Of the 'Five Secrets of Crisis Communication', I found myself most intrigued by Point 2: Covering Risk.
So often I see people being complacent when they shouldn't be, and conversely panicking when they need not do so. The solution presented by Neiman is quite simple and obvious if you think about it, but nonetheless does not get used by leaders and the media as much as it probably should.
If you want people to not be concerned about a situation that they really need not be overly concerned with, kill the hype with an overabundance of facts and figures.
Want people to really sit up, listen, and be concerned? Tell them what the problem is in very simple terms and 'urge them to keep calm'.
Is this manipulation of the ma****. Yes. But in certain circ**stances, an understanding of this dynamic could be very useful.
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