Just this year an illustrious professional career ends abruptly; a world-wide brand that spent millions of dollars over the years to build a sterling reputation, out in front of every one of its competitors, watches its status unravel; and an international conglomerate faces an industrial disaster and its iconic acronym stands to represent its biggest nightmare.
General Mc Crystal within a week – retired; Toyota within a month massively discounting cars and invigorating the US auto industry; and BP within a few days becoming the company formerly known as British Petroleum now known as BP -- Biggest Polluter.
Companies that have allocated enormous dollars to building a public face . . . the military and multinationals. And yet with their considerable resources, both financial and professional, they did not understand how quickly their reputation could unravel. How quickly their public profile could be tarnished and how extensive the damage could be.
Are you ready for this? Do you have the resilience to survive? It begs the question that as nonprofits perhaps we need to reconsider how we court the press. How important we think it is to be on TV or in print. Can we control our message more effectively using social media and web based outreach.
So you’re thinking of promoting your organization in the press anyway. Then be prepared. When you’re pitching a story, an interview or sending out a release do you know enough about the background of the reporter and the media outlet. Have you read enough of their prior stories or seen enough of their broadcast reporting to have an understanding of the nature and tone of their coverage? What is their writing style, do they have a personal agenda and does your message fit into that agenda. If not, beware – their agenda may take precedence over yours!
Are you prepared for a crisis? Do you have a communication’s plan that specifically addresses the conversation that you must have with your constituents the moment something considerable happens that impacts the community you serve.
Have you designated a spokesperson and is that person media trained. As a nonprofit whose financial health depends on donor participation public relations must be moved to the top of your agenda. Today, let’s ask ourselves could our organization survive a media hit. Then take a critical scan of your communications efforts and the persons responsible for this most important yet very delicate task.
Robyn Fern Perlman
Founding Principal
CoreStrategies For Nonprofits, Inc.
Posts
Dear Robyn:
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing this issue for discussion.
Below are the Board guidelines that we used in my last assignment in Milwaukee. They are detailed so I am posting them in 2 comments.
I hope they can assist someone.
Please let me know of anyway that I can help.
Regards, Hugo Cardona
V. Contentious Communication -- Response
If a Board member is uncertain about whether any paper or Email correspondence is "contentious," s/he should assume that it is and treat it accordingly, consistent with these Guidelines.
Initial Response -- Although each communication must be considered on its merits, and although the response will vary according to the nature and content of the communication and its source, generally, the Board should promptly provide a written acknowledgement:
1) thanking the agency, group or individual for their correspondence;
2) advising the agency, group or individual of the anticipated time frame within which the communication will be considered; and
3) assuring the agency, group or individual that the XXXX Board will review the matter and provide a written response.
The letter of acknowledgment will not state the Board's options or express any preliminary opinion or tentative conclusion of the Board or any of its members.
Final Response -- The Board will respond to each contentious communication, on the merits, consistent with Section II of the Guidelines.
Board members must not communicate with the agency, group or individual in any independent manner that would undermine, elaborate, or supplement the response of the Board. Any subsequent challenges, complaints, and/or requests for reconsideration or explanation must be addressed as provided in Section II of the Guidelines.
V. Telephone Communication
Board members should return all telephone calls promptly to acknowledge receipt of the message.
For routine and non-contentious telephone communication, Board members have discretion to provide information and/or make referrals to the Board members and agency personnel qualified to respond.
For contentious telephone communication, Board members may inform the caller of the Board procedure for consideration of a challenge or complaint and must advise the caller that, to gain such consideration, s/he must submit his/her concerns to the Board in writing.
A Board member, having received such telephone communication and having advised the caller of the requirement for written submission of his/her concerns, shall immediately advise the Board Chair and President/CEO of the communication.
VI. Disciplinary Action
The XXXX Board of Directors includes independent thinkers of diverse backgrounds and philosophies. Accordingly, open discussion and honest disagreement are expected; they often pave the road to consensus.
Nevertheless, under the Board of Directors Job Description, a Board member's "Key Responsibilities" include "[s]upport[ing] the policies and decisions of the agency personally and publicly." Therefore, when consensus is not possible and some Board members disagree with the Board's final decision and response to contentious communication:
1) members of the Board majority must respect those who disagree, seek to understand the remaining bases for their disagreement, and continue to work with them in a genuinely cooperative effort on XXXX's behalf; and
2) members of the Board minority must respect those in the majority, seek to understand the bases for their decision and response, and continue to work with them in a genuinely cooperative effort on XXXX's behalf; members of the minority must not do or say anything, outside the confidential communication of the Board meetings, to undermine the Board's conclusion and response.
Failure to comply with these Guidelines may be cause for removal from the Board, under Section 7.06 of the Bylaws of XXXX, Inc..
Dear Robyn:
ReplyDeleteHere is the second part.
IV. Email Communication
Email correspondence has the same status as paper correspondence. Emails the Board or its members may receive are:
1) Internal Emails -- letters, memos or messages between and among XXXX Board members and agency staff requesting or providing information, clarification, input or review;
2) Simple External Emails -- letters, memos or messages from other agencies or community members requesting or providing information, clarification, input or review;
3) Contentious External Emails -- letters, memos or messages from other agencies or community members requesting or providing information, clarification, input or review, or challenging or complaining about any XXXX policy, practice or personnel.
Board members will respond to Email correspondence as they would to paper correspondence, consistent with the requirements of Sections II and III.
Additionally, in recognition of the increasing frequency and volume of Email correspondence Board members may receive, these Guidelines clarify that Board members:
1) may respond to Internal Emails at their discretion, consistent with the courtesy and respect required of all XXXX communication;
2) must respond to Simple External Emails, or refer them to the appropriate Board member or agency personnel, to assure prompt and professional communication with the agency or community member;
3) must promptly forward Contentious External Emails to and communicate with the Board President, Executive Committee, Board, and/or President/CEO in order to initiate the appropriate Board review and response outlined in Section III.
V. Contentious Communication -- Response
If a Board member is uncertain about whether any paper or Email correspondence is "contentious," s/he should assume that it is and treat it accordingly, consistent with these Guidelines.
Initial Response -- Although each communication must be considered on its merits, and although the response will vary according to the nature and content of the communication and its source, generally, the Board should promptly provide a written acknowledgement:
1) thanking the agency, group or individual for their correspondence;
2) advising the agency, group or individual of the anticipated time frame within which the communication will be considered; and
3) assuring the agency, group or individual that the XXXX Board will review the matter and provide a written response.
The letter of acknowledgment will not state the Board's options or express any preliminary opinion or tentative conclusion of the Board or any of its members.
Final Response -- The Board will respond to each contentious communication, on the merits, consistent with Section II of the Guidelines.
Board members must not communicate with the agency, group or individual in any independent manner that would undermine, elaborate, or supplement the response of the Board. Any subsequent challenges, complaints, and/or requests for reconsideration or explanation must be addressed as provided in Section II of the Guidelines.
Dear Robyn:
ReplyDeleteAnd here is the final part.
V. Telephone Communication
Board members should return all telephone calls promptly to acknowledge receipt of the message.
For routine and non-contentious telephone communication, Board members have discretion to provide information and/or make referrals to the Board members and agency personnel qualified to respond.
For contentious telephone communication, Board members may inform the caller of the Board procedure for consideration of a challenge or complaint and must advise the caller that, to gain such consideration, s/he must submit his/her concerns to the Board in writing.
A Board member, having received such telephone communication and having advised the caller of the requirement for written submission of his/her concerns, shall immediately advise the Board Chair and President/CEO of the communication.
VI. Disciplinary Action
The XXXX Board of Directors includes independent thinkers of diverse backgrounds and philosophies. Accordingly, open discussion and honest disagreement are expected; they often pave the road to consensus.
Nevertheless, under the Board of Directors Job Description, a Board member's "Key Responsibilities" include "[s]upport[ing] the policies and decisions of the agency personally and publicly." Therefore, when consensus is not possible and some Board members disagree with the Board's final decision and response to contentious communication:
1) members of the Board majority must respect those who disagree, seek to understand the remaining bases for their disagreement, and continue to work with them in a genuinely cooperative effort on XXXX's behalf; and
2) members of the Board minority must respect those in the majority, seek to understand the bases for their decision and response, and continue to work with them in a genuinely cooperative effort on XXXX's behalf; members of the minority must not do or say anything, outside the confidential communication of the Board meetings, to undermine the Board's conclusion and response.
Failure to comply with these Guidelines may be cause for removal from the Board, under Section 7.06 of the Bylaws of XXXX, Inc..