Lothery & Associates

I have just returned from one of the most enjoyable facilitation experiences I’ve had in a long time. I conducted a brief workshop on crisis communication for the Cooperative Communicators Association Institute in San Antonio. The Annual Conference was packed with more than 130 communicators from coops around the country. Every industry from financial to farming, power to produce.

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the podium, so I couldn’t help but change my open:

“You know, when I lead presentation workshops, I always tell clients to ‘lead with sexy.’ Not the Congressman Weiner kind, but definitely something that grabs the audience’s attention so you start with a bang! Of course, I wasn’t planning to start a fire as my open, but how appropriate and convenient is it, when the conference is called Caliente! Hot Ideas for Cooperative Communicators, and the opening workshop is Crisis Communications: Staying out of the Hot Seat?! A little crisis, with a fast clean up is the perfect way for us to get started!”

And with that, and a little chuckle we began our session.