DISQUS

Dave Nielsen · 4 months ago

My thoughts have been with y'all throughout this time.

Last year, a principal passed away and I had to figure out what was appropriate to post online; we don't have a policy for exactly this situation. My first instinct was to look for a policy I could interpret for guidance, just to make sure I was within the rules and that we wouldn't get in trouble for posting too much.

Then it hit me how ridiculous that was. I'd rather get in trouble for doing too much, for posting too many smiling pictures and approving too many guestbook comments, for letting too many people know what had happened. I knew I'd be able to sleep at night if I had done too much, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel if I realized too late that I had held back and missed -the- chance to share how amazing this person was.

(I think all y'all have done has been amazing.)

My only specific tip for anyone who finds himself in this situation: look at many online memorials and memorial guestbooks as you put together your communications. This is a rare situation for any communicator, and it helped me a lot to look at lots of examples before forming a guestbook introduction that was clear and respectful.

Vedo · 4 months ago

Dave, it sounds like you did the right thing in wanting to put out too much info on behalf of the deceased. And you are correct in the whole being able to sleep at night, know you were able to help the community grieve the loss.

I really like your idea for checking into other examples for memorials/guestbooks. It seems kind of strange to do it prior to you ever needing it, but I think that is exactly what I would recommend. Thank you.

andrabennettapr · 4 months ago

Richie, my thoughts have been with you and Terry M. as well. As you may recall, I processed my grief in the E-Chaser column when the Chamber lost CEO's exec. asst. Lisa Dodson Dec. 18, 2008.
Our dept. holiday plans were abruptly changed whe we learned Lisa, 48, had suffered a massive stroke and would likely not make it. I instinctively began writing some kind of communication while staff numbly went about their tasks.
After getting permission from the family, we sent an e-mail to our membership. While Lisa was not at the public figure level of Mr. Newsom, she'd been at the Chamber 16 years and was known and beloved by the business community.
One thing I needed immediately was a photo for the web page we were preparing and the Star=Telegram wanted to do a feature obit. I had no recent professional photo of Lisa.
After the new year, I requested all staff to update their head shots. One never knows when some kind of emergency would require this.
We also had many requests for where to send gifts or memorials. It was a while before we knew this information, but the Chamber established a memorial education fund in Lisa's honor. I looked online at examples of other memorial fund pages in designing our page, getting verbiage, etc.
In my 22 years of public relations, had never had to implement this kind of communication. As you said, life is precious and I hope many of you never have to use these tips.

Vedo · 4 months ago

Andra, thanks for your thoughts. I must say the outpouring of support from our PR friends has been wonderful.

You bring up an excellent tip in being prepared with pictures. This is also a good idea for when internal staff get promotions.

Thanks for sharing.

kellimatthews · 4 months ago

Richie, what a great list. Crisis communication around such difficult circumstances takes extraordinary empathy and the ability to tap into our core skills as PR professionals. The trust that your administration has in you to do the right thing and offer expert counsel is clear. Things like a live feed of the funeral services can be scary for organizations and families.

My last crisis management work also incorporated online press releases and updates as well as a blog that turned into a virtual memorial. Both tools really took the pressure off of me and the organization to respond to every inquiry and every well-wisher, yet everyone got the information that they needed.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I found writing about it was an important way for me to process the intense experience of managing the communication during a crisis. I hope that it's done the same for you.

I hope you have some down time this week to process and recuperate.

Kelli

Vedo · 4 months ago

Kelli - I wish I could say that I was able to tap into my core PR skills. I think much of what occurred for us was a bit of auto-pilot in the communication department. Thankfully, we do enjoy a good relationship with the rest of the administrative team and are trusted communication counselors for our district.

As for me personally, I have an amazing support network of faith, family and friends that always takes care of me.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

CarlosHernandez · 4 months ago

Reading your post let be known that you used your heart too. Good for you!

Vedo · 4 months ago

Most of the decisions leading up to the funeral and even after were made with a pretty good balance of empathy and logic. I am very thankful to work with such a dedicated team in the district.

Thanks for stopping by the post.