Don't lie to reporters. Don't lie to the public. Don't lie to your staff.

This guy seems to say it pretty straight - not the obfuscation and lies that I experienced alot.


September 25
PR for School Bosses- Situation Management
This is not the only story http://www.palmbeachpost.com/education/content/education/ about this situation.
This might be called "crisis management", but let's leave the word "crisis" for something where students are at risk.
In a situation, effective PR must be combined with effective action of other types.
First, admit there is a problem. Straight up. Look straight at the camera... oh yeah, there is lots of TV devoted to something this big. Say, "we screwed up". Don't dwell, but don't hedge. Don't blame the vendor... even though they may have failed to deliver.
Then say, "We're going to fix this as soon as possible."
Then fix it as soon as possible.
The first two steps without a real commitment about the last item is lying. Don't lie to reporters. Don't lie to the public. Don't lie to your staff.
Key staff should be working 18 hours a day to fix this problem. The boss should be working with them.
Report daily to the press on actions taken that day to resolve the issue. Talk about the handwritten checks that have been written as a temporary fix.
Keep employees informed more directly. They shouldn't hear key developments in a matter that is this big, and this important to them, in the newspaper or on TV. This is the age of email. Use it.
Give profuse and heartfelt thanks to the employees who are burning the midnight oil (and stressing their families) to solve the problem.
Apologize publicly and privately to the employees who have been hurt due to these school district errors. Thank them for their patience and understanding
http://floridaschoolboss.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!1E56463A3B8792CF!215.entry