How much damage did BP chief executive Tony Hayward do with his stonewalling appearance before Congress?
BP is still bleeding, with the President demanding $20 billion while the sharemarket thrashes its share price.
Hayward knew he was going to face a gruelling enquiry from politicians who would cast him as the enemy while they grandstanded for their constituency. Yet he gave them nothing, with a complacency that was seen as insolent.
What could he have done instead?
One respected business leader we spoke to suggested that in his place she would have called for a national initiative of the best and brightest Americans to bring technology to bear on the problem. In addition she would have appealed to churches across the nation to hold prayer meetings to give local communities a way to feel they were helping.
She's suggesting a refocus from Hayward's lack of taking responsibility to a leadership role that might harness the most powerful nation on earth. Would her solution make a difference to the disastrous leak? Possibly not, but it would certainly have led to a better outcome for BP, and probably the USA.
At Corpcoms we say in any communication you should know your objective and know your audience. Hayward and his advisors clearly didn't understand what the American people and their politicians wanted.
For us to train you in media skills, it helps that we keep our own performance skills up. That's why Bob Hughes is proud to be a regular media commentator on Sky News Front Page segment. He's asked to comment on the big stories of the day, and to give a behind the news perspective.
Catch him regularly just before 8 am, with Leigh Hatcher and Sharon McKenzie. If you've been considering media training this gives you a chance to see a trainer in action in the media, as well as checking out his opinions on the issues of the day, and how he'd handle them as a media strategist. The days he's on Bob says he 's up at 5 or before, scanning the newspapers, and starting to write.
"There's no point me telling people they need to prep and rehearse if I don't do the same. And it's a great thrill and privilege to do live TV, so naturally I'd give it my best effort," he says.
Preparing for appearances in the media, whether as a company representative, an industry leader, or for a community or activist group can be a gruelling experience. But by knowing the way media works, what you can expect, and how best to get your message across, you can be an effective spokeperson, without stress.
In our new one day spokesperson course you'll learn the way to get your point across in a TV interview, on radio and in print. And you'll get some great tips for how to make the most of new media like Facebook and Twitter.
Contact us for more details
When the former NSW Premier's then Chief Of Staff was reported as saying that Nathan Rees needed media training, it put the usually behind the scenes preparation for politicians on the front of the stage for a moment. Bob Hughes and John Mangos were interviewed by ABC Radio's Richard Glover on his afternoon drive show.
You can hear what they had to say here.
If you need a compere for an event or conference you want to be sure that the person you chose can calmly handle whatever might happen, and put a good face on it. That's where Bob Hughes' experience and preparation count.
It's also an example of practising what we preach in our presentation courses.
From standing in front of tens of thousands of people at Symphony in the Park, to reading poetry with the Kings College Choir in the Opera House, to MC'ing glittering awards nights, he has the experience to make your event run smoothly.
Watch Bob in action as MC of the Yoga Conference 2009.
A Newspoll survey has found 23 per cent of Australians fear public speaking more than death, compared with 27 per cent of respondents who ranked death as their number one fear, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
We've worked with a lot of people who are naturally shy, and yet learn to rise to the challenge of public speaking, and actually enjoy it.
For some people who are introverts on the Myers Briggs typology, speaking up can sound like shouting. Others wonder what gives them the right to tell others what they should be doing.
One manager came to us for help in addressing her staff at the Christmas party. She went on to address a major board within months and winning a significant contract for her firm.
Our one-to-one Communications Leadership sessions were originally designed for CEOs and spokespeople who needed to refine their skills. Recently we've noticed a demand from people about to move up into new and challenging jobs.
They typically want communication strategies and skills that match their abilities and ambitions and meet the demands of their job they're about to start. For more information, whether you're a rising star or already a CEO, look here.
Podcasting is now taking off in corporate Australia. But how could audio delivered through the internet work for your corporate or client communications? We're creating podcasts and give you our tips in the courses we run.
You can also see and hear how CPA Australia's President Alex Malley is using podcasts in this interview which we recorded and produced with Professor Richard Chard on the CPA Australia website.
The Sydney Morning Herald's My Career section recently featured Bob Hughes' advice on how professional women can make the most of their voices. You can see the article here.
To get some professional tips on how the broadcast professionals communicate, check out the demo version of the popular voice class that Bob Hughes gives many times each year.
If you want to pick up some great tips on making the most of your voice, maybe even for a podcast, check it out.
You'll discover, as you investigate our site, that we specialize in being communication experts in the broadest sense. We're very proud of what we do, and regard our credibility very highly.
We suggest you look at what's new to get a sense of the range of what we have done recently.
If you'd like to see what other clients have said about us, look here.
