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There are apologies and there are apologies.
There are apologies and there are apologies! February 12, 2021As more and more organizations and their leaders in our society come under scrutiny for misdeeds, bad decisions, criminal acts, they are finding that the act of apology is a critical piece in moving through a crisis and regaining the reputation they once had.
Reputation management is what organizations must do if they are to continue their existence. Public trust and public will can build or destroy those reputations. It does not matter if you are a celebrity or a small non-profit, your survival depends greatly on the Court of Public Opinion. Famed financier Warren Buffet once said that it can take twenty or more years to build a solid reputation. But it only takes twenty minutes to destroy it!
Apologies to the public for any transgression are, therefore, critical. It might be for statements made by employees or leaders, or it might be for actions or decisions made by corporate entities. Reading or watching the news these days will identify at least three per week from around the world.
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Covid is not going away. Obviously.
As the pandemic drags on and impacts our thinking, planning and actions, there’s a sense of resignation and, yes, even complacency setting in in some quarters.
Part of that is the Second World War thinking of “keep calm and carry on.” Which is commendable. But it can also lead to complacency and a lack of understanding of the modern mindset which is driven in part by various social media platforms.
What that means is that the public is both more aware and more vocal than ever about what it perceives as carelessness or wrongdoing by organizations in the public eye.
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I am sure that similar to myself, your heart has been heavy with the news that is coming from the United States after the senseless murder of George Floyd.
How is it even possible that those that have sworn to protect and serve are using such brutal force that they can murder an individual while bystanders are watching. Does the word protect mean nothing! What are we striving to protect? Property, reputation, liberty, power, position ... or people?
Is it alright to sacrifice one in the name of many?
George Floyd was murdered by police officers, while bystanders looked on. This senseless act, devaluing a life, is not new. For centuries people have looked on, both up close and from a distance: Jerusalem, Rome, Europe, Middle East, First Nations, Slavery, South Africa, Rwanda, and now among people of colour at the hands of law enforcement. Silence is complicity.
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Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. They can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).Public arenas such as churches, schools, community agencies play an important role in protecting the health of community members, through their response, public awareness announcement, educational role, their own modelled health behaviours and their informed decision-making.On December 31, 2019, Chinese health authorities identified a new (or novel) coronavirus (referred to as 2019-nCoV) through a series of reported cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. The disease is now spreading and has made its way to Africa, North America and Europe.This past weekend I observed three varying responses to the virus which concerned me:
- I observed a group of elementary children being lectured for 20 minutes on the threat of the disease, the likelihood that either they or their family members will be exposed to it, how contagious it is and that there is a 14% chance that if a family member gets it they will die;
- I learned of a single mother who was sent home from work and told she must stay home on unpaid leave for two weeks because a family member had recently returned from Hong Kong;
- I also read a social media group spreading many myths about the disease and cautioning everyone to avoid interacting with anyone of Asian descent.
In an effort to provide safety and protection, I encourage you to view health and safety from a broad and holistic perspective still embracing a compassionate and inclusive approach where we refrain from discrimination, undue hardship and causing fear and stress. -
Nov9Fri
Crisis Management -- Preventing a Fiasco
Guest Blog: Barrie Doyle, Crisis Management Consultant November 9, 2018Two stories popped up this past week that illustrate the need for heightened sensitivity and realization around crisis management and training. Both happened in Ontario but could have just as easily happened anywhere. -
We are often asked if schools follow the same standard of protection that Plan to Protect® recommends. Often the standards schools follow are the objections that Board members and leaders use to refute the best practices that are laid out in policies and procedures. How safe are our schools?
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Who do you reach out to when you need care and support?
Last week I was interviewed by a young journalist from Huffington Post and asked why victims of child abuse reached out to clergy to disclose their abuse. The interviewer was writing in response to recent disclosures of abuse: #MeTOO and #ChurchTOO.
As I responded to the questions, I thought of many individual cases of abuse where each individual disclosed their abuse to someone they trusted. Some of the names have been changed to protect the victims.
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A Toronto not-for-profit that specializes in providing inclusive sports and recreation programs has strengthened relationships between staff and clients by increasing its abuse prevention.
Variety Village runs inclusive fitness, sports and recreation programs for people of all ages. People of all ages use Variety Village. Programs range from activities for parents and infants to fitness classes for seniors. Elite athletes train there. Children return each year for summer camps and day camps.
This familiarity creates a family atmosphere, so the organization has to be diligent to avoid anything that could lead to allegations of abuse. Today, staff, volunteers and campers congratulate each other with high fives and fist bumps. All participants must check in and check out for camp programs, regardless of how long staff or volunteers may have known the campers. -
Rapid changes in youth culture and communication can make it hard for adults to know how to teach youth how to build and create healthy relationships. That's one reason why Southwestern Ontario YFC/YU prioritizes consistent training about abuse prevention...
This hasn't hurt staff and volunteers' ability to build good relationships with students, said Deller. Students may wonder sometimes why a staff or volunteer can't give them a ride alone, butthey understand when staff and volunteers explain the safety reasons for it. These are the same reasons why staff and volunteers give students side hugs or fist pumps instead of letting them sit on their laps or giving them hugs. -
An Ottawa-area church plans on spending part of 2018 teaching their community how to recognize and prevent elder abuse.Cedarview Alliance Church in Nepean has prepared workshops about the topic, with funding from the federal government's New Horizons for Seniors Program. The grant from Employment and Social Development Canada helps organizations deliver programs that benefit seniors, including public education about elder abuse.
"I think some people may be at the hands of abuse and not realize it," said Mills. Seniors need to feel confident to report suspected abuse. Community members need to know warning signs so they know when they need to contact someone if they suspect abuse. People are often more educated about recognizing and responding to child abuse than they are to elder abuse, said Mills.
