Turn Adversity into Advantage

In the wake of a crisis, many executives fall prey to crisis burn out.

Sick and tired of the doom and gloom — you fall into the worst of Netflix. A show about chess becomes your Zoom water cooler fodder.

Other symptoms include hiding away and ignoring the issues, total denial, and Pollyanna’ish happy talk.

It’s as though everyone believes the business impact of the pandemic will magically go away. It won’t unless you take action, innovate and go through our Business Crisis Rehab.

At When and How, we have developed a 12-step program to help brands weather a crisis and emerge stronger and wiser:

The 12-step program

1. Admit your brand’s mistakes. It’s the first step to moving past them.
2. Embrace urgency and take immediate steps to rehabilitate your brand.
3. Believe that the power to change is in your hands because … it is. You may be a victim of bad press, consumer hysteria, rumormongering, or lousy timing but you are not helpless.
4. Bring in a third-party specialist to analyze communications strategies. This is a time when you really need an outside, objective, dispassionate perspective.
5. Believe that a higher “purpose-driven brand” is critical to success. If you can’t articulate what your brand stands for, there’s a good chance no one else in your company can either.
6. Embrace internal change and make a corporate commitment to next steps.
7. Take a communications/marketing inventory. You may want to rethink or postpone some of the initiatives you have in the pipeline.
8. Fix external corporate messaging. This is an opportunity to redefine your brand. When and How excels at this kind of strategic rebranding.
9. Evaluate and address systemic issues that create crises. An outside perspective like ours can be especially helpful here.
10. Train managers in your company to spot and address crisis triggers. This training is included in When and How’s crisis rehab program.
11. Build scenarios for potential future crises and work out strategies to prevent or defuse them. This exercise is integral to When and How’s Crisis Rehab.
12. Don’t let a crisis hold you back. Respond to opportunities in real time, as they arise. Look to the future.
Whether you are in the throes of a crisis or have just weathered one, When and How can help get you back on track.

“Your workshop was the most highly rated training session of the year. It was so well received – we broadcasted your sessions on UN Television for our delegates. We can’t wait to have you come back and speak again.”

Krystal Fruscella, United Nations, Department of Global Communications,

“Inc. Magazine says Chip Massey is a business consultant who, “knows how to talk anyone off a ledge.”

Burt Helm, Editor Inc. Magazine,

“Fantastic training! Hope you caught the comment in the chat saying it was our best one yet. We really appreciate that you were able to pivot the presentation to an online format, and your phenomenal level of professionalism.”

Eric Larson, Manager of Education, NAMA,

Chip and Adele — Thank you for all of your time and energy and thoughtfulness towards this program, especially in making the pivots towards a pandemic digital version! We are grateful for your insights and expertise, and I know our participants gained much from the experience.

Dr. Anne W. Stewart, PhD VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS Princeton,

“I would like to thank you for all of the work that you put in over the course of this agreement. You and Chip were a tremendous help.”

Matt Ott, Global Cold Chain Alliance,

“Adele is one of the foremost crisis communication experts in her field. I turn to her often for her analysis and perspective for the Crisis of the Week column.”

Ben Dipietro, Wall Street Journal Editor

“We went from a crisis to an opportunity within weeks — thanks to strategic thinking and the process. When and How turned a crisis into an opportunity and our organization stayed on the right side of history. I highly recommend her and her team.”

Richard Yep, CEO

“When and How took an online crisis from a major issue and made it into a whisper.”

Victor L. Velazquez, COO, DC Bar Association

“Adele Cehrs was very successful in working with our CEO and division presidents to explain a complex topic to the public quickly and efficiently. She is not only fast — she’s smart. She uses real-time data as a basis for her recommendations. I’d hire When and How on any communications project I have and I recommend you do the same.”

Keith Little, Director, Lockheed Martin

The 12-step program

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S CALL TO CURE CANCER

PROTECTING RIGHTS, CHANGING MINDS

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