned with the help of a few library resources.

via GIPHY

In the blog post, The Fundamentals of Negotiation, the author sets out five things he feels must be done to to build a strong foundation as a successful negotiator .

In her TED talk, Australian researcher, organizational psychologist and university professor, Ruchi Sinha outlines three key steps to help you successfully master negotiation through the building of relationships.

via GIPHY

There are a number of courses available on LinkedIn Learning accessible via the Wellington City Libraries website.  
Using your library registration sign into LinkedIn Learning and type “negotiation” or “negotiating” into the search box and select from the options. 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s also plenty of material in our book collection.  Below we’ve compiled you might find helpful :

Influence is your superpower : the science of winning hearts, sparking change, and making good things happen / Chance, Zoe
“You were born influential. But then you were taught to suppress that power, to follow the rules, to wait your turn, to not make waves. Award-winning Yale professor Zoe Chance will show you how to rediscover the superpower that brings great ideas to life. Influence doesn’t work the way you think because you don’t think the way you think. Move past common misconceptions—such as the idea that asking for more will make people dislike you—and understand why your go-to negotiation strategies are probably making you less influential. Discover the one thing that influences behavior more than anything else. Learn to cultivate charisma, negotiate comfortably and creatively, and spot manipulators before it’s too late. Along the way, you’ll meet alligators, skydivers, a mind reader in a gorilla costume, Jennifer Lawrence, Genghis Khan, and the man who saved the world by saying no. Influence Is Your Superpower will teach you how to transform your life, your organization, and perhaps even the course of history. It’s an ethical approach to influence that will make life better for everyone, starting with you.”–Publisher.” (Catalogue) E-book format

HBR guide to negotiating / Weiss, Jeff A.
“Forget about the hard bargain. Whether you’re discussing the terms of a high-stakes deal, forming a key partnership, asking for a raise, or planning a family event, negotiating can be stressful. One person makes a demand, the other concedes a point. In the end, you settle on a sub par solution in the middle if you come to any agreement at all. But these discussions don’t need to be win-or-lose situations. Written by negotiation expert Jeff Weiss, the “HBR Guide to Negotiating” provides a disciplined approach to finding a solution that works for everyone involved. Using a seven-part framework, this book delivers tips and advice to move you from a game of concessions and compromises to one of collaboration and creativity, resulting in better outcomes and better working relationships.” (Catalogue)

Negotiating / Benoliel, Michael
“Negotiation skills are essential for managing teams, persuading others and finding win-win solutions. This practical guide gives you the tools you need to improve your negotiation tactics.– Amazon.” (Catalogue)

 

 

How to negotiate / Copper-Ind, Christopher
“Negotiation is a fundamental part of all of our lives, and by understanding how the psychology of it works, you will be able to conduct all types of negotiation with greater ease and efficiency.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Advanced negotiation skills in a week / Fleming, Peter
“Perfecting your negotiation skills just got easier.  As a more experienced negotiator, how do you improve the results you achieve from the negotiating process? When you think about your most recent negotiating experiences, do you think you could have achieved more? The aim of this book is to help you take your negotiating skills to the next level. ‘Win/win’ is still your principal aim, even if it seems a hard standard to achieve!” (Catalogue)

 

Creative conflict : a practical guide for business negotiators / Sanders, Bill
“…. In Creative Conflict, negotiation experts Bill Sanders and Frank Mobus …use a dynamic, dialectical approach to show that negotiations are driven by competition and cooperation at the same time, counterintuitively revealing that conflict is at the core of every negotiation. When we tiptoe around conflict, we negotiate in a half-hearted way that limits our results. Creative negotiators probe and push until they hit a wall of disagreement, then figure out how to get past it. The authors construct a simple framework based on three basic but distinct contexts: bargaining, dealmaking, and relationship building. They then instruct readers on how to skillfully pursue their own interests while simultaneously seeking ways to expand a deal’s scope and value for both sides. Based on the popular Mobus Creative Negotiating seminars and the authors’ experience working with Fortune 500 companies, Creative Conflict is a business book written for businesspeople, by businesspeople. It’s your go-to guide for boosting your skills and confidence as a negotiator-and learning to strike a better deal”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Negotiate without fear : strategies and tools to maximize your outcomes / Medvec, Victoria H.
“Fear impedes negotiators’ success in all types of negotiations and hinders negotiators at all levels. This book will provide a tool-based strategy that readers at all levels can deploy to increase confidence, become fearless negotiators, and maximize negotiation success. Novice negotiators are often fearful because of their inexperience, while seasoned negotiators are fearful because they have so much to lose if the deal falls apart. Included will be unique, proprietary negotiation strategies that Dr. Medvec has developed over her 20 years advising companies in all types of negotiations. These include Medvec’s novel method to connect one’s objectives to negotiable issues, an Issue Matrix to analyze the issues being negotiated and evaluate if the right issues are on the table, a proprietary BATNA Analysis Tool, a unique architecture for creating multiple equivalent simultaneous offers (MESOs) in a negotiation.”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Getting to yes : negotiating agreement without giving in / Fisher, Roger
“Since it was first published in 1981 Getting to Yes has become a central book in the Business Canon: the key text on the psychology of negotiation. Its message of “principled negotiations”–finding acceptable compromise by determining which needs are fixed and which are flexible for negotiating parties–has influenced generations of businesspeople, lawyers, educators and anyone who has sought to achieve a win-win situation in arriving at an agreement. It has sold over 8 million copies worldwide in 30 languages …”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue).  Also available as EBook Libby format and EAudiobook Libby

3 steps to yes : the gentle art of getting your way / Bedell, Gene
“Everybody has to sell something sometime. We’re not just talking about salespeople making quotas. Parents have to sell their kids on the idea of eating vegetables and not taking drugs; managers have to sell their employees on the idea of showing up on time and producing. Getting your message across requires selling yourself and your ideas in a way that guarantees a positive response from the most stubborn listener. Gene Bedell spent a lifetime selling, but he changed his method when he discovered a better way. Three Steps to Yes shows you how to move anyone from no to yes in just three simple steps. It enables you to get people to do what you ask them to do and believe what you want them to believe without being a bully, damaging your relationships, or compromising your principles. All the old-fashioned persuasion techniques — authoritative power, punishment, rewards, verbal manipulation, relationship selling, negotiation — will be a thing of the past once you make this breakthrough three-step technique a part of your life. Three Steps to Yes isn’t a book of selling tricks. It’s a new paradigm that shows you how to persuade your customers, your kids, or your coworkers to let you have your way by recognizing their needs, showing them your core values, and communicating effectively. Full of helpful hints, invaluable tactics, and illuminating anecdotes, Three Steps to Yes is required reading for everyone from managers to mothers, bankers to business execs, and, yes, even salespeople.” (Catalogue)

Negotiation genius : how to overcome obstacles and achieve brilliant results at the bargaining table and beyond / Malhotra, Deepak
“From two leaders in executive education at Harvard Business School, here are the mental habits and proven strategies you need to achieve outstanding results in any negotiation.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Negotiation boot camp : how to resolve conflict, satisfy customers, and make better deals / Brodow, Ed
“In this groundbreaking book, motivational guru Brodow identifies the negative assumptions that drive people to avoid negotiation and shows readers how they can settle conflicts amicably while achieving their goals.” (Catalogue)

 

 

15 tools to turn the tide : a step-by-step playbook for empowered negotiating / Freeman, Seth
“Negotiation is hard. It’s especially tough when you feel like the underdog–whether you face a ‘Godzilla’ counterpart, face threats of budget cuts during a downturn, or know that you need a deal more than the other side does. Seth Freeman can help. Freeman is an award-winning professor who has taught negotiation to thousands of leaders and students. His clients range from Fortune 500 executives to kindergarteners, from top corporate lawyers to grad students just beginning their careers, from UN diplomats negotiating global problems to small business owners negotiating terms with suppliers. In 15 Tools to Turn the Tide, he shares field-tested techniques that can turn anyone into a much better negotiator.” (Catalogue)


If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

 

Say what? : Jargon in the workplace

Linda

“What’s our North Star?”
“I’ll socialise it with the team”
“Grip it up”

Do any of these phrases sound familiar?

Perhaps you are guilty of using them?

Do they make you want to do this when you hear them?

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A quick ask around as to the most disliked corporate speak people encounter in their workplaces  revealed the above examples are all alive and well and being used regularly in Wellington workplaces.

They are vague, ambiguous and serve to confuse, irritate, or even alienate people, with one worker I spoke to, saying “After years of hearing ‘management speak’ I seem to go into automatic switch-off mode as soon as anyone above my level starts to talk…” 

Not the desired effect for a manager wishing to appear on trend by dropping some newly acquired buzzwords into the meeting! 

A recently released report surveyed workers in eight countries about terms and phrases used in their workplaces that they disliked and understood least.

The results differed between countries and cultures with Asian and Latin American countries finding acronyms like EOD (End of Day) and KPI (Key Performance Indicator) amongst the most confusing business speak whereas English speaking nations found it hard to understand expressions such as “Ducks in a row” or “Herding cats”. 

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Aotearoa was not part of the survey although our trans-Tasman neighbour contributed a colourful list of confounding business speak with the top five being :

1. Boiling the ocean  
2. Noodling
3. Low-hanging fruit
4. Juice worth the squeeze
5. Wheelhouse 

Whatever you call it – jargon – or management/corporate/business speak – in the workplace makes communication difficult for many people, and is even more confusing for those for whom English is not their first language.

When it comes to acronyms this becomes more complicated when the same, or similar, acronyms have quite different meanings in different contexts.

What is workplace jargon?  This definition sums it up :

Corporate jargon is essentially workplace language, and is used to describe a set of words, phrases, or acronyms used in a business or corporate setup. These can be difficult to understand for people new to the environment… Jargon is deeply rooted in the corporate culture. These words or phrases or acronyms stay in use for such a long time that they become part of the vocabulary. 

However, by becoming part of the workplace vocabulary these words and phrases are often never translated for new hires, leading to confusion and a possible feeling of isolation.

While some jargon is unique to a workplace or industry and used to convey ideas particular to that environment there are those in workplaces who adopt jargon in order to sound more knowledgeable or appear “in the know”.  But as Lisa notes ….

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As the survey results show, the use (and overuse) of management speak serves to confuse and complicate workplace communication in turn potentially hindering productivity.

Jargon can be used verbally in meetings or in written communication (emails).  It can also be used excessively in other forms of communication such as in reports or on websites and, as a way of addressing this, the Plain Language Act came into being in 2022.

The Act’s purpose, while aimed at Government agencies, sets a standard all workplaces can follow :

The purpose of this Act is to improve the effectiveness and accountability of public service agencies and Crown agents, and to improve the accessibility of certain documents that they make available to the public, by providing for those documents to use language that is—

(a) appropriate to the intended audience; and

(b) clear, concise, and well organised.

Workplaces operate more effectively when communication is clear, so to help we’ve pulled together some resources to help you cut through the jargon and choose words more intentionally instead of peppering conversation with an alphabet soup of buzzwords and phrases.  

To start here’s a couple of listings to help identify and demystify some commonly used office speak terms:

45 Examples of Business Jargon Terms and Phrases

Top 50 Corporate Jargon to Help You Survive High-Level Meetings

This article give some examples of what to say instead of the obfuscating terms.

Linkedin Learning has short videos on jargon as part of lengthier courses on writing in plain English.
Login using your library registration card and password and type “Jargon” into the search box.

Lost in translation: The joy of a jargon-free world
TED talk
When was the last time you optimized something? Perhaps you’ve been engaging proactively? Are you strategically evolving a market in real-time? Any idea what any of that means? Thea Knight is on a crusade to kill the jargon that is strangling our conversations. She explains how we can be more “intentional” about our words – so we can start to actually say things again.

Does Your Office Have a Jargon Problem?
Zachariah C. Brown, Eric M. Anicich, and  Adam D. Galinsky
March 19, 2021, Harvard Business Review online
While most people find jargon (not to be confused with slang) to be annoying, it remains a staple of the modern workplace. It does have its uses — for example, air traffic controllers use the phonetic alphabet for clarity and accuracy. But, according to the authors’ research, jargon can also result from insecurity and a desire for professional status. If you’re concerned about the potential negative effects of jargon on you or your organization, there are four steps you can take to mitigate them. First, be aware of context to know whether jargon might be helping or hurting you. Second, ask yourself if there’s a simpler way to communicate the same idea or if the audience commonly uses the same jargon. Third, use executive communications that use clear and unambiguous language to set the tone for the organization. Finally, send a message by letting others know why you or your organization don’t espouse excessive jargon.

Who touched base in my thought shower? : a treasury of unbearable office jargon / Poole, Steven
“A hilarious compendium, for fans of The Office and Eats, Shoots and Leaves, that rails against something that drives us all utterly mad: office jargon.” (Catalogue)
 
 
 
 
 
A straightforward guide to writing good plain English : improve your written English / Corder, Nicholas
“Written in concise, accessible sections, this good-humoured book explains clearly the essentials of writing good, plain English. Corder takes readers through the entire writing process – from initial idea, through planning, writing, revising and proofreading to the eventual presentation of a piece of writing. At the end of the book, there is also an easy guide to basic grammar and punctuation as well as self-test exercises.” (Catalogue)
Available as EBook Libby
 
 

The plain English approach to business writing / Bailey, Edward P
“Entertaining and down-to-earth, The Plain English Approach to Business Writing shows busy professionals of all backgrounds–corporate, government, financial, legal–how to write clearly and effectively. It can be read in an hour, and used for the rest of one’s life.” (Catalogue)

 

 

How to use power phrases to say what you mean, mean what you say, and get what you want / Runion, Meryl
“Easy-to-master techniques for more effective communications in all areas of life In this breakthrough guide, communication guru Meryl Runion explains why effective communication is more than just a business tool. It is also the key to happier, healthier relationships, and greater personal fulfillment and business success. In How to Use Power Phrases to Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, & Get What You Want she introduces readers to the concept of power phrases–short, focused expressions that let people be direct and to the point without seeming brusque or nasty. In clear, down-to-earth language, illustrated with numerous vignettes and real-world examples, Runion teaches readers how to: Say what needs to be said without fear of misinterpretation or creating negative emotional responses Master six basic methods for crafting power phrases for any setting and every social, professional, or interpersonal situation” (Catalogue)

It’s the way you say it : becoming articulate, well-spoken and clear / Fleming, Carol A
“The best, most direct way to convey your intelligence, expertise, professionalism, and personality to other people is through talking to them. But most people have no idea what they sound like. And even if they do, they don’t think they can change it. It’s the Way You Say It is a thorough, nuts-and-bolts guide to becoming aware and taking control of how you communicate with others.” (Catalogue)

 

Crystal clear communication : skills for understanding and being understood / Cole, Kris
“Management consultant Kris Cole outlines the importance of good communication and gives easy tips on how to understand and take charge of your new communications to become successful in everyday life. This new edition includes a new chapter on email communication and the impact that this technology has had on everyday communication.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Business communication : deliver your message with clarity and efficiency / LoCicero, Joe
“When mastered effectively, the art of business communication can build a lucrative, impressive, and respected company beyond imagination. A company that embraces solid communication saves and makes time and money–the two hottest commodities in the business world. In Streetwise Business Communications, communications expert Joe LoCicero answers your questions about communicating with clients and staff, dealing with technology and choosing the right medium. Streetwise Business Communications is the complete reference for all small business owners who struggle to come up with a clear and concise message, and the means with which to communicate that message. You too can communicate a message, retain, and win new business–even compete with the big boys. All you need is the proper the tools to speak, write, organize, and present their message effectively. Streetwise Business Communications will arm you with those tools!Includes crucial advice on: Good grammar and correct spellings of commonly misspelled words Proper phone and email etiquette Well-organized letters, memos, and e-mails Presentation skills In all its formats, communication must constantly, continually, and cleverly work to get–and keep–business. No matter the size of your business, Streetwise Business Communications will keep you and your company in contact, in command, and in control! ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

If you would like more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library. We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources. All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Leading effective meetings

Linda

Has anyone ever said, ‘I wish I could go to more meetings today’?
Matt Mullenweg*

*(Source : https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/meetings-quotes)

Most of us, at some point in our working lives, will have been subjected to a meeting that gets hijacked by someone with a sense of their own importance, a meeting that disintegrates into disagreement, or one that just lacks clear focus.

The end result often leaves attendees feeling stressed and/or frustrated.

Meetings though, are a necessity of the workplace and when run well, can be effective and productive with everyone leaving with a feeling of purpose and a clear direction.

While online meetings can be efficient, reducing the need to travel for instance, after several years of these many people now appreciate the opportunity to get together in the physical presence of others. Hybrid meetings though, pose their own challenges, such as making sure all participants are engaged and have opportunity to speak up.

Whatever the meeting style – the question remains – how to make them effective?  Do you need to attend every meeting?  How do you make sure everyone with something valid to say is successfully included?    Should you take minutes?  Set an agenda?

For some guidance on how to get the most out of your meetings check out the Wellington City Libraries resources below.

 

In his TED talk, How to save the world (or at least yourself) from bad meetings Information Security Manager David Grady suggestions some ways to address the “… epidemic of bad, inefficient, overcrowded meetings [that] is plaguing the world’s businesses — and making workers miserable.”

In another TED talk, Leadership expert Cindy Solomon shares her 5 tips for dealing with meeting overload and advises that The phenomenon of “calendar creep,” where meetings completely take over your work days, is wasting time, energy and productivity — but you can take back control.

HBR Online’s article 4 Distractions that Derail Meetings — and How to Handle Them “… presents four dysfunctional behaviors that cause meetings to derail, as well as what managers need to know to make their team’s meetings more effective, efficient, and productive.”

Do you need to meet or could it be said in an email?  Amanda Woodard’s article outlines why, even though many meetings could be summarised in an email, there is still a place for face to face meetings.

Does your team meet regularly?  David Burkus outlines What To Cover in a Team’s Weekly Meeting

For a more in-depth look at how to improve meetings use your library sign-in to access LinkedIn Learning’ s course Leading Productive Meetings.  In this training “ … productivity expert Dave Crenshaw demonstrates a simple, usable framework that can help you get the most from your meetings—whether in person or virtual—by turning them into productive avenues for communicating, connecting, and accomplishing real work”

If you want to make virtual meetings more effective then Leading Virtual Meetings might be helpful. In this LinkedIn learning course Kevin Eikenberry “…identifies the challenges to holding a productive meeting online, and shares tactics for making these meetings successful”.

Further guidance can be found in some of the many resources in our book collection like these ones below :

How to fix meetings : meet less, focus on outcomes and get stuff done / Allcott, Graham
“Calendar full of meetings that could just be an email? A list of action points but not time to work on completing them? Online and offline, too much valuable time is wasted in meetings. Advisers to some of the world’s leading companies on productivity, Graham Allcott and Hayley Watts provide realistic and practical advice that really makes a difference, showing how to reduce the amount of time you spend in meetings, and ensure that the bones that you do hold and attend are genuine opportunities to collaborate and get things done.” (Catalogue)

Suddenly hybrid : managing the modern meeting / Reed, Karin M.
“Prior to COVID 19, hybrid meetings were relatively rare and consisted of the majority of attendees being in person with perhaps someone “dialing in” (and often forgot about). The hybrid meeting that will likely monopolize the way meetings are conducted from here on out will likely involve a group of people gathered in one conference room, maybe another group of people gathered in a huddle room somewhere else, and a variety of folks showing up in their own individual boxes on screen via their personal webcams. Managing the expectations, participation, and conversation flow for all of these different constituencies will be fraught with challenges but perhaps some opportunities as well for the leader who leans into developing new skills. This book provides some much-needed early insight and guidance into what works and what does NOT when it comes to hybrid meetings…”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Meet with impact : 40 visual tools for productive meetings and engaging workshops / Russell, Tom
“This book is for people who regularly plan and lead meetings. The author explains why this book is important, and why as a meeting leader the reader should use their valuable time to read it”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

 

 

The surprising science of meetings : how you can lead your team to peak performance / Rogelberg, Steven G
“… In The Surprising Science of Meetings, Steven G. Rogelberg, researcher and consultant to some of the world’s most successful companies, draws from extensive research, analytics and data mining, and survey interviews with over 5,000 employees across a range of industries to share the proven practices and techniques that help managers and employees enhance the quality of their meetings. For those who lead and participate in meetings, Rogelberg provides immediate direction, guidance, and relief, offering a how-to guide to change your working life starting today.”–Amazon.com.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Taking minutes of meetings : how to take efficient notes that make sense and support meetings that matter / Gutmann, Joanna
“Taking Minutes of Meetings guides you through the entire process of minute taking: arranging the meeting; writing the agenda; creating the optimum environment; structuring the meeting and writing notes up accurately. The often misunderstood role of minute-taker is one of the most important and powerful in a meeting, and this book will help you excel at this crucial skill, allowing you to build your career and credibility. Taking Minutes of Meetings is an easy to read ‘dip-in, dip-out’ guide, providing hands-on advice about the sections of a meeting as well as tips on how to create an agenda, personal preparation, best practice advice on taking notes and how to improve your accuracy. Fully updated for 2019, this 5th edition now features even more practical exercises, useful templates, and top tips, as well as guidance on using technology effectively and minutes for different types of meetings.” (Catalogue)

The art of gathering : how we meet and why it matters / Parker, Priya
“We spend our lives gathering – first in classrooms and then in meetings, weddings, conferences and away days. Yet so many of us spend this time in underwhelming moments that fail to engage us, inspire us, or connect us. We’ve all sat in meetings where people talk past each other or go through the motions and others which galvanize a team and remind everyone why they first took the job. We’ve been to weddings that were deeply moving and others that were run-of-the-mill and simply faded away. Why do some moments take off and others fizzle? What’s the difference between the gatherings that inspire you and the ones that don’t? In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker gets to the heart of these questions and reveals how to design a transformative gathering. An expert on organizing successful gatherings whether in conference centres or her living room, Parker shows us how to create moving, magical, mind-changing experiences – even in spaces where we’ve come to expect little.” (Catalogue)  EBook format only.

Talk lean : shorter meetings, quicker results, better relations / Palmer, Alan
“The businessperson’s guide to saying what needs to be said and asking questions that need to be asked In the business world, the first step to great results is good communication.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Death by meeting : a leadership fable about solving the most painful problem in business / Lencioni, Patrick
“In his latest work of business fiction, Patrick Lencioni provides readers with another powerful and thought-provoking book, this one centered on a cure for the most painful yet underestimated problem of modern business: bad meetings. And what he suggests is both simple and revolutionary.” “Casey McDaniel, the founder and CEO of Yip Software, is in the midst of a problem he created, but one he doesn’t know how to solve. And he doesn’t know where or whom to turn to for advice. His staff can’t help him; they’re as dumbfounded as he is by their torturous meetings.” “Then an unlikely advisor, Will Petersen, enters Casey’s world. When he proposes an unconventional, even radical, approach to solving the meeting problem, Casey is just desperate enough to listen.” “As in his other books, Lencioni provides a model, and makes it applicable to the real world. Death by Meeting is a blueprint for leaders who want to eliminate waste and frustration among their teams, and create environments of engagement and passion.”–BOOK JACKET.” (Catalogue)

If you would like further information please contact the Prosearch team at the library. We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources. All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Communication in a crisis

Linda

 

At some point in the business life cycle you may well have to face a crisis situation.

It could be the necessity to recall a product. It may be having to front to clients and advise a staff member has been caught defrauding the business.

It could be presenting to media after a natural disaster that impacts your service delivery and general business.

Whatever the situation, how it is handled will say a lot about you as a leader, business owner and how you communicate concern for staff and clients.

 

During, and after, a crisis there are right and wrong ways to communicate to staff, customers, with authorities and to the media.

We’ve compiled a list of some of our resources that can assist. As with any disaster preparation the key is having a plan well before the event happens.

 

‘What Will You Say When Disaster Strikes?’, Bierck, R. (2002).  Harvard Management Communication Letter, 5(5), p. 1. Available through Business Source Premier and requires login.
Discusses the importance of a crisis communication plan. Identification of risk areas; Formation of a crisis communications team; Appointment of spokespeople for different types of crises

‘What We’ve Learned About Communicating with Employees in an Emergency’, Carmichael, S.G. (2013) Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, pp. 2–5. Available through Business Source Premier and requires login.
The author conveys her thoughts on the lessons learned about communicating with employees in an emergency situation such as the Boston Marathon bombing in Boston, Massachusetts in April 2013.

Crisis Communication : Prepare for crisis communication
Every organization needs to plan how to communicate internally and externally in the event of a crisis. In this course, business communication expert Laura Bergells walks you through the process of preparing your organization to communicate with employees, customers, suppliers, media, and the public at large. She’ll cover identifying audiences, assembling a crisis response team, crafting an initial statement, and evaluating your response once the crisis has passed.
Available through Linkedin Learning.  Requires login 

Managing in Difficult Times : Leading effectively through difficult times
Tough times separate great leaders from the rest. What do leaders do to manage effectively in difficult times? It’s as much about what they do to prepare as it is about how they react. Jan Rutherford introduces important tools for keeping you and your team focused, inspired, and effective during times of change or crisis. Learn how to build self-awareness, achieve clarity and focus, keep innovating despite volatility, and develop a committed team that is resilient in the face of change. He also shares innovative strategies to cut costs, and reframe challenges as opportunities for your team.
Available through Linkedin Learning.  Requires login 

Crisis Communication for HR
When a crisis occurs, it’s critical for businesses to communicate with employees and share one strong, unifying message. HR plays a pivotal role—before, during, and after the crisis. In this course, HR consultant Catherine Mattice Zundel and APR specialist David Oates explain how to create a communication plan so you’re prepared when disaster strikes, share tips for communicating and coordinating work during an active crisis, and discuss how to follow up after the immediate danger is over. Follow along and learn how to keep your employees safe, ensure your culture remains intact, prepare for remote work and task reassignments, and provide necessary training and resources to keep your organization moving forward during challenging times.
Available through Linkedin Learning.  Requires login 

Crisis communications : the definitive guide to managing the message / Fink, Steven
“There are few guarantees in business today. Unfortunately, one of them is the inevitability of a crisis having a potentially major effect on your business and your reputation. When your company finds itself in the midst of a crisis, the ripple effects can disrupt lives and business for the foreseeable future if public opinion is not properly shaped and managed. Skillfully managing the perception of the crisis determines the difference between a company’s life or death. Because in the pitched battle between perception and reality, perception always wins. Fortunately, there is a solution. Crisis communications and crisis management legend Steven Fink gives you everything you need to prepare for the inevitable–whether it’s in the form of human error, industrial accidents, criminal behavior, or natural disasters. In this ground-breaking guide, Fink provides a complete toolkit for ensuring smooth communications and lasting business success through any crisis. Crisis Communications offers proactive and preventive methods for pre-empting potential crises. The book reveals proven strategies for recognizing and averting damaging crisis communications issues before it’s too late. The book also offers ways to deal with mainstream and social media, use them to your advantage, and neutralize and turn around a hostile media environment. (Adapted from Catalogue)

Crisis communication strategies : how to prepare in advance, respond effectively and recover in full / Coleman, Amanda
“Crisis communication is high stakes work. For communications managers and PR professionals, it’s likely to be the most stressful time of their working life. Crisis Communication Strategies is a must-have handbook for laying the groundwork before a crisis hits, meaning that when the inevitable day comes, the company already has policies and procedures in place to leap into meaningful action without delay. Crisis Communication Strategies is unique in the way it equips readers to deal with any kind of crisis – whether caused by internal error, customer action, natural disasters, terrorism or political upheaval. Moving chronologically, the book opens by looking at the skills, policies and procedures that should be set up in advance, during times of normal business operations. It then moves on to look at how those procedures can be activated when a crisis occurs and during the immediate response. Finally, it delivers strategies for true long-term recovery for both the company itself and, where necessary, the wider community. Packed with actionable tips, checklists and global case studies, Crisis Communication Strategies is the essential guide to protecting your company and building true, long-term resilience”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Unprecedented leadership : learning to lead in turbulent times / Colley, John L.
“If we’ve learnt anything this decade, it’s that paramount to being a good leader is the ability to lead and manage through a crisis. The best leaders will be able to look directly into the heart of the storm and re-imagine their organizations to ultimately foster new growth. Taking a step-by-step approach, this book guides readers in identifying the severity and potential implications of a crisis situation tackling core topics such as:  *Crisis leadership · *Decision making · *Ethical responsibility ·  *Change management initiatives ·  *Communication ·  *   Leadership development ·  *Coaching
Grounded in cutting-edge theory and combined with engaging, real world case studies and practical exercises, this is an indispensable guide for MBA and Executive students. In fact, this book is ideal reading for anyone who is looking to develop their leadership skills in the most pragmatic and progressive ways. ” (Catalogue)

Crisis leadership : how to lead in times of crisis, threat and uncertainty / Johnson, Tim
“Crisis Leadership explores the challenges leaders can face at each stage of a crisis “lifecycle” and offers operational guidance in crisis management at both a personal and organisational level.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Masters of disaster : the ten commandments of damage control / Lehane, Christopher
“Whether you’re a politician caught with his pants down, a publicly traded company accused of accounting improprieties, a family-owned restaurant with a lousy Yelp review or just the guy in the corner cubicle who inadvertently pushed “reply all,” a crisis doesn’t have to be the make-or-break moment of your career. For those of us that aren’t natural spin doctors, it’s hard to resist the impulse to cover your tracks, lie, or act like nothing happened. But resist you must. Full of both lively personal anecdotes and hard-knuckled straight talk, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to emerge with their reputation intact.” (Catalogue)

The devil never sleeps : learning to live in an age of disasters / Kayyem, Juliette N.
“An urgent, transformative guide to dealing with disasters from one of today’s foremost thinkers in crisis management.”The future may still be unpredictable, but nowadays, disasters are not. We live in a time of constant, consistent catastrophe, where things more often go wrong than they go right. So why do we still fumble when disaster hits? Why are we always one step behind? In The Devil Never Sleeps, Juliette Kayyem lays the groundwork for a new approach to dealing with disasters. Presenting the basic themes of crisis management, Kayyem amends the principles we rely on far too easily. Instead, she offers us a new framework to anticipate the “devil’s” inevitable return, highlighting the leadership deficiencies we need to overcome and the forward thinking we need to harness. It’s no longer about preventing a disaster from occurring, but learning how to use the tools at our disposal to minimize the consequences when it does. Filled with personal anecdotes and real-life examples from natural disasters like the California wildfires to man-made ones like the Boeing 737 MAX crisis, The Devil Never Sleeps is a guide for governments, businesses, and individuals alike on how to alter our thinking so that we can develop effective strategies in the face of perpetual catastrophe”–Dust jacket flap” (Catalogue)

The happy healthy leader : achieve your potential even during a crisis / Ireland, Margie
“Imagine waking up every day knowing that no matter what is thrown your way, you have the confidence and skills to sail through any high seas and bad weather, and bring your crew with you. The Happy, Healthy Leader is a guide for leaders who wish to achieve their full potential. It provides a wide range of tools and techniques based on the author’s personal experiences in leadership transformation and her extensive research into what impacts the wellbeing of senior and executive leaders.” (Catalogue)

A question of leadership : leading organizational change in times of crisis / Leslie, Keith
“A fascinating guide to effective leadership in times of crises with a psychological underpinning.” (Catalogue)

 

 

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