What to expect in 2023?

Under Pressure 6 January 2023

What can we expect in 2023?

The past three years have taught us all a number of things. Firstly, to expect the unexpected, but also to be as prepared as possible for whatever the next crisis may be. I can see this trend continuing in the next 12 months. We will all need to continue to be comfortable with change and to expect the unexpected.

With more extreme weather starting 2023, strikes and industrial disputes in the UK, and economic problems worldwide, there is a lot that communicators and emergency planners need to be considering and preparing for.

But it is not just these external crises that we need to be ready for, the chances of facing a reputational crises are increased in these unsettling times. We saw in the UK just days before Christmas how a medical centre became the focus of international media when they sent a text to patients in error. The ability to move quickly to manage issues before they grow is a vital one for all businesses.

It is easy to get the processes and systems in place but much hard to ensure that there is still a human focus to the response and the communication. I recently tested out the ChatGPT AI system to see how it responded to providing crisis statements. (Find out more about what happened in this blog.) My concern isn’t the new technology which can be a support, it is how it may be misused by people. The ChatGPT service can give you a starting point but I hope no business look at it in the current form as a replacement to communication professionals.

But this does mean we need to keep developing and reviewing what we do. Are we making the best use of the new technology? Are we clear what are special skills are and how we can use them to best effect? Are we able to evaluate and show what we can deliver? All these are questions that we need to be considering in the months ahead.

It is clear we are still in very turbulent times no matter who we are or where we are. Being prepared and ready will help us weather the storms. But the priority will be to ensure that you look after your own wellbeing and maintain resilience as much as possible.

I continue to send my support to colleagues and friends in Ukraine who have faced an horrific time for almost a year. Let us hope this will be a peaceful 2023.

All the best.

Amanda

UK Resilience Framework hidden by Christmas

Just days before Christmas the UK Government published its long awaited National Resilience Strategy. It followed work by the National Preparedness Commission that reviewed the systems and process that are in place. This vital document has drawn little attention and yet is something all emergency planning and communication professionals working in this area need to be aware of.

Some important highlights for me include a focus on improving risk communication from the Government, recognising the importance of diversity within response and communication, and the role of local communities in resilience. However, there is little about the direct involvement of people in resilience.

To ready a pdf of the Strategy click here.

Review of 2022

Amanda was in conversation with Ben Smith in a PR Moment review of the serious crises that have happened in 2022. Find out what happened and what we can learn from some of the most horrific events. Listen here. A one minute review of the year for Amanda Coleman Communications Ltd can be found here.

Neurodiversity and Emergencies

The latest 10 Minutes With has been shared and is a fascinating conversation with Shanyn Silinski, a comms professional and former fire captain with a detailed understanding of neurodiversity. She gives some important insights into how to consider those with neurodiversity when putting plans together and responding to emergencies. You can find out what she said here.

Training Survey: Final call

If you are interested or have ideas about crisis and issues training that you would like to see there is a last call to complete the survey by Amanda Coleman Communication. It will be used to shape the sessions that will take place in 2023. Find the survey here.

In Brief:

• Security Management Magazine provides an interesting report on what makes effective crisis leadership with a strong focus on relationships and communication. Read the report here.

• The Lithuanian government has agreed legislation to pave the way for a national crisis management centre. Find out more here.

• Forbes recently considered the elements that are required to be an effective crisis communicator. Find out what the 15 points mentioned were.

• Internal communication is highlighted as essential to establishing organisational resilience in an article by Frank Wolf. Find out why here.

• Find out why South Korean military were forced to issue a belated apology after causing public alarm. Read about what happened here.

• Communication and preparation are among the top five lessons on how to thrive through a crisis that was shared recently on the Forbes website. Find out more here.

• The latest monthly crisis communication case study Testing Times has been published. If you would like a copy email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

• The importance of company culture and managing self-inflicted issues was covered in a recent article on Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. Read more here.

Diary Dates:

• 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.

• There is just one space left on the next crisis communication exercise session run by Amanda. The session on 9 February runs from 1pm to 3pm GMT and will give you the chance to work through a scenario. The cost is just £50. If you want to attend email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk