In his Crisis Guru Commentaries, Jim Lukaszewski provides real answers to real questions about your most critical communications problems and issues.

To submit a question, please direct it by e-mail to crisisguru@e911.com.  Be sure to include your full name, affiliation, address, and telephone number.  All published questions will be identified by title and industry only.  Your confidentiality will be protected.

Question:

Dear Crisis Guru:

When you are the target of bad news, a negative blogger, or under attack from specific groups and individuals through the media or on the Web, lots of people will volunteer their advice.  Your friends tell you what to do, reporters may offer opinions, and people you don’t even know, but who may be affected, will also share their ideas with you.


Those who oppose or publiclybully you also make suggestions.  Sometimes your friends are or can come under attack themselves, just because they know you, work with you, or have the same beliefs or values as you.

Who do I listen to?  Which directions should I follow?  Are there any rules for this situation?

Thank you!

Had Enough

Answer:

Dear Had Enough:

These are some of the most crucial guiding principles for taking and staying in charge of your own destiny when you find yourself under attack:

• Speak only for your self, say less, write less, but make these communications truly important.
• Always let others speak for themselves.
• Be relentlessly positive (avoid all negative words), and constructive (avoid criticizing and criticism).
• Get accustomed to accommodating the long term, relentlessly negative nature of these situations. (They rarely end cleanly, if at all.)
• Focus on the truly important 5%. Forget the rest.
• Practice Laggership. (Always have the last word.)
• Silence always destroys the accused. (Your friends will sacrifice you, or sell you out first, for their own safety or escape from the pressure).
• Refuse to be distracted by negativity, friendly pressure, or the agendas of others.
• Be strategic: Say, act, plan, and write with future impact in mind.
• Prepare to work alone and to be abandoned by just about everyone.

Hope this helps . . .

Jim Lukaszewski