Monday, November 30, 2009
A week of PR disasters
This week has been characterised by PR disasters at a global scale. First came the news of Dubai World defaulting on its humungous payments to its investors and a massive global media backlash. And immediately, there was news of Tiger Woods getting whipped by his wife. Two major events with huge loss of credibility for two global brands.
Accidents happen, but it is no reason not to respond in an organised manner to contain the damage. In crisis communications, when the damage is done, what one can do at the most is contain the damage and move into crisis management mode. The first thing one has to do is to monitor the extent of the damage.
One thing that i learnt while managing crises ( in Dubai, at the start of the recession), was to firstly MEASURE the extent of the damage. This could mean something as simple as looking at ALL the media write ups, the blog posts ( as many as possible) and also video / other posts. Media monitoring is of utmost importance, because you know what the media is saying and where.
The second step is to analyse what they are saying. What the key messages are. This exercise becomes a crucial tool to monitor, and eventually respond to the detractors or the outside "publics" ( in many cases the media themselves).
Responding to the media in a timely fashion, after coming up with appropriate responses ( taking into consideration questions of confidentiality etc..)
So what can Tiger woods do to get out of the woods ? Simple, convince his wife to do a joint press conference asap to 'clarify' the facts. Even if he is having an affair, it is time he came out clean and settled the issue. If not, then he could clarify this with wife in tow, which is the smartest thing that any man can do. Think Bill / Hillary Clinton post the Monika Lewinsky case.
What can Dubai do to rev up Brand Dubai to its previous ratings ? I believe the first thing they can and should do IMMEDIATELY is to get ALL the media to speak with the ruler : His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He should come out and reveal the extent of the real damage. While the facts are out, there seems to be a sense in the international media that the government is not being transparent about them. To get over this, there needs to be a greater transparency and access to the decision makers. While working in Dubai, I have seen the reluctance of the powers that be to shy away from the media and let them speculate. This is not only hurting their image, but also spreading rumours.
These are some steps that these two brands can take to manage the crises that have hit them. A crisis is never a good thing, but if managed well can teach us to be prepared, organised and also a bit more open and honest about what is really going on in our lives.
Accidents happen, but it is no reason not to respond in an organised manner to contain the damage. In crisis communications, when the damage is done, what one can do at the most is contain the damage and move into crisis management mode. The first thing one has to do is to monitor the extent of the damage.
One thing that i learnt while managing crises ( in Dubai, at the start of the recession), was to firstly MEASURE the extent of the damage. This could mean something as simple as looking at ALL the media write ups, the blog posts ( as many as possible) and also video / other posts. Media monitoring is of utmost importance, because you know what the media is saying and where.
The second step is to analyse what they are saying. What the key messages are. This exercise becomes a crucial tool to monitor, and eventually respond to the detractors or the outside "publics" ( in many cases the media themselves).
Responding to the media in a timely fashion, after coming up with appropriate responses ( taking into consideration questions of confidentiality etc..)
So what can Tiger woods do to get out of the woods ? Simple, convince his wife to do a joint press conference asap to 'clarify' the facts. Even if he is having an affair, it is time he came out clean and settled the issue. If not, then he could clarify this with wife in tow, which is the smartest thing that any man can do. Think Bill / Hillary Clinton post the Monika Lewinsky case.
What can Dubai do to rev up Brand Dubai to its previous ratings ? I believe the first thing they can and should do IMMEDIATELY is to get ALL the media to speak with the ruler : His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He should come out and reveal the extent of the real damage. While the facts are out, there seems to be a sense in the international media that the government is not being transparent about them. To get over this, there needs to be a greater transparency and access to the decision makers. While working in Dubai, I have seen the reluctance of the powers that be to shy away from the media and let them speculate. This is not only hurting their image, but also spreading rumours.
These are some steps that these two brands can take to manage the crises that have hit them. A crisis is never a good thing, but if managed well can teach us to be prepared, organised and also a bit more open and honest about what is really going on in our lives.
Friday, October 23, 2009
How a UN resolution is drafted
Yesterday we had an interesting exercise in one of our classes. Titled "UN Peacekeeping in the Middle East", the course i have signed up with Dr Isaac Kfir, a visiting professor from Israel attempts to look at the historical role that UN has played in the peace keeping process in the greater Middle East ( including Israel). Just for the sake of clarity, Middle East includes Turkey, Israel and all the other Arab countries which are part of the Arab league.
One of the biggest take-aways from yesterday's class was a look at how complicated the process of writing a UN resolution is. Having looked at several dozen resolutions - Uniting for peace resolution ( 1950), Resolutions 452 etc.. we had gotten used to the language, the ambiguity and the nature of resolutions. But actually drafting a mock resolution for a hostile situation between Syracusia ( hypothetical state) and Cornellia with a non-state actor ( Onandaga county college) brought home some key points that one needs to keep in mind when drafting one. Here are some insights :
1) Never appear to take sides while drafting a resolution
2) Do not open a door you cannot close( in the matter of rehabilitation of victims, compensations etc..)
3) Do acknowledge the long-term implications of the words being used
4) Always be ware of the power of each word you put down on paper and be prepared for criticism
5) Consult other members of the team when drafting it
6) Look at how the big 5 ( permanent members of the Security Council ) are going to react to it. Will it ever make it past them ?
The exercise appeared to be a great one in principle. But the bigger question is : Will i ever get an opportunity to actually draft one ? Perhaps time will tell...
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Afghanistan, Writing, Politics come to the fore during a Q&A with Khaled Hosseini
Well known writer Khaled Hosseini was at the Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University last night for a Q&A session with well-known writer Firoozeh Dumah.
Here are some excerpts
F.D : Do you think anyone can write ?
Khaled Hosseini : No. Anyone can put sentences together, but to have a voice as a writer is something entirely differnt. Writers are more or less born. It is not out of arrogance or any elitist perspective that i say this, but writing calls for a certain temperament, a certain talent which very few people have. It is innate and akin to musical talent almost. The ability to add tension, to look at possibilities in the development of characters is a different talent.
My daughter is a great budding musical talent and it shows that in just 6 months, she has gone much further in her music classes than i ever could.
F.D : What do you have to say to counter people who say there is so much violence and sex in the Kite Runner ?
Khaled Hosseini : I believe that it is not gratuitous sex and violence, but part of a broader context of what Afghanistan went through in the last three decades and if looked at it from this perspective, the opponents would understand why it is there. I believe there is more harmful content on some of the TV shows that kids watch these watch than in reading the Kite Runner, which aims to sensitise young people to a different culture, part of the world.
F.D : How much of your writing is from your life ?
Khaled Hosseini : My life and my work has a lot in common. I grew up in Kabul and in the surroundings that my characters have. I flew up flying kites and going to cinemas and exposed to Iranian films, Indian films and B Grade Hollywood films and i grew up with a love of writing and a lot of my experience of growing up is the basis of the Kite Runner.
F.D : How did you find an agent ?
Khaled Hosseini : It was my ability to face so much rejection. I had read about it. But I really struggled to get published, and many of the publishers rejected me even without a reason. Many were justified in rejecting me. But one sent me a letter saying "Afghanistan is now passe, write about Iraq". This was a very upsetting thing for me. This to me was the writing on the wall on how things went wrong in Afghanistan.
F.D: What are you working on now ?
Khaled Hosseini : I am presently working on a family based story of the tribulations, tensions of a family based in Afghanistan.
F.D : What do you think of the American presence in Afghanistan ?
Khaled Hosseini : I believe that Afghanistan is the most American friendly nation in the region. Not that the Afghans like the Americans to be there, but their leaving will create more tensions and in-fighting in the region and is harmful in the long-run. I believe that the people's lives have improved in the last few years and infrastructure is improving. One can hope that things get better over time.
F.D : Tell us a bit about the Khaled Hosseini Foundation
Khaled Hosseini : It is a foundation that works for providing shelter to homeless Afghanis. Millions of Afghanis live without a proper roof over their heads and thousands die every winter due to the cold and the cost of providing a shelter is minimal in the country. We are a funding agency and identify deserving NGO's working for shelter provision and provide funding.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Is American customer service in need of a overhaul ?
The single most critical factor which determines whether customers remain loyal is customer service. People tend to forget how expensive an object or service is, but dont forget how they felt when buying or using it, especially if there is a strong emotion attached : positive or negative.
My experiences in India, Dubai, Europe and now USA show that customer service in the developing economies seem to be better. Consider the fact that in India, which by every measure is a developing country , one can call a major firm ( Bank, Hospital, Real Estate firm) 24/7 and rest assured that there would be someone on the other side to answer the phone. Not so in the developed world. offices close at 5 pm. Getting service on weekends is out of question.
While flying an Airline, this fact becomes clear too. While airlines such as Emirates have just started operations a few years ago, they have clearly learnt the rules of the game early on and have emerged as one of the most competitive and well serviced airlines, other giants in the US and Europe are struggling with providing service and surviving in recessionary times.
So, is it time that the west learns a lesson or two in customer service from the 'lesser developed' countries ?. I think so. While success has made some of the giants complacent, lack of an understanding of people's changing expectations has kept some of the others where they were 10 years ago. It is time they change their approach or die. There arent too many alternatives unfortunately.
My experiences in India, Dubai, Europe and now USA show that customer service in the developing economies seem to be better. Consider the fact that in India, which by every measure is a developing country , one can call a major firm ( Bank, Hospital, Real Estate firm) 24/7 and rest assured that there would be someone on the other side to answer the phone. Not so in the developed world. offices close at 5 pm. Getting service on weekends is out of question.
While flying an Airline, this fact becomes clear too. While airlines such as Emirates have just started operations a few years ago, they have clearly learnt the rules of the game early on and have emerged as one of the most competitive and well serviced airlines, other giants in the US and Europe are struggling with providing service and surviving in recessionary times.
So, is it time that the west learns a lesson or two in customer service from the 'lesser developed' countries ?. I think so. While success has made some of the giants complacent, lack of an understanding of people's changing expectations has kept some of the others where they were 10 years ago. It is time they change their approach or die. There arent too many alternatives unfortunately.
Monday, July 27, 2009
China says Ahlan !
China’s attempt to reach out to the Arab world
China announced the launch of its first Arab TV station focusing in reaching out to the Arab world. Based in Beijing, the new channel will broadcast news, entertainment and other programming and will be accessible in most parts of the world. How does one view this new development ? As a state owned machinery, this is clearly one tool of propaganda that the Chinese government has come up with. Will it be effective in quelling the voices of dissent coming out of Urumqi where the recent violence took several hundred lives ( the clashes and riots were sparked between the ethnic Uighuirs and the mainland Chinese who have been encouraged to settle in the region).
Will the people of Arab world trust such a state sponsored medium ? While there is deep suspicion about state owned media across the Middle East, this new outlet will just add another voice to the clutter in the region. As regards providing ‘ authentic’ information coming out of Beijing, it will at the most be seen as a PR stunt and is unlikely to succeed.
This may be compared to several attempts by the American government to set up media in Iraq and eventual failure due to lack of credibility.
Credibility is the watch-word in this scenario. Unless there is absolutely integrity and credibility in the message as well as the messenger, people are likely to remain skeptical. In today’s digital age integrity can be checked and double-checked in a matter of seconds. In such a scenario, the Chinese need to check their motives and intentions before embarking on the ambitious project of winning over the Arabs. But at least it is a positive sign in that there may be a good cultural exchange to the extent that the Arabs may learn a bit more about china through the horse’s mouth. So, to this extent at least this is a welcome move.
China announced the launch of its first Arab TV station focusing in reaching out to the Arab world. Based in Beijing, the new channel will broadcast news, entertainment and other programming and will be accessible in most parts of the world. How does one view this new development ? As a state owned machinery, this is clearly one tool of propaganda that the Chinese government has come up with. Will it be effective in quelling the voices of dissent coming out of Urumqi where the recent violence took several hundred lives ( the clashes and riots were sparked between the ethnic Uighuirs and the mainland Chinese who have been encouraged to settle in the region).
Will the people of Arab world trust such a state sponsored medium ? While there is deep suspicion about state owned media across the Middle East, this new outlet will just add another voice to the clutter in the region. As regards providing ‘ authentic’ information coming out of Beijing, it will at the most be seen as a PR stunt and is unlikely to succeed.
This may be compared to several attempts by the American government to set up media in Iraq and eventual failure due to lack of credibility.
Credibility is the watch-word in this scenario. Unless there is absolutely integrity and credibility in the message as well as the messenger, people are likely to remain skeptical. In today’s digital age integrity can be checked and double-checked in a matter of seconds. In such a scenario, the Chinese need to check their motives and intentions before embarking on the ambitious project of winning over the Arabs. But at least it is a positive sign in that there may be a good cultural exchange to the extent that the Arabs may learn a bit more about china through the horse’s mouth. So, to this extent at least this is a welcome move.
Ban on Al Jazeera in Palestine
The enigma called Al Jazeera is in news again. They are perhaps the most (in) famous media in the Middle East, having earned a reputation of sorts over the last few years. Incidentally I just finished reading a book by Hugh Miles called “ Al Jazeera – How Arab TV news challenged the world”. This fascinating account of the birth, growth and eventual proliferation of the network brings to light the various challenges that the Qatar based journalists have had to face .
The media landscape in the Middle East is fragmented with several key Arab and English media trying their best to get their share of voice on important issues. IN a market where speaking out openly against the ruling government ( usually a monarchy) is a luxury, Al Jazeera has stood up for its values and spoken out loud and clear. As a media house, it seems to be doing a good job – at least from my personal experience as a media professional in the region, all my experiences with them have been rather positive. Though I don’t watch TV – so have no direct access to their programming, their professionalism in chasing up a story and reporting on issues which are of vital importance comes across quite clearly.
The latest move by the Palestinian Authorities to ban Al Jazeera is a short-sighted move and smirks of the very same attitude that Israel uses to control media.
If the Middle Eastern countries aspire for leadership and openness they must also pay a price for what accompanies it – accountability as well as a free press. There cannot be progress and growth without debate, discussion and frank and honest exchange of ideas and information. If there is an attempt to hide it or curtail basic freedoms, this shows that those who talk about freedom and democracy are hollow.
The Palestinian leadership must be brave and let the channel investigate its own truth and contribute to the debates that are raging about the power struggles going on in the occupied lands. As long as there is debate and discussion, there is hope of the truth coming out. If people are forced or bullied into submission it is a sure sign that something is not right.
In another development, the Yemeni reporters of Al Jazeera received death threats from people claiming to be their well-wishers. The threats came as a result of the coverage that the station is giving to the protests going on in the country.
The media landscape in the Middle East is fragmented with several key Arab and English media trying their best to get their share of voice on important issues. IN a market where speaking out openly against the ruling government ( usually a monarchy) is a luxury, Al Jazeera has stood up for its values and spoken out loud and clear. As a media house, it seems to be doing a good job – at least from my personal experience as a media professional in the region, all my experiences with them have been rather positive. Though I don’t watch TV – so have no direct access to their programming, their professionalism in chasing up a story and reporting on issues which are of vital importance comes across quite clearly.
The latest move by the Palestinian Authorities to ban Al Jazeera is a short-sighted move and smirks of the very same attitude that Israel uses to control media.
If the Middle Eastern countries aspire for leadership and openness they must also pay a price for what accompanies it – accountability as well as a free press. There cannot be progress and growth without debate, discussion and frank and honest exchange of ideas and information. If there is an attempt to hide it or curtail basic freedoms, this shows that those who talk about freedom and democracy are hollow.
The Palestinian leadership must be brave and let the channel investigate its own truth and contribute to the debates that are raging about the power struggles going on in the occupied lands. As long as there is debate and discussion, there is hope of the truth coming out. If people are forced or bullied into submission it is a sure sign that something is not right.
In another development, the Yemeni reporters of Al Jazeera received death threats from people claiming to be their well-wishers. The threats came as a result of the coverage that the station is giving to the protests going on in the country.
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