Blog Archives

Great Writing, Clueless Communication & Classic Quotes

Welcome to Twenty-Twelve, a fresh, brand-spanking new election year. Strap your helmet on tight…it’s going to be a bumpy ride. I’m already looking forward to November: the next ten months of electioneering means we’re in for a bumper crop of…

Tagged with: community engagement, crisis prevention and management, Outrage, public anger
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There’s a Priest, a Minister and a Rabbi…

The lights are up, the last Chia Obama (http://www.americanchia.com/?rtag=chiaobama&) is wrapped and under the tree and it’s time for the final mailer of the year. In keeping with the spirit of the season, Father James Martin (the “Official Chaplain to Colbert…

Tagged with: community engagement, community involvement, community participation, conflict management
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Blame-U-Flu Season, Last TANGO and the Impotence of Proofreading

The autumn winds have finally blown us to Election Day 2011, and it’s time to bundle up against the finale of “Blame-U-Flu” season. More commonly known as a fall election cycle, Blame-U-Flu is symptomized by candidates’ blame towards one another…

Tagged with: community engagement, community involvement, community participation
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Horrible Bosses & the Power of Tchotchkes…

Wall Street & Washington, D.C.: two East Coast destinations that I’d like to avoid this summer. Alas, I simply cannot…despite the fact that I’m spending most of the season traveling through the rural splendor of the western U.S. for a…

Tagged with: communication, community involvement
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Unicorns, New York City, and Lessons Learned from Rodney Dangerfield…

I assume that we’re all happy about the economy now because according to USA Today, pay for CEOs of large U.S. corporations rose 27 percent in 2010. Three quarters of CEOs got raises in 2010 for a median salary of…

Tagged with: community engagement
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What were you thinking?!

It’s been awhile since we’ve sent this semi-regular/occasional mailer. It’s been darn hectic here in Publicinvolvementville the past couple of months between client commitments, training, traveling, and helping to get the new IAP2USA organization off the ground. By the way,…

Tagged with: community building, community engagement, community involvement, community participation, conflict management, public participation, risk communications
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Trust, Credibility, Better Op-Eds and the Voices in Your Head

We live at a time when angry, irresponsible, and even unhinged people seem to have tacit permission to speak, write and act on their impulses and emotions. Being mad somehow makes you right with no real responsibility for your own…

Tagged with: civility, credibility, emotion, op-eds, trust
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All I Got for Christmas was a Bunch of Neologisms

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. (Neologism – a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.) The winners are:1. Coffee (n.)…

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I’m really sorry, but I’d like to persuade you to deliver the eulogy.

I’m Sorry to Tell You This One key principle of crisis communication and outrage management is the ability to sincerely, skillfully and effectively apologize. According to Canadian researchers (from LiveScience.com) it turns out that women apologize more because they…

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