In the Bleak Winter

Under Pressure 14 December 2022

In the Bleak Winter

The festive spirit feels in short supply at the moment. In the UK there are strikes, snow, ice and freezing temperatures, and a cost-of-living crisis all putting more pressure on people.

2022 has been a tough year for many. We are living in an uncertain world with significant events happening. My thoughts are with all those who will be finding the festive season a difficult time. I particularly want to send my support to my colleagues and friends in Ukraine.

It is often reported that those working in PR and communication are likely to struggle with mental health issues. As someone that has been through some tough times, my advice is please seek help if you need it and listen to my good friend Emma Ewing in the #10minswith interview (link below) when she gives valuable advice about balancing work, home and Christmas.

Being prepared for some of the challenges we may face can also help with our resilience, giving some certainty in the chaos. I would recommend having a crisis comms plan in place for possible power outages, issues with extreme weather, cyber attacks, and industrial unrest. I covered some points to consider in preparing for the impact of industrial action in a recent blog. (Read it here.)

Life as a communicator may feel particularly difficult at the moment, which is because since Covid-19 we have been going through a period of change. What matters is that you take care of yourselves and your families and friends. I hope you have a safe and peaceful festive season and look forward to a happy new year.

Merry Christmas

Amanda

10 Minutes with…

Cyber crises, the World Cup and surviving Christmas as a communicator, were all subjects of recent 10 minutes with sessions. The short video chats aim to provide some food for thought for PR and communication professionals. In the latest editions

• Charlie Maclean-Bristol a business continuity and cyber comms expert, from Plan-B consulting gives his tips on being ready for a cyber issue. View it here.

• Emma Ewing, trainer and owner of Big Fish Training, gives her valuable tips on balancing work, home and Christmas and how to prepare for 2023. View it here.

• Emma Duke, strategic comms consultant and owner of Emma Duke PR, talked through the World Cup, global crises and what it means for brands and businesses. View it here.

Thanks to everyone who has taken time to watch the short sessions. More interesting chats are planned in the series in 2023. If you have an interesting subject that could be the next video get in touch with Amanda at amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

Competition: Christmas book bundle

The winner of a bundle of both Amanda’s books will be chosen on Friday 16 December at 4pm. To be in with a chance of winning go to Amanda’s Twitter feed @amandacomms and share, like or comment on the post, or go to Amanda Coleman on LinkedIn and do the same.

Power outage update

If you are looking for inspiration in planning communication for possible power outages, Amanda’s document Communicating in the Darkness is still available. The short guide gives some points to consider as a communicator. Email Amanda at amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk to receive a copy.

And finally, a thank you.

This is the last Under Pressure of 2022 and I want to thank you for your continued support and interest. If you have been with me for some time a huge thank you for still being here, and if you are a new subscriber then I hope you are finding it interesting. Have a lovely festive period and I look forward to seeing you again in 2023.

In Brief:

• Thanks to Richard Bailey of PR Academy for the recent review of Amanda’s book Everyday Communication Strategies. Read it here.

• CIPR Influence recently shared Amanda’s reminder about the importance of cyber safety during the festive period. Being ready to communicate when a cyber attack or issue happens is critical for all businesses. Read more here.

• The Balenciaga advertising controversy provides a valuable case study for communication professionals. Amanda looks at the issue of being ahead of campaigns and marketing to avoid issues developing in her book Everyday Communication Strategies. Find out about the Balenciaga situation here.

• The crisis communication response from Buckingham Palace in relation to the Netflix documentary about Harry and Meghan was reviewed in a recent Forbes article. The approach of silence was considered. Read it here.

• The latest Testing Times case study has been published with the assistance of Advita Patel, of CommsRebel. For a copy looking at the Rochdale Boroughwide Housing situation contact Amanda at amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

Training Dates:

• Amanda’s Introduction to Issues Management session takes place on 19 January over zoom. All the spaces are taken but if you are interested a further session will be running in early March. For more details email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

• Training on Making Better Decisions under Pressure will be run by Amanda on 11 January on behalf of the PRCA. Find out more about the session here.

• The next crisis communication exercise giving you a chance to test your decision making under pressure by working through a scenario takes place on 9 February. There are just two spaces left so email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk if you would like a place .