How do FBI hostage negotiation tactics link to public relations and corporate crisis management? And how can understanding both help you prove your value to your stakeholders and audiences? 

Demonstrating value is a familiar hurdle for communicators, especially when navigating the turbulent waters of a crisis. Effective crisis communication provides a crucial lifeline that can make or break a company's reputation.

In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle sits down with two incredible guests: PR agency CEO, crisis counselor, and advisor to at least one US president, Adele Gambardella, and retired FBI agent, hostage negotiator, and spy chaser, Chip Massey. Now, as co-founders of The Convincing Company,  they help their clients navigate crises and provide the training they need to prepare for the challenges ahead. With Dan, they dive deep into the art and science of crisis communication and persuasion and how a methodical approach to analyzing conversations - Forensic Listening - may be the most powerful skill a communicator should have. You'll discover the power of forensic listening, the subtlety of non-verbal cues, and the strategic use of targeted validation to build trust and rapport and get to the core of hidden narratives that drive crisis response.

Adele and Chip also discuss groundbreaking topics like the role of AI in communication analysis, the persuasive power of predictive statements, and why companies need to take bold stances on controversial issues. Drawing from their book Convince Me, they highlight the importance of deep listening and emotional control in mastering effective communication and negotiation.

Don't miss out on these practical tips that are ready to be implemented, designed to enhance your crisis communication strategies and empower you to confidently demonstrate your value to stakeholders.

Listen in and hear about...

• The evolving role of crisis communication in handling modern threats like misinformation and AI misuse.
• The formation and impact of the Convincing Company, which integrates PR strategies and crisis negotiation.
• The concept of forensic listening and its application in understanding and addressing communication nuances.
• The importance of adapting communication strategies to handle high-stress situations effectively.
• Strategies for corporate communicators to prepare for and respond to contentious societal issues, especially in politically charged climates.
• The distinction between convincing and negotiating, emphasizing the importance of aligning values and visions for effective communication outcomes.

Notable Quotes

On the Importance of Crisis Communication:
"When there's trouble, communicators roll up their sleeves and get to work. We turn trouble around and send it away. Nobody questions our value then."
— Dan Nestle [00:01:30 → 00:01:40 ]

On the Value of Forensic Listening:
"Forensic listening is the art and science of analyzing a conversation after it's happened. Words leave clues."
— Chip Massey [00:16:30 → 00:16:40 ]

On the Importance of Crisis Training:
"Crisis management is a muscle. It's one of those things that, like, I love it because I think really fast and on my feet... It's a muscle, though."
— Adele Gambardella [00:52:44 → 00:53:00 ]

On Convincing vs. Negotiating:
"As a hostage negotiator, I never negotiated with anybody. I was actually convincing that person to value what I valued."
— Chip Massey [01:06:00 → 01:06:10 ]

On the Importance of Not Starting with Your Strongest Point:
"Never start with your strongest point first, because if you do that, all you do is make everybody in the room dig their heels in."
— Adele Gambardella [01:10:45 → 01:11:00 ]

On Deep Listening:
"Deep listening... our own stress improves when we're really listening and trying to help somebody else and we can come up with better solutions."
— Chip Massey [01:11:45 → 01:12:00 ]

Resources & Links

Dan Nestle

• The Trending Communicator | Website
• Daniel Nestle | LinkedIn
• Dan Nestle | Twitter (@dsnestle)

Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey

• Adele Gambardella | LinkedIn
• Chip Massey | LinkedIn
• The Convincing Company | Instagram (@convincingco)
• The Convincing Company | Website

Mentioned

• Book: Convince Me: High-Stakes Negotiation Tactics to Get Results in Any Business Situation

 

Timestamped summary for this episode (as generated by ChatGPT)

Introduction of Guests (00:01:07 )

Introduction of Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey, their backgrounds, and their collaboration in crisis communications.

Formation of The Convincing Company (00:02:11 )

Adele and Chip explain how they met, their complementary skill sets, and the formation of The Convincing Company.

Adele's Burnout and Meeting Chip (00:09:28 )

Adele's experience with burnout, meeting Chip, and the realization of their complementary expertise. 

Forensic Listening (00:16:40 )

Chip explains the concept of forensic listening and its importance in understanding emotions and themes in conversations for effective communication.

Understanding the Meeting (00:21:37 )

Interpreting underlying messages in a meeting, identifying emotions, and linking them with the topic.

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