Author: Francisco Zambrano

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Crisis Management

PASTA DE CONCHOS: A PENDING DEBT

On February 19, 2006, mine 8, Pasta de Conchos Unit, in the state of Coahuila, Mexico, suffered an explosion due to the accumulation of methane gas, 65 workers died and only two bodies were recovered, the rest were buried. Technical specialists and authorities at the time considered that the recovery of the remains of the other miners was high risk.

One of the political and campaign banners of the current Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, was to rescue the bodies of the miners and honor their memory through moral reparation for the damage. However, 18 years later, and a few months before the current president ends his six-year term, the tragedy of Pasta de Conchos is still valid, without substantial progress. The families continue to demand that the rescue of the remains of the 63 miners trapped after the explosion in the mine be prioritized.

However, despite the agreements assumed by President López Obrador and his solidarity with the families through the Comprehensive Plan for the Reparation and Justice of Pasta de Conchos, the relatives continue to consider that there is “non-compliance due to the lack of clear progress to achieve the rescue of the miners and regret every year not being able to give their families a dignified burial.”

Accountability

After a crisis, society and affected groups will always demand measures so that another similar tragedy is not repeated, through strategies to guarantee the safety and well-being of the population at risk and vulnerable areas. However, what happened in Pasta de Conchos has not been a reference for learning, social organizations have insisted that currently “there are no non-repetition or security measures in the coal zone of Coahuila” so that similar tragedies do not continue to occur like the one on August 3, 2022, at the El Pinabete mine, in Sabinas, Coahuila, where 10 miners were trapped.

In Mexico, in recent years, the actions of mining companies in the coal region of Coahuila have been the cause of denunciation and controversy because more than 100 deaths of people dedicated to mining have been recorded, according to the organization Familia Pasta de Conchos, which brings together relatives of the deceased.

Closing a crisis inevitably leads to accountability. All crises, and even more so those managed by the government, require a participatory and public accountability process, where all voices are heard. When it is not transparent and satisfactory for those affected, the social reproach will arise that the government fails to comply due to inability or political expediency.

Accountability makes possible a catharsis that releases tensions and stabilizes the political and social environment. It is necessary because crises bring harmful consequences to people, communities, social sectors, or the environment, and are usually the product of intentional or reckless actions, or omissions of organizations or specific people. Society and the victims demand to know who the culprits are and ask that they be punished. When there is open, public, transparent accountability and justice is done, the most affected people enter into a catharsis, a purification of emotions, a feeling of justice and vindication that their demands were met. If there is no space for this social catharsis to occur, tensions accumulate, and confrontation increases, demands for justice will continue perpetually.

After a crisis, there are always open wounds

As part of this accountability, the government carries out emotional remediation activities to produce this much-needed social catharsis to heal wounds; and of a legal nature to do justice, truth commissions are created to sanction the facts and punish the guilty, and only later, as long as the wound has healed, are monuments built that commemorate the fact or in memory of the victims and Public artistic events are held, among other actions.

In accountability, the process is often politicized, which is why strong and independent justice institutions that carry out transparent and impartial investigations are essential. There will always be interest groups that will try to hide or reserve the matter, due to the negative consequences it could represent for their political careers, public image, and even administrative and criminal legal effects.

There are many ways to avoid accountability, but the most used is to bet on oblivion, which consists of diverting attention to other issues, reducing its presence on the public agenda, and hoping that the issue wears out and loses public interest. A second strategy is to point out and punish scapegoats to cover up those truly responsible. A third is to bureaucratize the issue, through palliative actions that never get to the bottom of the problem to delay the processes, such as creating commissions, redoing the investigations, delegating the issue to another administration, and trying to resolve economic agreements with some relatives to divide the movement, etc.

Accountability is important for the development of a country and for the stability of a government, it means that authorities accept and learn from their mistakes, recognize systemic failures, and the position from which they must start to carry out the necessary corrective actions beyond political and economic interests.

A crisis can produce permanent confrontation scenarios that destabilize a government or, on the contrary, a crisis can be the opportunity to strengthen its legitimacy if it acts with honesty and social sense, putting the public interest before particular interests.

Pasta de Conchos has not been a reference for learning in the management of a mining crisis in Mexico, nor for the different governments who have not known how to respond or provide solutions to the demands of the affected groups, much less do justice. Transparency and accountability are still a critical issue for both the government and companies… There is much to do in prevention, crisis management, learning from experiences, accountability, and damage repair.

Crisis Management

Watch out!

The traffic light monitoring system as a risk indicator in a crisis

Can you imagine a city anywhere in the world, no matter how small, without traffic lights? What chaos it would be! No one would know where to go, where to pass, when to stop or when to go on their way. Nobody would know what is allowed, what is risky, or prohibited. Worse still, accidents would increase dramatically. We would all be at risk!

In 1860, John Peake Knight, created the first traffic light in London, as a traffic control signal for the railway system, which was later applied to automobiles. Today it is an international benchmark for traffic in any city in the world.

The traffic light monitoring system is a simple and clear warning system, and it is not only used to control vehicle traffic. In Mexico, and in other countries, for example, during the pandemic, governments installed a risk traffic light monitoring system as a communication tool to alert the level of epidemiological threat and guide the population about the economic and social activities allowed.

The meaning of the traffic light colors is universally known to all. It is a powerful communication tool to alert the population to several dangers.

Their colors are not a coincidence nor were they chosen randomly. Green, yellow, and red have a high visibility spectrum and can be recognized from afar without being confused with other colors.

Red is the color with the longest wavelength, it means total stop, it is a bright color that we associate with “danger”. Yellow was chosen a transition color; it is a warning. Finally, green means free transit.

With this same chromatic logic, the semaphore is widely used in crisis management practice to establish risk indicators and qualify the degree of threat posed by a crisis. Its visual and iconographic format is easy to understand and very effective in informing the population when going through a situation of high uncertainty.

At a strategic level, it is used to assess the severity of a crisis, monitor its evolution, and anticipate possible scenarios to design and activate response actions.

The traffic light monitoring system must be accompanied by a communication strategy, in two aspects:

1. Conceptualization

The traffic light monitoring system must be supported by the semantics of the meaning of each of the colors, according to the criteria used to qualify the severity of a crisis, these vary according to the crisis and the parameters defined by each organization.

The criteria and parameters once defined are immovable.

2. Diffusion

The criteria and parameters that correspond to each color must be known by the public of interest, that is why it is very important that all risk traffic lights monitoring systems are accompanied by awareness campaigns.

Sometimes, when the crisis is prolonged in time and a slow recovery or gradual return to normality is expected, the color gradient is also used to further nuance the level of risk and the severity of the emergency.

In the crisis of an organization, the traffic light monitoring system will not only be a guide for the development and application of the communication strategy, it will also be a tool that allows to identify the evolution of the crisis itself, and based on this, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the actions undertaken.

The traffic light monitoring system is an irreplaceable warning system. And it came to stay.

Has your organization used it? As part of a crisis management program, at Ventura Comunicaciones we carry out the following traffic light monitoring system to guide organizations to rate the degree of vulnerability they may face when a crisis occurs. It is for internal use and strategies can be designed on it to deal with the emergency.

Who makes the decisions in a crisis?
11/9: LEADERSHIP IN A CRISIS
SILENCE IS COSTLY… AND KILLS
Crisis Management

Who makes the decisions in a crisis?

The self-deception, cognitive biases, arrogance and stubbornness of those who make decisions based on their power position can turn a crisis into a hecatomb of unthinkable consequences. 

At that key and defining moment, a 65-year-old man, alcoholic, heavy smoker, elitist and highly discredited in the political class for his extreme cynicism, changed the course of history. And how he did it!…

That man was Winston Churchill, an indisputable reference in politics and business when we talk about decision-making. The concept of War Room, used by political and business strategists, was instituted by him during World War II, and was a decisive factor in the Allies´ victory.

The history of humanity is marked by the decisions of governments, CEOs and social leaders who at a critical moment, defined the course of events and marked an era.

Decision-making is the essential variable during a crisis, where failure or success germinates. A decision can change history, but whose responsibility is it to make decisions during a crisis?

These days, US President Joe Biden, is in the eye of the hurricane … It was a decision that indeed took him months to make. It is undoubtedly controversial and will mark his administration. After focusing his attention on the pandemic and boosting the economy, President Joe Biden announced the US troops´ withdrawal from Afghanistan, creating the first major foreign policy crisis.

What happens in Afghanistan, derived from the decision made by President Biden, is and will be one of the world’s most covered news this year. On September 11, the same day that marks the 20th anniversary of the destructive attack of the Twin Towers in New York, the army withdraws from Afghanistan. It is paradoxical and disturbing that this date was chosen as the reference, cause and origin of the most prolonged war confrontation in the history of the United States that officially began on October 7, 2001.

Joe Biden, perhaps, chose that date loaded with symbolism because he hoped that his decision would be received with approval and a sign that his administration would favor peace and not war. Headlines such as “The war in Afghanistan is over” never came. On the contrary, the decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan has been a severe blow to confidence for his government. Pro-human rights social organizations, as well as political and social leaders, have openly criticized this decision.

The evaluation and criticism of the leaders´ behavior is almost always done in the shadow of history, from an extemporaneous perspective and they are prosecuted for their results, that is, actions that at first seem prudent, then can be classified as irresponsible or negligent and vice versa.

It is evident that decisions of this type, such as the troops´ withdrawal from Afghanistan, are not taken lightly, but are the result of months of deliberations and the consensus of several actors and institutions, in addition to influencing variables determined by the historical moment and not only those aspects closely related to the crisis. Social factors, political and economic interests, among others, will define the decisions, the type of response and the implementation of action plans. However, decision-making is often attributed to a single man, be he a ruler, CEO or high-level official. Therefore, public opinion will also blame him for the consequences of those decisions; successes and errors will be his responsibility.

Withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and making it easier for the Taliban to seize power could be Joe Biden’s most momentous historic decision, and perhaps it will condition his administration on future decisions primarily on foreign and security policy.

Today, international public opinion has made many judgments, almost all negative, about Joe Biden’s decision, perhaps because there is an information gap since his administration has not been able to convincingly justify the causes of the troops´ withdrawal from Afghanistan to the light of a new international context. Thus, qualifying this decision as good or bad is still hasty, the course that events will take even today is uncertain, and perhaps therein lies the main concern, the fear of uncertainty, of risk.

Today, when the results of decisions taken during a crisis are analyzed, two aspects are considered: who made the decision and / or the assessment of the result. From a historical perspective, analysts generally rate the excellent or bad handling of a crisis by its noticeable results, that is, if the decisions led to success or failure. But, still in a second approach, this supposedly objective analysis based on qualitative and quantitative results can also be carried out with a political and mediated approach where the results are nuanced or altered considering the origin of who made the decisions and carried out the actions. Here, decisions are given moral, ideological, contextual, empathic connotations, based on the people who are writing the story: The vision of the dominant group or the vision of the defeated.

Although the crisis in Afghanistan is one of the most complexes in recent history, and there are not many sides to doubt that the decision was carefully analyzed before being carried out, it is always important to remember that, during a crisis, decision-making must arise from experience, common sense, available information, analysis of social and political context. Decisions made during a crisis reveal the type of organization (country, government, regime), values, concern and social responsibility, material and human resources available, level of preparation of the crisis management team, experience, professional training, psychological and group interaction traits; and external aspects such as reputation, institutional relations (foreign relations), interaction of social forces and interests, without forgetting good fortune as well.

Although it is true, history teaches us that foolish decisions made in the opinion of a person are more frequent than they should be, the correct thing is that they arise from the consensus of a group of experts based on experience, common sense, the information available and a careful analysis of the situation. However, this is not always the case, often the rulers, CEOs or social leaders act in an authoritarian manner and make personal decisions that subordinates are forced to respect for political or economic convenience, for fear of retaliation or for not assuming responsibility in the event.

Outbursts and foolishness of decision-makers are undesirable but frequent behaviors, because the dynamism of events during a crisis forces decisions to be made under pressure in limited periods, with little information available and environments of high uncertainty.

When the principles by which decisions are made are rigid, every opportunity to consider the discrepancies and see the flaws is denied, making it difficult to carry out sensible analyzes and obstructing any route change. The self-deception, cognitive biases, arrogance and stubbornness of those who make decisions based on his power position can turn a crisis into a hecatomb of unthinkable consequences. The insistence on continuing with clumsy measures multiplies the damage, turning into a self-destructive practice. Mental stagnation sets the principles and limits of a problem.

Finally, it is crucial to ponder the variables: image and reputation of an organization and, in the case of a government, the legitimacy as a consequence of decision-making. These variables are decisive in the perception of crisis management and will influence how people perceive the results. The dynamic environment of a crisis causes the image and reputation to be constantly changing, hence the importance of a communication strategy and attention to the currents of public opinion around the event, if the resolution is not perceived favorably and the positive image of the organization or a government is strengthened, the confrontation of visions and the controversy will be variables that will always be on the lookout and will influence negatively.

A crisis is an opportunity to exercise leadership with legitimacy. But it is also an occasion to show blindness, incompetence, authoritarianism or weakness, frequent attitudes that foresee the mismanagement of the crisis.

The decisions of Winston Churchill have already been judged and will continue to be talked about … Those of Joe Biden are still a riddle that analysts and critics will try to judge from their results.

Change or die
Leadership

Change or Die

How to accelerate change to adapt to the new reality?

The new reality forces us to change, companies adapt or die. The world changed, there´s no doubt about that, but our immediate world changed even more. The Covid pandemic has forced us to adapt to a new reality in all aspects of our personal, professional, and social life. From one day to the next, our daily way of working, socializing, shopping, learning, etc. had to adapt to a new environment of social distancing. For many years this crisis we are going through may be a reference to the before and after of contemporary society.

Faced with this scenario of uncertainty and desolation, we have seen how companies have had to adapt quickly to face the new reality. Companies that didn´t simply die, others are still dying. This article can be useful for those companies that strive not to disappear.

Heraclitus’s phrase is famous: “change is the only constant.” Yet few organizations are willing to change, either because they struggled to get to where they currently are and feel comfortable, or simply because they don’t know where to start.

Charles Darwin, in his theory of evolution, points out that “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”. The same thing happens with organizations.

History is full of examples of powerful companies, well-positioned, leaders in their field that failed to survive the change, they simply didn´t know how to adapt. We live in a world that doesn´t stop, change is a constant, however, to change is not enough, perhaps it is more important to have a clear awareness of why we exist since the ultimate goal is to adapt to the conditions of the environment. The companies that survive are the ones that adapt the best.

John Phillip Kotter in his book Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility For a Faster Moving World (Harvard Business Review Press, 2014) quotes the English anthropologist and professor at Columbia University, Simon Sinek, who points out that most companies are clear about what they do, including some are aware of how they do it. However, few companies know why they do what they do. That is, only successful companies first ask why they exist and what their role is in society. Companies and people who have changed the world have something in common, they act thinking about the final reason for their actions.

The social change has been so vertiginous that many companies didn´t have time to react, others saw the changes coming and held out with the hope that it was only a temporary crisis, but no, the change is real and it is here. The new social scenario that Covid leaves us, new ideas and initiatives, technological progress, new patterns of social coexistence, competition between companies to survive and gain competitive advantage, pushes us as entrepreneurs and businessmen to a process of continuous change.

The important thing is to start now, get out of the amazement and forget that past times were better, the present calls us to action and the future is built day by day with a clear objective and constant small actions. In his book Accelerate, Kotter presents us with 8 accelerators, understood as strategic actions for you to carry out in your business, whatever its size, so that you can adapt it to a world that changes rapidly.

Kotter argues that leaders within companies must foster an idea of ​​urgency in others, align the energy and priorities of their teams to the new environment in order to provide services and products according to current needs. That process of adaptation, Kotter calls it “the great opportunity.”

Let’s reflect on these 8 accelerators that Kotter proposes:

First

Create a sense of urgency.

To initiate a change you must desire and foster a sense of urgency. This will motivate us to embark on the journey to successful change. The first step almost always starts with answering 3 simple questions: what, how, and why.

Second

Form the change team

It is important to convince that change is necessary, through the leadership and support of key people in the organization. Proposing a change is not enough, it must be directed efficiently towards the desired objective, therefore, it is essential to identify change leaders throughout the organization, they are not necessarily in the hierarchical line.

Third

Create the vision

When starting a process of change, many ideas and solutions will be raised, as well as doubts and fears. After careful analysis, we will select some ideas and discard others to develop a global vision in which all collaborators feel involved. It is essential that this vision is easily remembered. A clear, brief, and well-defined vision makes it easier for all members of the organization to know what their role is and what is expected of each one.

Fourth

Communicate the vision

The actions we take after we have created the vision are what determine success. Daily communication helps us convey why what we are doing is important and mark progress to keep the change team motivated. Communicating and establishing communication channels is very important to avoid distractions that take us away from our vision and to solve problems promptly. We must never forget that what we do is more important than what we say.

Fifth

Overcome the obstacles

There is no change without problems, the road to success will never be clear of obstacles. Problems are necessary, they challenge us and return to flexible, creative, and collaborative work teams, they allow us to identify aspects that we had not considered at the beginning and correct the course if necessary. It is important to consider how we handle problems. Obstacles are not failures, they are opportunities to correct and advance. If we keep the vision established from the beginning, each time an obstacle is overcome, the team becomes motivated and moves faster in the right direction.

Sixth

Ensuring short-term successes

Small victories every day. Moving in the right direction with measurable and visible results will always be an incentive for the work team, nothing motivates more than prospering in a stage of the process, it makes us feel that our effort and work has not been in vain.

Seventh

Grow on the change already generated

Many change processes fail because we impulsively accelerate changes, either due to internal or external pressures or both, this will only lead to rapid wear and tear and declare the change process finished prematurely, condemning it to failure. Effective change must be profound to be permanent. Each success provides an opportunity to grow, enhancing what has gone well and removing what stops or hinders us.

Eighth

Set the change in corporate culture

There is no true change if it is not part of the corporate culture. All members must be aware that the organization is in a process of change from which a renewed and stronger company will emerge, ready to face what the new reality demands. There can be no real change with a stagnant organizational structure. When a change process is undertaken, we must work continuously to promote new organizational habits according to our global vision to guarantee that change is seen in every aspect of the organization.

The decision is yours, change or die!

Productivity

I don’t even know what day I’m living anymore!

Out of Chaos: The Eisenhower Decision Matrix 

“What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important” 

Dwight Eisenhower

 

A few days ago I had lunch with a group of friends, it was our first outing after almost six months of being in confinement because of COVID-19. 

A friend said: “if we are going to meet, let´s go to a fashion spot”. We all accept, without knowing exactly what “a fashion spot” meant after so many months of confinement. We chose a restaurant with a nice terrace, but above all to return us to that reality that we saw more and more distant. 

We arrived little by little, there was an atmosphere of excitement, surprise, and great curiosity to know how the pandemic had changed us. Without a doubt, we were returning from a long journey, everything was rediscovery and novelty. The etiquette rules were a challenge, we did not know how to say hello: – Is a hug correct, a kiss on the cheek? … Impossible! And what if we just shake hands… No, better from afar and with mimic! 

Once the first obstacle has been dodged, now “when do we take off the mask?” 

Once the conversation started, we went from the frivolous joke to telling each other a thousand times that we look the same, although obviously, we all looked out of shape and with a few extra pounds. Then came a quick roll call of our acquaintances, friends, and family. No casualties to regret. We are lucky, life goes on! … We all raised our glasses and toasted: – Cheers! … that expression so often said, today resonated with all its meaning. 

It’s time to eat. And the menu? … “It’s on your cell phone … OMG!, I forget that everything is digital now! … I hope the food is not a hologram!” LOLs. 

Becca, my friend who organized the meeting, was late, very common for her. “My apologies, I couldn´t leave my house, I have a thousand urgent things to resolve, emails, phone calls, reports … Home office is not my thing. Besides that, the children’s homework, prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner, the house payments, it’s a never ending story. ” 

Adriana, who until then had been silent, exploded into catharsis. “Right! I don’t even know what day I’m living anymore!” 

We all agree. Laughing and showing solidarity, we began to share our sorrows: “One day is similar to the other, today is the same as yesterday, and yesterday the same as the day before… There is not enough time at all… I have a change of pending… I don’t know where to start , if because of home or work issues … I forget everything … I feel like I’m doing a lot and I’m not making any progress … Even though, I’m at home all day, I don’t have time to workout.” 

Sergio saw us amused: “Nothing happens, everything is a matter of organization. Do you want to improve your productivity? Follow the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. “We all fell silent. As always, we thought it was one of his jokes, to change the subject, but no, he continued: “Dwight Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States, from 1953 to 1961, he had a great ability to manage several projects at the same time , carry out big missions and get successful results in a short time. His methods for managing time, tasks, and productivity have been studied and applied in everyday activities and in business leadership. One of the most famous strategies is the decision matrix that bears his name, it is a very useful tool to organize simple tasks and to plan your day.” 

Becca interrupted: “Don’t get so solemn. Let’s change the subject. There will be time for the important, let’s go to the urgent, how have you been? … ” 

Adriana stepped out: “We are all well and healthy, that’s the most important thing. After a while I will update you … Let Sergio tell us more.

I want to know more about the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. I find it very interesting.” 

“It’s something very simple,” Sergio continued. “It’s as easy as eliminating repeated tasks and deciding between what is important and what is urgent to be more productive, make the most of the day and get better results.” 

I intervened: “It´s precisely there that is difficult, knowing how to differentiate the important from the urgent.” 

“I thought the same, but it´s not that difficult, it´s like everything, at the beginning it requires dedication and practice,” said Sergio. “Urgent tasks are things that come up as a priority in your mind and for which you feel the need to react, for example, read or answer emails, make phone calls, make payments, move things around, clean some space, take a look to social media, etc. However, they are hardly ever important things and are time consuming. Instead, important tasks contribute to our mission, values ​​and long-term goals and almost always have to do with projects that will bring us some professional, financial or emotional satisfaction.” 

At that moment, Sergio, had already managed to capture our attention. His presentation flowed naturally and without interruptions: 

  • First, we must make a list of the actions that we want to do and the tasks that we have pending. 
  • Second, divide the list into four possibilities, according to the importance and urgency of each one. Prioritize according to each of these four possibilities. 

“I don´t understand.” Adriana commented. 

Sergio took a napkin and began to draw a rectangle, which in turn contained four rectangles, and began to explain each of them: 

(Imagen servilleta) 

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix provides a clear framework for making decisions, helps to distinguish if an action is necessary, important, or urgent, if it can be eliminated, delegated, or done immediately. 

  • Urgent and important (tasks that you will do immediately) 
  • Important, but not urgent (tasks you can do later) 
  • Urgent, but not important (tasks that you can delegate to someone else) 
  • Neither urgent nor important (tasks that you can delete) 

Usually, we feel productive when we do a lot of things, but very frustrated when we see that our results are poor. Frequently, we make the mistake of keeping busy and we pressure ourselves trying to do more and more things in less time, however, the reality is that the opposite happens, we do less and less in more time, that is because we do not dedicate our attention to truly productive tasks that bring us closer to our goals and projects. 

“That happens to me,” Becca admitted. “Me too”, we all said. 

Sergio continued with his impromptu presentation: “Often times, productivity, time management, and task optimization strategies fail because we avoid key questions, such as: Do I really need to be doing this? What I’m doing help me meet my goal? … Taking time to reflect on these questions helps us prioritize the truly important tasks and brings us closer to our goals. Deciding which activities to do and which to eliminate is easier when we are clear about what is most important to us on a personal level, the obligations and demands of work and family. ” 

The lunch continued with laughter and jokes almost until dusk. Finally, we said goodbye with due healthy distance and we agreed to organize another for the following month. Sergio joked that the next gathering would not be considered as “Not Important” and “Not Urgent”. 

We all left with the concern to apply the Eisenhower Method from now on. At least in my case, I´m already applying it. It will not be the most innovative strategy, but I have found that the Eisenhower Method is quite a useful tool for making decisions and increasing my productivity by eliminating the behaviors that consume my mental energy and that never lead me towards the achievement of my goals. 

And you, do you have any method to organize your day? Do they have it in the company you work for? Well, think about it… 

Communication

The world after COVID-19

10 TRENDS THAT WILL CHANGE OUR SOCIAL INTERACTION

These days, it is debated how to “return to normal” after the confinement caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. Governments around the world, business leaders, academics, and even artists, make proposals for a return to normality. In some countries severely affected by this pandemic, economic, educational, and social activities are already being resumed gradually and cautiously.

The great global crises have the power to promote radical and definitive changes in the norms that regulate some economic and social activities, as well as in the uses and customs of daily social coexistence.

The crisis of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001, radically changed the way we travel by plane. Passengers had to get used to new waiting times, luggage, security filters, immigration controls, etc. Airport and aircraft security has increased dramatically and stricter regulation has been imposed, impacting rising operating costs, but there has also been greater innovation in the use of new technologies and marketing strategies.

The crisis of the coronavirus COVID-19 will also modify forever many economic activities, customs and rules of coexistence in public places and workplaces. The voluntary or involuntary quarantine and the mobility, health and hygiene measures that have been imposed, make us reflect that the world will no longer be the same.

Despite the coordinated efforts of governments, scientists and research laboratories, it seems difficult that in the coming months there will be a vaccine and an efficient pharmacological treatment that can alleviate the effects of Covid-19. Meanwhile, we all have to learn to live and resume our activities in an environment of uncertainty and rapid changes.

We present to you 10 of the many trends that will radically change our social coexistence and the economic activities panorama.

  1. A cold will no longer be a simple cough cough. Before COVID-19, a cold did not have to put us on alert. If we had mild symptoms, a cold did not prevent us from carrying out our daily activities. It was a personal decision to go to work, to school or to carry out social activities, visit friends, or go to the movies. Not now, until there is a vaccine and without an accurate diagnosis, we are obliged to maintain a precautionary social distance at any symptom. Companies must implement health and hygiene protocols to monitor the health status of their employees and avoid any possible contagion, as well as applying shared responsibility policies with their workers to motivate trust and be flexible.

  2. Your temperature will be your access control. In work centers, transportation and public places, measures such as hand cleaning, the use of mouth covers and the taking of temperatures for employees and clients have been imposed. Given the impossibility of having a vaccine and carrying out rapid and massive tests, in the coming months when you go to the movies, the theater, a concert or get on a plane, train or bus, in addition to your entrance ticket, your temperature will be your access control.

  3. No more kiss and goodbye. Once confinement is lifted, the healthy distance will remain the norm. The traditional kiss of greeting or farewell, very common in some countries and social groups, will have to wait for better times.

  4. The home office is here to stay. Companies, government agencies and businesses have had to trust their collaborators and delegate responsibilities to carry them out from their homes. The results in general terms have been positive. The home office with good management, communication and well-defined objectives can be very efficient and productive, in addition to promoting considerable savings in time and material resources. Employees have also found benefits such as freedom to manage their time, family life, saving money and less stress. Companies will become more flexible, fixed office hours for some activities will no longer be the norm and results will be valued more for meeting objectives. The quarantine also helped consolidate the use of multiple telecommunications and remote work tools, the market for these new technologies and applications will continue to increase, and employees will have to integrate them into their professional training, in addition to self-management, time management skills and collaborative work.

  5. New services, new businesses. Although many traditional businesses will have trouble starting operations and others will not reopen, it is also true that entrepreneurs who have taken risks and innovated services and products adapted to the new environment have benefited. Visionaries have begun to discover opportunities in the way of selling their products or providing services. This quarantine has dramatically changed the landscape of future business operations. The trend is:

    • Services and products direct to home, either because they will be offered remotely or will prevent customers from moving physically. The personalized and specialized remote consulting of professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, notaries, nutritionists, teachers, psychologists, etc. will be consolidated and will be daily. Companies that previously only offered their services in person are now looking for ways to connect online.
    • Home deliveries will continue to grow, not only in the number of transactions that take place 24 hours a day but also in the level of market penetration, they will spread in all corners of the country and will be increasingly accessible to all groups and social classes.
    • Customer service will be more innovative, efficient and fast through automated online services, almost immediate problem solving will be the norm, these services will have to be more efficient, reduce waiting time and offer a better personal relationship. Transfers to cancel a service, return a product or solve a problem will be a thing of the past, customer service centers will gradually disappear.

  6. Consolidation of online education. Distance education will benefit and will be consolidated as the main means of self-learning, training and professional updating. Today, anyone can take a tutorial or an online course on almost any topic, from any part of the world, in any language with the translation included, at any price, even for free. Cross-border and multicultural education will become increasingly common. The groups of university students and masters who interact in a class from anywhere in the world, it is already a reality, this type of education will be extended to basic education, children will learn to communicate and cooperate with children from different places, cultures and even Languages.

  7. More virtual experiences. The amount of time people spend on social media and other communication and entertainment platforms has been widely discussed and criticized; and even though many have become overwhelmed by the way the internet consumes their attention and time, people want more. The real world will become more virtual, in addition to the already traditional applications of music, video, games, education, contacts and online shopping, now we must also add neighborhood meetings, school meetings, theme parties, virtual experiences of extreme sports such as diving, surfing, motoring, cycling, etc.

  8. Alexa or Siri, your GP. The applications that will monitor your health will increase, they will keep a record of your vital signs, weight, blood pressure, sugar level, caloric expenditure, etc. If necessary, they will give you advice and put you in touch with specialist doctors, in addition to reminding you of issues such as taking medicine, make appointments with the doctor, etc. The new applications will keep your daily health record and connect with large databases to be able to alert you and your doctor in a timely manner about any alteration in your health. In addition to being able to make preliminary diagnoses, taking into account your medical history, description of symptoms, daily registration of vital signs and changes in skin color, rashes, etc.

  9. One more opportunity for the bicycle. Once the resumption of activities begins, if you want to avoid the crowds of public transport and road congestion, the bicycle is the ideal way to get around the city and maintain a healthy distance. Many governments are reinforcing their mobility policies to favor and promote the massive use of bicycles in cities.

  10. Changes in social interaction and more hygiene measures. We all have to adjust to the new reality. Coexistence in public spaces will change for a few months, perhaps years, crowds and crowded places will be avoided. Restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms, cinemas, shops, if they want to continue operating successfully, must offer clean spaces and promote a safe coexistence under new circumstances and protocols implementations.

A determining factor of business success or failure will be the perception of safety and hygiene that customers have.

Are you ready?

Crisis Management

Don’t let this happen to you!

5 KEYS SO THAT YOUR DRILL DOES NOT BECOME A CRISIS 

https://twitter.com/cesarvakero1/status/1181208036381204480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1181208036381204480%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fventuracomunicaciones.com%2F5-claves-para-que-tu-simulacro-no-se-convierta-en-una-crisis%2F

“There is no time, there is no time, we are going to start killing passengers.” The scene is dramatic, a group of hooded, heavily armed terrorists on board an airplane subdues the passengers who are obviously terrified and helpless hiding in the seats. The threats continue: “Obey the instructions … Why are you moving? … Lower your fucking head.” A pair of flight attendants dressed in the airline’s uniform observe the scene. Radio communications are heard requesting help to start a negotiation, which suggests that it is the hijacking of the aircraft. The camera makes a pan, there is no longer any doubt, the letters of the ‘Interjet’ brand shine and take up all the space. Despite the severity of the scenes, the passengers in distress are in the background, and now the only protagonist of the video is Interjet. 

The recording is made public and runs like wildfire on social media. There is misinformation, rumors quickly spread that it is a real terrorist attack, criticism rains, there is fear. Interjet is a trending topic on Twitter most of the day, as well as #Interjet #LadyBomba hashtags. There is no certainty if it’s fake news or if it’s a real terrorist attack. The haters take advantage of the situation to show their discomfort, and past bitterness resurfaces. In recent months, Interjet’s public image has been going through a bad time: bankruptcy rumors, flight cancellation and delay, poor service, and unfortunate comments from its staff have generated constant trending topics for several months. 

After the controversy, Interjet reacts, through a press release on its social media, reports that the video is a “real-scale simulation” for the rescue of passengers, held on October 5 at the Ciudad del Carmen International Airport , Campeche, Mexico, coordinated with the three government levels. 

What lessons does this unfortunate event leave us? … First, we must point out that the drills are part of the crisis prevention programs and plans for companies and public agencies concerned with the safety of their operations and the well-being and protection of their key audiences; they are carried out periodically as part of its corporate culture to form high-level teams that are prepared for the timely attention of any contingency that violates the viability of an organization. 

Organizations that routinely conduct these types of drills offer greater certainty of how to react successfully to an eventuality than those that do not have them integrated into the prevention protocols of their corporate culture. 

The drills, in a controlled environment, confront a work team to possible crises with the greatest possible realism, to train them and extract several lessons that will later be formative in daily operation. A drill is equivalent to trusting, it offers a space where people can take risks, the team can make decisions and take correct or wrong actions. Only in this way it is possible to discover problems and variants that were not considered, new and valuable ideas are generated with the intention of establishing useful rules and integrating them into security and crisis response protocols. It’s an excellent opportunity to form high-level teams, to test the skills of its members and their performance in highly stressful situations, it’s also an opportunity to strengthen cohesion and trust among the team, since it also promotes a group exercise of self-awareness, which encourages the exchange of points of view, feelings and reactions of the people who interact. 

What went wrong with the Interjet drill? … Here are 5 Keys to take care of so that your drill does not become a crisis. 

  1. Drills should be part of the corporate culture of crisis prevention and management in organizations. Carrying out drills should not be a novelty, but a constant one, this helps the process to look normal and create an atmosphere of cooperation within the organization. 

  2. Form high-level teams for crisis management. Addressing a crisis requires decision making, implementing a strategy and carrying out actions, but above all, having a functional and reliable team. When summoning staff to form a crisis management team, you should consider: 1) Level of responsibility and hierarchy, 2) Technical knowledge 3) PROBITY AND COMMITMENT. 

  3. Drills are conducted on a discretionary basis and in controlled environments. While it is true that within a corporate culture of prevention, the entire organization must be aware that drills are held and their cooperation is convened, many drills must be held in closed environments where only key personnel must participate, mainly when it comes to sensitive issues and there is handling of confidential information. IF THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE OF PROBITY AND COMMITMENT OF THE DRILL PARTICIPANTS, THE TEAM MEMBERS MUST SIGN A LETTER OF CONFIDENTIALITY. 

  4. A drill has to be planned minute by minute and strategically coordinated by a team of facilitators. In a drill there are two teams: one that organizes, knows what is going to happen and provokes it (The Facilitators); and another team that is unaware of the situation and will react to solve the problem (Crisis Committee). Facilitators must ensure and convey the confidence that everything that is said and happens during the drill will only be known to the people who participate. It is a learning exercise and only in confidence will the team take risks on their words and actions. In a controlled environment, in addition, the place where the drill will take place, material resources such as printed information, cell phones, video recordings, etc. must be delimited and under surveillance. ANY LEAK OF INFORMATION MAY BE MISUSE, SPREAD IN THE MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA, GENERATING UNCERTAINTY AND DAMAGE TO THE ORGANIZATION, SINCE THE CONTEXT IN WHICH IT WAS GENERATED IS UNKNOWN. 

  5. Once the drill is over, the lessons are extracted, the team’s performance is analyzed and the prevention protocol is reviewed. During a drill, it is common for working documents to be prepared, such as positions, action plans, “fictitious” calls are made and a video record of the team’s performance is carried out an evaluation at the end of the exercise. The only record that should be left at the end are the conclusions of the experience and lessons left by the drill, the actions suggested to be carried out, the vulnerable areas to be reviewed and the feedback from the participants. ALL WRITTEN AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS RESULTING FROM THE DRILL MUST BE DESTROYED TO AVOID ANY MISUSE OF THEM. 
Corporate Communication

Business breakfasts

10 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS BREAKFAST 

In Mexico, breakfasts are not only a daily activity to socialize among friends and family. Breakfasts are an institution in the uses and customs of the business and political environment, they are par excellence the ideal means to promote gatherings, meet people, present a project or start a business. 

A good breakfast will help you start the day well, but it can also be the seed of a great project. Are you ready? … Here are the 10 tips for a successful business breakfast: 

BEFORE BREAKFAST… 

1.-Set yourself an objective. Before calling a breakfast you have to be clear: why do you call breakfast? And what do you want to achieve?… A breakfast is a unique opportunity to reach that potential client you need, seek investors for your project, give a press interview, receive advice or motivation from a personality, or simply expand your networking.  

2.-The art of establishing relationships. Summoning is the part that most people can be scared of. It is facing the unknown, and what often paralyzes us is fear of rejection. We leave encounters to chance, to fate, but good fortune is capricious and does not always appear when we need it. So where to start? … Make a list of potential people you are interested in joining, select those that are most important to your project, investigate who you might have the most affinity with and who would be easier to establish communication with. If you do not know anyone, or you cannot initiate contact directly, ask your acquaintances if someone can introduce you to that person (if you lack motivation, think that the six degree of separation theory can be effective). If your goal is to establish contact with a company, media or public agency, but you do not know who the right person is, the first thing you should know is how that organization works, the more you know, the easier it is for you to find an open door. 

3.- Do not choose the hot spot restaurant, choose the most suitable. Once they have accepted your invitation, select the place and reserve. The choice of place is the beginning of a successful breakfast; on the contrary, a bad choice can be catastrophic. The breakfast that so much effort and dedication cost you to coordinate can be canceled at the last minute if your guest is not motivated to attend because he (or she) does not like the place you chose, it is far away or he simply does not feel comfortable. Therefore, it is very important that you consider the profile and personality of your client to choose the place. Make sure it is well located and recognized. Avoid trendy restaurants because you would face a crowded, uncomfortable and noisy place. Choose a large table, preferably 4 places if there are going to be 2 or 3 attendees (more than 4 people are a crowd and there is a risk that the objective of the meeting will be lost). According to the personality of your guest, you can suggest a couple of places, however, it is also accepted and sometimes very convenient to open the invitation for your contact to propose the meeting place. 

4.- Prepare your presentation. You already have an appointment! Congratulations! You are about to meet face to face with that person who may be a new client or help you to promote your project. As in other aspects of life, first impressions are important. Think that you will have less than two hours to achieve your goal. Gather information about your guest, their professional background, experience, career and hobbies; And if he (or she) is a public person, monitor the latest news about him (her), company or sector, website and social media. All this information will help you find affinities, know how to start the meeting and even how to be more empathetic. Prepare a personalized presentation that is brief and concise, but above all entertaining, this should be a casual tone, but with the attitude that you are a professional who knows the subject. The tone and rhythm of your presentation will be determined by the degree of interaction you achieve with your interlocutor during breakfast. Set priorities so that the objective of the meeting does not deviate, make a list of the specific topics you want to discuss, anticipate possible questions or doubts, and prepare answers. Finally, prepare an executive document with all the information of your project that you will deliver at the end of breakfast for later consultation. 

DURING BREAKFAST … 

5.-The first impression is what counts. The day has come! … Never give reasons to think that the meeting is not important, so you must be punctual and arrive at the restaurant half an hour in advance to attend to any eventuality that arises as traffic complications or that the reservation has not been respected . Take care of your clothing, your way of dressing speaks volumes about your personality and the professional guild to which you belong. Try to be sober and wear how you do it on a daily basis. Remember that if breakfast is successful, subsequent meetings will be frequent. Having and projecting your own personality speaks well of you. Try to be relaxed, self-confidence will be a determining factor in the success of the meeting. Don’t forget to turn off your cell phone! 

6.- Break the ice. A breakfast should never start with the main purpose of the meeting. Introduce yourself and get acquainted with your company quickly and without presumption. Don’t make the common mistake of talking too much about yourself or your company. Establish good communication using a pleasant tone of conversation in a casual way. Start talking about general topics, although you should be careful with controversial issues. Morning’s news is a good topic, the latest movie, sports event, television series, some gadget, etc. It will never be a good idea to talk or ask about the family, especially when you have just met the person. Try to be empathetic and cordial, focus on your interlocutor, make him (her) feel comfortable, and don’t monopolize the conversation. 

7.-It is time to order. Time is limited, an hour and a half on average, in which you must earn the trust and attention of your potential client. Try to avoid any distractors like answering phone calls or going to talk to people at other tables. Sophisticated dishes, broths or snacks that are highly chopped are not recommended. Remember that the pace of the conversation and the exposition will be up to you, and a food that is difficult to manipulate can be a barrier. 

8.- While you have breakfast. Focus on your guest, gradually introduce the purpose of the breakfast and develop the key points. Let your interlocutor tell you something about his (her) company, his (her) needs or activities, the more he (she) talks, the more you can determine when is the right time to present aspects of your project organically. During your presentation, give your interlocutor useful information, examples of what you have done with other clients, product characteristics, comment on market research data, etc. At the same time, you must be perceptive to discover which are the topics that have most interested you and adapt your presentation along that path. Do not pressure your guest to make a decision or feel committed, avoid imposing fatal dates. Set aside the last few minutes for your interlocutor to share their opinions and ask questions. 

9.- Conclude with style. No matter how confident or disappointed you feel about the meeting, you should never lose your composure or temper. Always leave a door open for an upcoming meeting. Remember that the game does not end when breakfast is finished. In fact, it is only the beginning. VERY IMPORTANT: Whoever invites to the breakfast pays. 

AFTER BREAKFAST… 

10.-Breakfast compromises. The business breakfast is much more than a social event, it must be part of communication, sales, positioning, public relations strategy, etc. Therefore, to ensure success, it is very important to follow up on the commitments made. To be in control, prepare a meeting minutes and email it to your new contact, thank the meeting for the opportunity, list the main topics that were discussed, and if there were agreements or steps to follow, highlight them. Also, follow up on what was agreed. If they asked for documents, send them. If deadlines were agreed, meet them. Be persistent, but do not harass, almost always the best businesses and projects take time to mature, trust, you already took the first step, a good breakfast will always be a good idea to start … Good luck! 

Public Affairs

Ad hominem

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 

From “AMLO is a danger to Mexico” to “Ricky Riquín Canallín” 

The communication strategy behind the dirty electoral war 

Why do all presidential candidates bet on this communication strategy? What does it consist of? It is effective?… 

Mexico’s current electoral process has turned into a dirty war of disqualifications between candidates. Never in history have contenders for the presidency had so many spaces in the media and balance of information in the news. However, these have not been used efficiently to present their proposals and government program. The radio and TV spots are filled with childish musical choruses and rhetorical phrases, but they are mainly being used to talk about each other, to send attacks and defamatory messages to their opponents. And this is not exclusive to any party, everyone participates in this dirty war. 

The ad hominem communication strategy 

The discrediting of the candidates by their opponents and detractors is perceived by society in general as something casual or as a dirty war, which arises naturally in the heat of the war. However, behind each attack there is an elaborate communication strategy based on what in Logic is called ad hominem arguments (Latin: against man) consisting of a rhetorical figure, a type of fallacy that discredits an argument, not for the content of the same, but for the discredit of who issues it. 

The Ad Hominem communication strategy aims to damage the reputation and discredit the opponent so that everything he says lacks value and credibility in front of the voters. It is used in all electoral processes, since from the discredit of the other, it is intended to show that one candidate is better than another, or perhaps demonstrate who is less worse. Thus, the arguments and proposals are not attacked, but whoever issues them. 

These ad hominem arguments are constructed as follows: 

  • CANDIDATE A makes a campaign proposal 
  • CANDIDATE B, who is his opponent, responds to CANDIDATE A with a negative statement about him in order to damage his reputation and discredit his arguments and proposals. 
  • Thus, CANDIDATE B, instead of debating proposals or direct accusations, bets on damaging the image of its opponent and influencing the perception of the voters that CANDIDATE A is not trained or does not have moral authority to sustain their arguments and fulfill their proposals. . 

This rhetorical figure has become the most effective communication strategy on which all the electoral campaigns of the candidates for the presidency are currently built. It is so powerful that it sets the agenda for the day, generates trends in social media, is the center of the controversial post debate, but above all, it influences the mood of the voters, mainly the undecided and the less informed. 

The ad hominem communication strategy, much more than spontaneous insults, witty phrases or journalistic transcendence, responds to structured campaigns that start from aspects such as espionage about the opponents, sociological and opinion studies of what people think and want, construction of short and simple messages with a high emotional charge and a great investment in diffusion and propaganda. 

Regardless of the depth of each campaign, it has three main components: 

Gestation. 

The past of the opponent is investigated, studied and analyzed trying to find unpopular aspects, characteristics and perceptions in the person’s reputation. 

Positioning. 

Through different communication techniques, negative information is made public, often directly through political propaganda, speeches or statements by the contestants; other times it is done through third parties, by leaking information to the media, or trends are built on social media (a rumor is generated and spread) 

Discredit. 

Once the smear campaign permeated the popular unconscious, phrases like: “The Power Mafia”, “Prian”, “Chavismo”, “Ricky, Riquín, Canallín”, “Master Scam”, “AMLO is a danger to Mexico ”, acquire more strength and influence more on the decision of the voters than the government’s proposals and programs. Any electoral proposal of any candidate, to be processed by the voters, will have to fight the battle of personal disqualifications. According to this logic, everything that the candidates say due to their “supposed past” or “doubtful reputation” will be false, lacks veracity and therefore is not reliable. 

It is important to mention that the trap for the voter is that it will be difficult for him to distinguish the truth or falsity from the arguments and proposals since the fact that someone discredits the speaker does not prove anything about the falsity or truthfulness of what he says. 

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