Kathy Walter-Mack has served as chief of staff and associate vice chancellor of human resources at Metropolitan Community College since 2009. In this capacity, she acts as spokesperson for the chancellor to media and the public as required. As a key component of that role, Kathy Walter-Mack has become an authority in the realm of crisis management.
Crisis management trends are rapidly shifting. Below are three to watch.
In the past, a scientist with favorable data added an air of credibility to a narrative. Today, scientists more easily find themselves under fire, especially if they are privately funded by closely related industries. In fact, any sort of industry-funded research has almost unilaterally become invalid in the eyes of many. The moral? Vet the scientists whom you look to for support, to ensure their research is above reproach.
On a related note, one of the reasons industry-funded science, in addition to other once-common practices, has come under fire is the rise of the citizen journalist. Prominent bloggers, who aren’t restrained by the impartiality ethics of more traditional media, often seize upon the most innocent association to call an entire crisis narrative into question.
The social media tide is turning. The once hush-hush approach applied to crisis management is slowly shifting to a more humanizing trend in which the people at the center of the crisis maintain an active social media presence. Obviously, there will be some conversation topics that are off limits, but as Martin Shkreli and Charlie Shrem have proved, being vocal on social media can become a valuable tool in the face of a crisis.
