"When It Hits the Fan" seminar

Added: (Wed Oct 01 2003)

Pressbox (Press Release) - ‘EXCUSE ME, THERE’S A GORILLA CLIMBING THE BUILDING’

Too many organisations suffer from ‘King Kong Syndrome,’ according to a leading expert in crisis and issues management.

Author and trainer Michael Bland argues that planning for the unexpected is often like the sketch in which American comedian Bob Newhart plays the janitor in the Empire State Building who phones his supervisor for instructions because King Kong is climbing the building and has stuck a toe through a 12th floor window. He has studied the janitors’ manual, he says, and it covers every possible contingency except a 40-foot gorilla’s toe in the window.

‘We may laugh,’ says Bland, ‘but it is human nature to try to cover all the stops, the result of which is a contingency manual which is too huge for anyone to read and remember – and which still doesn’t account for the one thing that will actually happen when "it” hits the fan. For example, when the hurricane struck Britain in 1987, British Rail had 23 detailed crisis plans in place –none of which worked for hurricanes.’

Instead, Bland will recommend a simpler and more effective planning method in a series of seminars titled ‘When It Hits the Fan’, starting on November 4th 2003 and a book of the same name to be published early next year. The three main ingredients of the new approach are: teaching psychology rather than procedures; making the preparation process training-led rather than developing a manual; and using simple, ‘battle-tested’ checklists for each aspect of preparing for and handling a crisis or issue.

‘Planning to turn a crisis into an opportunity and delivering the right messages must also involve the whole senior management team and not just the PR team,’ Bland argues. ‘People like chief executives, lawyers and finance directors have a big say in what a company or organisation does and says when the walls are falling down around them. The public relations professionals may give the right advice but all too often the decision makers ignore it for the wrong reasons.’

To help overcome this failing, the seminar is designed for a broad range of senior management types – such as operations, manufacturing, business continuity, marketing and legal – as well as public relations practitioners. Directors and business owners have a legal responsibility to know what to do... ‘When It Hits The Fan’.

Notes to editors:
Press contact: Adrie van der Luijt (‘Add-ree’), PeoplePortfolio® International, Tel. 01761 414676, E-mail Adrie@PeoplePortfolio.com

“When It Hits The Fan” seminars presented by Michael Bland take place at the Royal Horticultural Halls & Conference Centre, London SW1, on Tuesday 4th November 2003 and Thursday 4th March 2004, 9.30am – 5pm. Delegate rate Ł345 + VAT (group 3+ discount 20%). Full booking details are available at www.smart-worker.com/fan.htm and tel. 01761 414676. Organised by PeoplePortfolio® International.

Michael Bland is a consultant, author, trainer and lecturer in Corporate Communication, Crisis and Issues Management, Media Interviews and Presentation Skills, Creativity, Reducing Stress and Enjoying Life. He is the author and co-author of 13 leading communication text books and guides, numerous articles and two popular humour titles. Michael lectures and teaches widely on a range of communication subjects for organisations such as the London Business School, the Institute of Public Relations, the Public Relations Consultants Association, the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals and many others.

PeoplePortfolio® International specialises in reputation marketing for professionals. Founded by the international speaker and author Roy Sheppard, the firm runs both public and in-house training programmes. In addition, PeoplePortfolio® International publishes and markets business guides on business development and career issues. www.PeoplePortfolio.com.


An electronic version of this press release is available at
www.smart-worker.com/fan2.htm.