11 Fifty-Nine – my crisis blog
A collection of thoughts and contributions on the topic of crisis communication. “11:59” refers to those critical situations where it is high time to act, almost high noon…
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Humour in a crisis, seriously?!
Humor in a crisis? Our instincts say no, but maybe the answer is yes. Humor has the power to overcome tense and deadlock situations. At a recent conference, I listened to fascinating research on how humour can be used in public apologies—especially in lighter, reputational crises where celebrities or politicians are in the spotlight. During…
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A New Brand: ”11 Fifty-Nine”
11 Fifty-Nine – this is not the glamorous location of a luxurious condo building in Manhattan, but the name of the company I recently launched to offer consulting and support in the field of crisis communication. How did I come up with it? I’ll admit it, as a teenager I was a big fan of…
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„Houston, we have a lesson” – what Jim Lovell teaches us about clarity
At age 97, James ‘Jim’ Lovell Jr. passed away last week on 7 August 2025. The commander of the Apollo 13 mission became world famous for maintaining his composure during one of the most dramatic crises in space history – and his crisis management skills hold some valuable lessons for us. The events of 13 April 1970…
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From Panic to Purpose: Internal Comms in a crisis.
Why Internal Communications is critical in a crisis When things go sideways, your employees can be your best advocates. Or your worst enemies. Here’s how to get them firmly on your side.In June, I had the honour of delivering the keynote at Unleashing Innovation in Digital Communications in Amsterdam – a well-curated event with inspiring…
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Crisis exercises, done right: The storm in a teacup
Crisis simulations: Why they are important – and what makes them efficient Crises often arise unexpectedly, and those who are unprepared lose valuable time. A crisis simulation helps to prepare teams, processes and communication channels for an emergency. At Lufthansa, we regularly practised for crises – especially ad hoc scenarios, i.e. situations that arise suddenly…
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AI in crisis management: Opportunities, risks and where the journey is headed
In a world where communication is becoming increasingly fast-paced, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role, even in times of crisis. Corporations, public authorities and organisations are under enormous pressure to communicate quickly and accurately in critical situations. AI can help here – how tempting! But application of AI does not come without…
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Why communication is not just a nice-to-have in a crisis.
Do we really still need to take up the cudgels for crisis communication in 2025? Legions of PR experts have attended – sometimes expensive – seminars on crisis communication, countless reference books have been written and adorn the shelves of communication consultants, and every PR graduate knows: One cannot not communicate. But we observe it…
“… Today could be the end of me. It’s 11:59, and I want to stay alive….”
Debbie Harry, 1978