Vernice “Fly Girl” Armour was a keynote speaker at the PRSA International Conference last week. She was my favorite. Her story was insanely powerful and her message was one of depth and inspiration. Her main message was exactly as it says above, “you HAVE permission to engage”.
As she spoke and repeated these words, I thought about the depth of their meanings and what they mean for, and how they impact my clients and readers in the darkest, most hectic of moments in a crisis.
What does it mean to “have permission to engage”?
It means to connect and be involved. It means to not be shy or let fear keep you from being what you need to be in a crisis: proactive, reactive, responsive, informative… engaging. It means doing what you need to do to protect your brand and its good name. It’s the difference between connecting your organization closer to its stakeholders, rather than being torn away from them.
And guess what?
You HAVE permission to engage.
Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted keynote speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today’s leading organizations faced with the greatest risks. Learn more about Melissa and her work here.
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