As Italian officials work to lead the rescue and search of the 3,200 passengers and 1,00 crew who were on board, and to thwart environmental pollution from the disaster, those of us living the disaster through the news media, can only ask, “How is this type of crisis not preventable today?”  As the investigation continues into the Italian captain, Francesco Schettino, who is under house arrest for investigation of alleged manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship before all were evacuated, we are saddened for those lives recklessly and unnecessarily lost.

Peppered amongst the loss of life and emotional distress, we’re starting to see the range of impact from such a tragedy, including this look the fiscal damage to Carnival Cruises , which owns the Costa Concordia and the cruise industry.  http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10593.aspx  The article also touches on how the industry as a whole is addressing safety issues.

From a PR perspective, the tragedy points to the importance of companies having crisis plans in place and ready to activate at a moment’s notice.  “…Successful crisis communication depends on crisis anticipation and thorough planning as well as open and honest policies with stakeholders and the news media,” says crisis communication expert Kathleen Fearn=Banks.

Every company will experience a crisis in their time.  Some will tragically take lives.  Others will damage reputations, brands or result in loss of market share.  No matter the crisis, have a crisis management plan in place that will help your company anticipate, manage and survive anything that comes your way.

Companies are about people.  People are human and flawed.  What happened off the coast of Tuscany involved human decisions and choice.  The result was disaster.  Be prepared.

One such story comes from the skirts of my hometown – Lake Tahoe – and epitomizes the human spirit and its capacity for overcoming life’s challenges and achieving life’s greatest quests.

His name is Grant Korgan, a Lake Tahoe native who is an avid snowmobiler, skier, kayaker and ultimate adventurer.  On March 10, 2010 he fractured his L1 vertebrae while snowmobiling in the Tahoe backcountry.  You can read more on Grant and what came next here  http://on.rgj.com/wvyAEM.  But the reason Grant’s story caught my attention wasn’t so much about the fact this amazing athlete was injured with a spinal cord injury and working to recover.  It is HOW he went about the recovery that was so focused, inspiring and intent that it truly is a lesson for any of us who aren’t giving 100 percent to whatever it is we are doing.  For the record, Grant is “gunning  for 120 percent recovery,” he says.   

Grant and John Davis, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist, are two adaptive athletes are on a quest to become the first adaptive athletes to reach the South Pole.  Korgan says in this video http://southpolepush.com/ it will take 250,000 pole strokes to get there.  I have no doubt he’ll do it, and that he’ll stand on his two feet when he does.

For me, Grant’s story is about pushing yourself to achieve what is possible.  If you don’t have the plan to get there, figure it out and move!  Don’t let your days waste away because of a half-ass effort or status-quo attitude.  That’ll get you nowhere.  Go Grant Korgan!  Lake Tahoe and the world is watching and willing you on!

As a public relations professional, I would take a wild guess that Bourdain would run as fast as he could from me and my profession.  Who needs to work with a PR frontman when you have the world of the Travel Channel at your disposal to make your every hotel (or dive) room reservation, plane connection, to far off and far out destinations?  That, and he seems like a writer/chef who simply wants to work direct with his team to discover the untainted food locales that he covers on his shows (now the “Layover,” but previously “No Reservations”) vs. working with a PR pro to uncover those hidden gems.

I respect that because Bourdain is so damn good at what he does.  The PR profession can learn a thing or two from the sarcastic, hilarious, dingy New Yorker.  This piece http://bit.ly/vUxBpO from Craig McBreen that ran in PRDaily (Jan. 3, 2012) toplines 5 Social Media Lessons From Anthony Bourdain. In particular, No. 4 “Be yourself,” is something all PR pros should take note. In a profession where it’s so easy to lose ourselves in our clients and stories we’re pitching, McBreen’s point is well taken, “If you plan to become great at something, embracing that which makes you distinct and applying some imagination is an enoromous help.“ 

Bourdain is true to himself.  Regardless of the exotic (and downright dirty, at times) locations he’s traveling to, his heart, soul and best food memories are in his town of New York City.  That’s home. 

I’m pysched 2012 is here.  As I move into the year with my limited, but calorie-robust recipes in hand, I’m thinking about what I stand for, what makes me distinct as a PR professional, writer, story-teller.  Thinking about it makes me “real” and the work I do…an honest day’s work that helps people I’m fortunate to serve in my time.  I can stand for that.  “No PR.” And, that…is the beauty of Anthony Bourdain.

Banning bell ringers, Girl Scouts, Pop Warner teams, high school soccer car washes (you insert the community organization) and I say, that’s bad business and will most certainly generate your company some negative publicity when the local media get a call from someone tipping them off that “Company X” turned their back on “Community Organization Y.” 

Now that doesn’t mean a company is obligated to partner with a charitable group.  But for the sake of good business and purposeful PR, have a corporate giving program in place that outlines what is is your company stands for, supports, and stick by it be it bell ringers, or not. 

This article by Minneapolis Star Tribune writer James Lileks tackles the topic in an honest, (honestly humorous), yet smart way.  If you’re a business owner thinking about turning away the kettle holders this time or any time of year, you might want to think twice before you jump to say ”no can do.” What’s the public perception worth to you?  I’d say, it’s worth a few rings of that holiday bell that you know stands for a greater good – even if it’s not exactly what everyone wants to hear. http://bit.ly/thkZaj

But, when you take a step back from the protests and organized assemblies, is OccupyWallStreet being as effective as it could be in influencing communities to make a real impact and actually stop the financial corruption and be a part of the solition it says it stands for?

On his Huff Post blog, David Meerman Scott http://huff.to/qy94vV has what I think are smart tactics for OccupyWallStreet to consider to make its efforts even more impactful.  In particular, “Put a face (or faces) to your organization.”  I agree with Meerman Scott that the group doesn’t, and shouldn’t be, a faceless, nameless entity like the very banks and massive corporation it’s targeting. 

It’s been fascintating to what this movement unfold and I’ll continue to watch with interest.

If you can figure out what you’re avoiding and what’s keeping you from starting a project, that’s your first step in getting ‘er done.  This article in the Harvard Business Review http://bit.ly/nsIvMB outlines five principles to follow to avoid “avoiding” work that’s gotta get done.  While all five points are valid, I particularly find No. 2 “Set Deadlines for Yourself” particularly useful.  Without deadlines we lack motivation and direction.  By putting down a date we’re automatically telling our brains that we need to achieve an end point.  That very action sets forth movement which will force us to commit to something – even those tasks we despise. 

My dad use to tell me, “Julie, turn right and you’ll always be right.”  What he was saying to me was do something, anything, but move.  Even if it’s not right, it’ll get you to somewhere else where you need to be.  In business, in life, action leads to accomplishment, results and, with sound strategy, results. 

Nike got it right with “Just Do It.”  Now, get to it.

This WSJ article, “Better Ideas Through Failure,” tackles the notion of how some companies are rewarding employees for failure.  Not failure because they don’t care or make an effort.  No.  These companies are rewarding their teams for trying something new, different, outlandish that may just win a piece of business and be a successful new strategy for a client.  It’s a great piece and point of view on what America’s built on – ingenuity.  http://on.wsj.com/pPgXvr

Good on Amanda Zolten for her kitty litter client pitch idea.  Hope it proves a ‘win’ for her and Grey New York.

Many may perceive ethics to be a rather dry, bland topic to celebrate.  But, in my opinion, business owners and managers who prioritize ethics in the workplace will fare better long-term than those companies that do not.  Ethics is at the core of a company’s value system and how it conducts itself.  Consumers, clients and customers want to do business with companies they believe in and trust.

The public relations profession has an inherent responsibility to operate ethically.  PRSA has a Member Code of Ethics, and as a member, I agree to adhere to the code as a PR practitioner.  As an Accredited Public Relations (APR) professional, I have demonstrated that I not only adhere to the Code of Ethics, but that I have mastered  the ethical practice of public relations and what the values stand for and how they apply to my clients in PR programs and campaigns that I implement on behalf of clients,  including:  advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty and fairness.

Ethics is a no-brainer in business today, yet, given the growth of social media combined with a tight economy, companies sometimes forgo ethical decisions for quick returns.  Consider why you went into business in the first place, what you stand for, and stand by that truth, even when it means having to make a tough business call.  Your business will be better off for it.  

PR is such a fluid tool for any company to utilize as part of its marketing strategy.  I’m particularily excited to dive deeper into this world of architecture and learn more about their services, their opportunities and challenges (clearly the recession has been particularly harsh on the construction industry), who their audiences are and how PR can be an ideal tool for them to “build” their story and ultimately “build” their business along the way. 

I can’t wait to meet with these true creators, designers and builders who make our cities and communities amazing places to admire and to live.

According to this article http://bit.ly/qsLXUY, 92% of journalists are using LinkedIn, up from 85% two years ago.  The article suggests creating a LinkedIn group to share your expertise on a given topic and create content that journalists can pull from when looking for a source for their next story.

If you haven’t created a LinkedIn account yet, get on it!  If you know journalists are using LinkedIn to search for relevant experts for their stories, start dishing up yourself as an expert on whatever it is that you do best… ”accounting on a shoestring budget,” or “green landscaping tips that will save you money this fall.”  LinkedIn also allows for “recommendations” or third-party endorsements from clients, former employers or colleagues that could open the door for potential new business. 

LinkedIn is a tool for you to grow your business, and it delivers, but you first have to get in the driver’s seat!