FULL FRONTAL TRANSPARENCY

PRSA August Luncheon, 2013

HELLO

GROUND RULES

Disengage from office. Be present

Disengage from technology. Off

switch

KirkHilbrecht.com WRITE IT

DOWN

Ask questions. Be engaged.

Rabbit holes. It’s okay. Be

prepared

HILBRECHT

Active Duty Army 9 years

Doe Anderson

Videobred

Active Duty, Kentucky National

Guard

Entrepreneur, Military, Mayor

DIR. PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Voice of the Kentucky National

Guard

Advisor to TAG and Governor

“We will make you famous”

Most published PA shop in free

world (4 pax)

KentuckyGuard.com

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS

Direct report to the Governor

Responsible for KYNG, KYEM, LOC,

NGYC

Responsible TO the taxpayers

Dual missions (Federal and State)

A relevant story

WHAT’S WITH B/W?

First Rabbit Hole

“Ship Sinks Today”

SHIP SINKS TODAY

SHIP SINKS TODAY

PERSPECTIVE

What we know

What we don’t know

What we need to know

What we need to do

Megalodon (Shark Week)

MY TITANIC STORY

(hence black and white)

Unsinkable ship, or so we thought

Captain’s captain

Icebergs

Maiden voyage(s)

MY TITANIC CAST

RMS Titanic played by: Department of Emergency

ManagementTitanic’s Captain played by:

BG (R) John HeltzelTitanic’s Passengers played by:

Emergency Management Personnel Titanic’s Lifeboats played by:

Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht

MY TITANIC CASTThe role of ‘Iceberg’ played by:

Department of Emergency Management’s HistoryThe role of ‘Titanic’s gaping hole’ played by:

Kentucky’s State Auditor BranchThe role of ‘water’ played by:

Media

YOUR TITANIC

YOUR CAPTAIN

ICEBERGS/NOT SHARKS

LIFEBOATS

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Audit draft, Wednesday, evening of

31 July

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Audit draft, Wednesday, evening of

31 July

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Sunday, 3 August

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

What we knew• The ship sustained a HUGE hit• Most passengers could survive• The ‘company’ would also take a hit• The iceberg was big• The water was COLD

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

What we had to do• Address the situation minus emotion• if you lose your head, you lose

• Prepare the flares• Ask for help from other ships

IMMEDIATELY• TELL EVERYONE the ship is taking

on water• Check the doors before you open

them

FLOOD DOOR

PIO phone call Monday• Wasn’t prepped• Elvis question• Potentially widened the hole

Fixed

FLOOD DOOR

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Auditor’s release• Water rushed in

Fired off the flares• Statements one and two

Stuck with the communication plan• You have one, right?

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Wednesday• Water stopped rushing in

No media calls

Kept PIOs tight

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Thursday• Announced the Captain was ‘lost at

sea’

The ship did NOT sink

Began repairs

MY TITANIC STORY TIMELINE

Epilogue• Internal ‘stuffs’ • Sparks

Preparing for next voyage

THE NEW SHIP

HILBRECHT’S MAXOMS

Transparency• Be upfront, be certain, be open• ‘I don’t know’ IS a response• ‘No comment’ is a POSTURE• Be available and responsive

Relationships• Keep them, ask for help, be real

CRISIS TOOLS

Your brain• Think first, speak second. Let me get

back to you…and DO get back to them.

Your mouth• YOU are the voice of your company or

your client’s company. See Above

Transparency = confidence=

believability=quick-er