Download the Crisis Communication Checklist and kickstart your effective crisis response planning
Jan. 15, 2025

295: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is Bad in a Crisis. Here's Why

295: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is Bad in a Crisis. Here's Why

The episode examines the mismanagement of communication during the recent LA wildfires, focusing on Mayor Karen Bass's absence during the crisis and the subsequent erosion of public trust. Key lessons in crisis communication emphasize the need for transparency, empathy, and accountability from leaders facing critical situations. 

• Analysis of Mayor Bass's timeline during the wildfires 
• Discussion on the impact of her international travel 
• Examination of communication failures and trust erosion 
• Connection made between budget cuts and fire response 
• Overview of public reactions and online petitions for resignation 
• Key lessons for leaders in crisis communication 
• Importance of empathy and transparency in restoring trust

Master Crisis Communication - Ready to level up your crisis response? Join Molly's intensive masterclass "The 7-Sentence Crisis Cure: From Chaos to Control in Under an Hour," on January 29th at 2pm ET. Watch live as she breaks down a real crisis using her signature Indestructible PR® framework – no theory, just proven tactics that work when everything's on the line. Click here to register now.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Her high-energy keynotes blend edge-of-your-seat PR war stories with actionable communication strategies that resonate with leaders, communicators, and teams alike. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Join Molly on Patreon for even deeper dives into celebrity PR strategies and exclusive weekly live sessions! Click here to become a member.

Follow Molly for daily updates and more PR insights:

...
Chapters

00:05 - Mayor Karen Bass's Communication Crisis

08:30 - Leadership Lessons in Crisis Communication

21:07 - Effective Crisis Communication Strategies

Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:05.450 --> 00:00:12.691
Southern California is no stranger to wildfires, but last week's infernos in Los Angeles were a wake-up call.

00:00:12.691 --> 00:00:25.175
Thousands of homes destroyed, families displaced, a beloved landscape reduced to ash, lives lost and at the center of this fiery storm, leadership meltdown.

00:00:25.175 --> 00:00:34.682
Let's break down the timeline of the crisis and why Mayor Karen Bass is facing sharp criticism for her handling of it this week.

00:00:34.682 --> 00:00:42.906
On the PR Breakdown, la Mayor Karen Bass gives every leader a lesson in how ineffective communication creates ineffective leadership.

00:00:42.906 --> 00:00:45.912
This isn't just about one politician's travel plans.

00:00:45.912 --> 00:00:55.706
It's a stark lesson in crisis communication and how quickly trust can erode when those in charge fail to connect with the people they serve.

00:00:55.706 --> 00:00:59.591
Now let's set the timeline.

00:01:00.493 --> 00:01:11.314
January 4th the National Weather Service issues a fire weather Watch warning of critical fire conditions due to strong Santa Ana winds and dry brush.

00:01:11.314 --> 00:01:20.415
On the same day, mayor Bass travels to Ghana as part of a US delegation to attend the inauguration of the country's new president.

00:01:20.415 --> 00:01:25.828
January 5th Weather weather watches upgrade to warnings.

00:01:25.828 --> 00:01:35.811
January 6th National Weather Service warns of quote particularly dangerous situation end quote due to extreme fire risk.

00:01:35.811 --> 00:01:43.444
According to reports, bass was warned about the Santa Ana winds and was advised to stay in the city for the potential emergency.

00:01:43.444 --> 00:01:47.843
However, she instead carried on with her plans to travel to Ghana.

00:01:48.483 --> 00:01:53.974
January 7th, several wildfires erupt Palisades and the Eton fires.

00:01:53.974 --> 00:01:59.888
Also on January 7th, bass declares a state of emergency From Ghana.

00:01:59.888 --> 00:02:09.003
January 8th, 24 hours later, bass returns to LA and surveys the fire damage with Governor Gavin Newsom.

00:02:09.003 --> 00:02:10.784
January 9th.

00:02:10.784 --> 00:02:15.429
The numbers Palisades fire burns over 23,000 acres.

00:02:15.429 --> 00:02:19.391
Eaton fire burns over 14,000 acres.

00:02:20.013 --> 00:02:25.757
Now, of all the luck, mayor Karen Bass out of the country when the disaster hits.

00:02:25.757 --> 00:02:32.764
That left a void in leadership just when Angeleno's needed it most.

00:02:32.764 --> 00:02:43.350
So let's dissect her handling of the LA wildfires via communications, to understand how even well-intentioned leaders can make critical mistakes in moments of crisis.

00:02:43.350 --> 00:02:47.846
And, more importantly, I'll lay out a roadmap for effective crisis communication.

00:02:47.846 --> 00:02:54.888
It's important to remember that when a disaster strikes, clear, honest, empathetic communication isn't just good PR.

00:02:54.888 --> 00:03:00.401
It can be the difference between chaos and a coordinated, effective response.

00:03:00.882 --> 00:03:05.384
Now here's why Bass lost trust with stakeholders during this crisis.

00:03:05.384 --> 00:03:12.509
Number one was her absence, the international travel during emergency.

00:03:12.509 --> 00:03:20.655
It reminded me of South Carolina Governor I'm pulling this from the top of my head Mark Sanford.

00:03:20.655 --> 00:03:28.825
I don't know the year, but several years ago when he was called out married, mark Sanford was called out for going to Argentina.

00:03:28.825 --> 00:03:40.831
Do you remember that, and it turns out he was with his girlfriend, but he said he was backpacking by himself, while his wife stayed at their home on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina with her kids and she had no idea what was going on.

00:03:40.831 --> 00:03:42.884
But then everybody found out what was going on.

00:03:43.366 --> 00:03:53.026
Something else that just popped in my head it also reminds me, probably closer aligned with this is when the governor of Texas, greg Abbott, was out of town.

00:03:53.026 --> 00:04:01.689
He was in China, I believe, on a trade mission, when a Category 1 hurricane barreled into Texas.

00:04:01.689 --> 00:04:04.635
Well, it didn't even barrel into Houston, it was a Category 1.

00:04:04.635 --> 00:04:14.353
The CEO of Centerpoint Energy did a horrible job trying to explain why there wasn't any power in Texas.

00:04:14.353 --> 00:04:29.293
That crisis for Governor Abbott absolutely coincides, it links with this one, and the difference is Governor Abbott fought back, and that was during a time where he was having a pissing match with President Biden, who was coming off those horrible debates.

00:04:29.293 --> 00:04:31.608
So it became political.

00:04:31.608 --> 00:04:45.413
But this is very similar when Bass was out of town and, unlike Abbott fighting back to deflect from the fact she was out of town, mayor Bass froze in the moment of her crisis.

00:04:45.413 --> 00:04:53.536
Now it is worth noting that Bass did declare a state of emergency from Ghana, but the optics of her being away were terrible.

00:04:53.536 --> 00:05:01.781
Her return was met with anger and calls for her resignation, and Bass did what leaders often do defended her actions.

00:05:01.781 --> 00:05:14.100
She claimed that she had been in constant contact with officials, that she had taken quote the fastest route back quote to Los Angeles.

00:05:14.100 --> 00:05:14.781
But the damage was clearly done.

00:05:14.802 --> 00:05:20.285
Now I'm going to play the video that put the mayor deep, deep into a crisis hole.

00:05:20.285 --> 00:05:27.350
Now you are only listening to this podcast and trust me when I say watching it is far more painful.

00:05:27.350 --> 00:05:34.497
I mentioned that I talk about Governor Abbott and the Centerpoint Energy's response in one of my keynotes.

00:05:34.497 --> 00:05:37.240
I am now adding this video to my keynote.

00:05:37.240 --> 00:05:39.461
So here's I'll just insert it like a quick add in.

00:05:39.461 --> 00:05:51.718
Here have annual meetings, leadership, annual meetings, and you want me to speak about breakdown and leadership and how to build up from that, how to come back when the critics are overtaking.

00:05:51.718 --> 00:05:58.899
You can reach out to me I have a link in the show notes, but this video is going into that keynote.

00:05:59.725 --> 00:06:06.478
The sound of this news clip is a reporter asking the mayor about her trip.

00:06:06.478 --> 00:06:10.930
I'll give you the visual in one sentence Deer in headlights.

00:06:10.930 --> 00:06:15.355
So she's departing the plane and you know how the jet bridge comes up to planes.

00:06:15.355 --> 00:06:31.019
Typically you would walk the jet bridge to go into the airport, but as an official she's going to step onto the jet bridge and then she's going to go straight out that door where the luggage typically goes when you're boarding a plane, and the jet bridge operators are taking all the luggage off.

00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:41.560
So she's waiting for that door to open, but you need a jet bridge operator to open the door, so she is just standing there in silence.

00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:42.805
Take a listen.

00:06:43.206 --> 00:06:46.718
Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning?

00:06:46.718 --> 00:06:51.406
Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars?

00:06:51.406 --> 00:06:55.656
Madam Mayor, have you nothing to say today?

00:06:55.656 --> 00:06:58.704
Have you absolutely?

00:06:59.067 --> 00:07:00.673
nothing to say to the citizens today?

00:07:00.673 --> 00:07:04.932
Elon Musk says that you're utterly incompetent.

00:07:04.932 --> 00:07:10.589
Are you considering your position, madam Mayor?

00:07:10.589 --> 00:07:14.812
Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today who are dealing with this disaster?

00:07:14.812 --> 00:07:22.050
No apology for them.

00:07:22.050 --> 00:07:29.307
Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?

00:07:29.307 --> 00:08:01.464
Madam Mayor, let me ask you just again have you anything to say to the citizens today as you return?

00:08:01.464 --> 00:08:03.535
No, no, no, no, no.

00:08:05.586 --> 00:08:06.928
Madam hold on one second as you return.

00:08:09.093 --> 00:08:13.685
Madam Mayor, just a few words for the citizens today as you return to deal with the catastrophe.

00:08:14.206 --> 00:08:16.759
Can you take this down?

00:08:20.569 --> 00:08:23.937
No comment is a reputation death sentence.

00:08:23.937 --> 00:08:25.632
I could end the episode right here.

00:08:25.632 --> 00:08:29.286
Comment is a reputation death sentence.

00:08:29.286 --> 00:08:30.249
I could end the episode right here.

00:08:30.249 --> 00:08:35.438
Bass had over 7,000 miles on that plane, flying back from Ghana to LAX, to come up with a state from the jetway.

00:08:35.438 --> 00:08:38.471
She had to have staffers on that plane with her.

00:08:38.471 --> 00:08:46.488
She had her jacket, so clearly she must have known, or a staffer said, uh, Madam Mayor, here's your jacket to put on when you come off the flight.

00:08:46.488 --> 00:08:48.236
Like she knew she was going to be photographed.

00:08:48.236 --> 00:08:51.892
You would have to know the questions were going to be there as well.

00:08:51.892 --> 00:09:01.697
Now, one of the reasons why she likely was silenced is because, since this crisis happened and this is what happens in a crisis people start digging.

00:09:01.697 --> 00:09:13.730
There was a 2021 interview with the New York Times that resurfaced, in which she said quote if I win the election, not only would I, of course, live here, but I also would not travel internationally.

00:09:13.730 --> 00:09:19.668
The only places I would go would be DC, Sacramento, San Francisco and New York.

00:09:19.668 --> 00:09:22.013
In relation to LA end quote.

00:09:22.013 --> 00:09:23.235
And the trip to Ghana.

00:09:23.235 --> 00:09:26.602
That was her fifth international trip Her fifth.

00:09:26.602 --> 00:09:38.335
She clearly wasn't expecting the ambush on the jet bridge, but how could you not, With all the criticism mounting on Bass from the trip to Ghana, things went from bad to worse.

00:09:38.595 --> 00:09:47.557
Now, typically in a crisis, leaders will already have some fault lines that will contribute to the erosion of trust For Bass.

00:09:47.557 --> 00:09:55.538
In 2024, she had slashed the LA fire department's the LAFD's budget by $17.5 million.

00:09:55.538 --> 00:10:01.918
So, of course, critics come out and they started arguing that these cuts hampered the city's fire response.

00:10:01.918 --> 00:10:04.772
And then people on social media chime in with their public opinion.

00:10:04.772 --> 00:10:16.298
Critics at the time warned that the city would not be able to afford these types of contracts because they would make for significant budget cuts to basic services like the fire department.

00:10:16.298 --> 00:10:20.807
So the timing of the budget cuts added to that erosion.

00:10:21.109 --> 00:10:24.892
Number three the credibility is clearly in question.

00:10:24.892 --> 00:10:27.214
The criticism has started.

00:10:27.214 --> 00:10:30.756
She's on the trip, she's gone back on her word.

00:10:30.756 --> 00:10:48.548
The policies contributed to the chaos of the lack of water in the fire hydrants to fight the blazes, and they're going to say it's the decision that she cut the LAFD's funds.

00:10:48.548 --> 00:10:51.495
So now Bass is in a position where she has to defend these reductions.

00:10:51.495 --> 00:10:54.226
Now, does it mean she made a mistake in these reductions?

00:10:54.226 --> 00:10:57.379
Well, that's up for the people in Los Angeles to determine.

00:10:57.379 --> 00:11:02.330
However, leaders are allowed to make their decisions, even if they're unpopular decisions.

00:11:02.330 --> 00:11:05.975
You just have to specify why it was made.

00:11:05.975 --> 00:11:09.306
Sometimes decisions are tough decisions.

00:11:09.306 --> 00:11:18.453
That's the type of language that leaders should put out there when they are dealing with this type of issue in the throes of a crisis.

00:11:18.453 --> 00:11:30.859
Also, the luck, she had someone who was directly contradicting her and was a member of her team, and that is the LAFD chief, Kristen Crowley.

00:11:30.859 --> 00:11:38.119
She was not afraid to go on camera and speak about what the cuts did.

00:11:38.346 --> 00:11:49.385
Did the city of Los Angeles fail you and your department and our city and our city?

00:11:49.385 --> 00:11:52.398
It's my job to stand up as a chief and exactly say, justifiably, what the fire department needs to operate to meet the demands of the community.

00:11:52.398 --> 00:11:53.100
Did they fail you?

00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:55.691
That is our job and I tell you that's why I'm here.

00:11:55.691 --> 00:11:58.705
So let's get us what we need so our firefighters can do their jobs.

00:11:58.705 --> 00:11:59.726
Did they fail you?

00:11:59.726 --> 00:12:03.331
Yes, Ouch.

00:12:03.692 --> 00:12:12.428
When you have your fire chief directly contradicting you, that is creating a firestorm within the firestorm.

00:12:12.428 --> 00:12:17.677
That was bold leadership on the fire chief's part to do that.

00:12:17.677 --> 00:12:19.668
Put her job at great risk.

00:12:19.668 --> 00:12:20.710
This is the point.

00:12:20.710 --> 00:12:23.115
The critics come out and the critics are vocal.

00:12:23.115 --> 00:12:26.192
They're talking to reporters, they're on social media.

00:12:26.192 --> 00:12:29.134
The criticism mixes with public opinion.

00:12:29.134 --> 00:12:30.571
And where do we get public opinion?

00:12:30.571 --> 00:12:31.910
Of course, on social media.

00:12:31.910 --> 00:12:37.024
Then you get celebrities chiming in like a Kardashian.

00:12:37.024 --> 00:12:46.576
Of course Khloe says on Instagram quote I stand by you, chief Crowley, four bangers, mayor Bass, you are a joke.

00:12:46.576 --> 00:12:47.562
Four bangers.

00:12:47.562 --> 00:12:51.648
That type of criticism it doesn't matter if it's from a Kardashian.

00:12:51.648 --> 00:12:58.393
That type of criticism starting with the letter K matters because the Kardashians have followers.

00:12:58.393 --> 00:13:04.038
The press is going to pull any type of commentary by celebrities.

00:13:04.038 --> 00:13:07.440
It just adds to the criticism and it erodes the trust.

00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:10.602
With the erosion in trust comes the retaliation.

00:13:10.602 --> 00:13:15.048
Erosion in trust comes the retaliation.

00:13:15.048 --> 00:13:16.953
That's when people, the public, they start to stand up and they demand justice.

00:13:16.974 --> 00:13:19.140
At the time, there was an online petition.

00:13:19.140 --> 00:13:29.519
At the time of this recording, there are over 134,000 names calling for the resignation of the mayor.

00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:33.211
I often get asked in these situations do these petitions work?

00:13:33.211 --> 00:13:40.876
Well, boards don't determine to fire leaders, and people don't get fired directly because of a petition.

00:13:40.876 --> 00:13:43.349
My goodness, could you imagine if that would be the reason?

00:13:43.349 --> 00:13:48.928
However, it's a metric that the press can use and put in their stories.

00:13:48.928 --> 00:13:51.953
It's a scientific measurement.

00:13:51.953 --> 00:14:05.558
If there are over 134,000 verified names, now we have verified evidence that at least 134,000 people want this woman gone.

00:14:05.558 --> 00:14:10.169
Next, broken promises, broken leadership.

00:14:10.169 --> 00:14:16.539
The criticism of the mayor and her response to the wildfires continued to grow.

00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:27.908
The broken promise of stating she was not going to travel, the potential broken promises with the LA Fire Department that the chief was calling her out for.

00:14:27.908 --> 00:14:34.274
Broken promises in leadership also can be a death knell to leadership.

00:14:34.274 --> 00:14:43.542
Next, it's deflecting responsibility, instead of acknowledging the public's concerns about her absence or the impact of her budget cuts.

00:14:44.686 --> 00:15:03.634
Can you address the criticism now over the budget issue and the slashing $17 million slashing of the budget, you know, I think if you go back and look at the reductions that were made, there were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with over the last couple of days.

00:15:03.634 --> 00:15:20.133
And then there was a little bit of confusion because money was allocated to be distributed later on, which was actually going to support salaries and other parts of the fire department that were distributed a little later.

00:15:21.105 --> 00:15:25.533
In defense of Mayor Bass and anyone else standing before a press conference.

00:15:25.533 --> 00:15:28.991
I used to do press conference training for officials when I was at FEMA.

00:15:28.991 --> 00:15:37.908
It's important to have optics match your words, because people watch press conferences.

00:15:37.908 --> 00:15:42.405
They don't necessarily just listen to them, they watch them while listening to them.

00:15:42.405 --> 00:15:49.818
So if your words are discordant with the optics, people are going to defer to the optics.

00:15:49.818 --> 00:15:57.318
So if I'm going to speak about her fault lines, I have to speak about why she is at a disadvantage right out the gate.

00:15:59.065 --> 00:16:01.494
Next number six a lack of empathy.

00:16:01.494 --> 00:16:07.998
Her initial statements lack the emotional resonance needed to connect with a community reeling from a disaster.

00:16:07.998 --> 00:16:22.221
Her emphasis on resisting efforts to pull us apart and being more focused on political unity than acknowledging the real pain and loss faced by Angelenos people in the area.

00:16:22.221 --> 00:16:27.655
That lack of empathy can also erode trust.

00:16:27.655 --> 00:16:32.467
So now let's focus on the key lessons in crisis communication.

00:16:32.467 --> 00:16:35.207
What could Bass have done differently?

00:16:35.207 --> 00:16:40.365
These are the key takeaways for anyone in a position of leadership when a crisis hits.

00:16:40.365 --> 00:16:43.631
Number one show executive presence.

00:16:43.631 --> 00:16:47.759
Females people identifying as females minority.

00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:54.778
Anyone who's not an experienced white male behind a microphone has a disadvantage.

00:16:54.778 --> 00:17:01.418
That's why you have to find the ways to show more executive presence where you can.

00:17:01.418 --> 00:17:06.772
Two you have to take ownership, and that means you have to name the criticism.

00:17:06.772 --> 00:17:13.060
If people are calling you out for a fault line and it's true you have to address it.

00:17:13.682 --> 00:17:19.527
She should have addressed the fact that she was out of the country, even if people were going to blame her and still come at her for doing it.

00:17:19.527 --> 00:17:22.114
She needs to go on the record and explain why.

00:17:22.114 --> 00:17:27.758
Instead, she was a deer in headlights that is going to follow her straight into the election.

00:17:27.758 --> 00:17:37.558
She prioritized the protection of her name over the reasons why she chose to go to Ghana during the middle of growing crisis.

00:17:37.558 --> 00:17:41.391
Three be present Literally impossible.

00:17:41.391 --> 00:17:44.654
That means be on the ground, be visible, be engaged.

00:17:44.654 --> 00:17:49.176
So she's already broken a promise by traveling out of town, but she's going to a presidential inauguration.

00:17:49.176 --> 00:17:52.034
Let's say that's already out in the press and people are already talking.

00:17:52.034 --> 00:17:54.250
She could use that as a talking point.

00:17:54.250 --> 00:17:57.116
I was at the airport heading out.

00:17:57.116 --> 00:18:10.268
That's true, I was heading out for an inauguration, but then I was keeping up to date on the potential of a crisis and I pulled back and we came back to the city so I could help prepare in case something happened and something happened, and that's why.

00:18:10.307 --> 00:18:10.608
I'm here.

00:18:10.608 --> 00:18:13.272
Next, you have to acknowledge concerns.

00:18:13.272 --> 00:18:15.236
Address the elephant in the room directly.

00:18:15.236 --> 00:18:18.608
She should have acknowledged them head on.

00:18:18.608 --> 00:18:30.596
A simple, heartfelt statement expressing regret for the timing, emphasizing her immediate focus on the crisis, could have gone a long, long way in dampening that storyline.

00:18:30.596 --> 00:18:33.410
Next, it's just showing empathy.

00:18:33.611 --> 00:18:35.567
This is not a time for scripted talking points.

00:18:35.567 --> 00:18:39.336
People need to see and hear that their leaders understand and share their pain.

00:18:39.336 --> 00:18:41.349
Use clear, direct language.

00:18:41.349 --> 00:18:44.257
Acknowledge the impact of the crisis on individuals.

00:18:44.257 --> 00:18:52.090
Bass could have done so much more to express genuine sorrow for those who lost loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods.

00:18:52.653 --> 00:18:57.471
Understandable that, as a leader, you don't want to go off message In this environment.

00:18:57.471 --> 00:19:01.670
Critics will bury you, so you want to make sure that you're on message.

00:19:01.670 --> 00:19:07.087
However, it is very difficult to go off message when you're talking about compassion.

00:19:07.087 --> 00:19:10.297
How difficult is it to be a mayor and say that you are hurting?

00:19:10.297 --> 00:19:12.991
You were just driving around Los Angeles.

00:19:12.991 --> 00:19:18.253
Talk about what you saw, talk about the pain, talk about how it makes you feel.

00:19:18.253 --> 00:19:27.086
I am thickened by what happened Driving around Los Angeles, getting out, talking to the victims, talking to the firefighters.

00:19:27.086 --> 00:19:29.711
Our city is in ruins.

00:19:29.711 --> 00:19:35.046
Okay, I just pulled a quote from Bruce Springsteen, but it's not that difficult to do.

00:19:35.567 --> 00:19:37.112
Next, be transparent.

00:19:37.112 --> 00:19:38.095
Be accountable.

00:19:38.095 --> 00:19:39.840
Don't shy away from difficult questions.

00:19:39.840 --> 00:19:47.509
Bass's attempts to downplay the LAFD budget cuts and defer accountability only made her appear defensive and untrustworthy.

00:19:47.509 --> 00:19:58.679
A more effective approach is to acknowledge the budget realities, explain the difficult decisions that were made and pledge a thorough review of the city's fire preparedness after the crisis.

00:19:59.125 --> 00:20:05.259
Don't say you're examining everything after the crisis, because there are things that you can examine right there on the spot.

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:11.211
But going through a budget, going through those decisions, the public, the press, they should understand.

00:20:11.211 --> 00:20:13.193
Now's not the time for me to do accounting.

00:20:13.193 --> 00:20:21.471
I'll get to that, we'll talk about it, but right now my focus is on the city and the Angelenos who are suffering from this fire.

00:20:21.471 --> 00:20:25.429
Finally, the focus should be on solutions Own it, explain it, promise it.

00:20:25.429 --> 00:20:27.414
People want to see their leaders taking action.

00:20:28.125 --> 00:20:34.999
She could have used her platform to highlight the specific steps being taken to fight the fire, support evacuees and address the immediate needs of those affected.

00:20:34.999 --> 00:20:38.826
She did this much, much later.

00:20:38.826 --> 00:20:45.689
Those could have been her talking points as she was standing on that jetway like a deer in headlights.

00:20:45.689 --> 00:20:57.414
The bottom line Bass is going to have a lot of difficulty in a reelection if she chooses to run again, she has lost the trust of stakeholders.

00:20:57.414 --> 00:21:00.576
She was literally backed into a corner.

00:21:00.576 --> 00:21:06.618
For all leaders, if you do not have the trust of stakeholders, then you are backed into a corner.

00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:12.701
These LA wildfires highlight a critical truth Managing a crisis isn't just about handling the event.

00:21:12.701 --> 00:21:14.682
It's about maintaining trust.

00:21:14.682 --> 00:21:22.430
Effective leaders communicate clearly, empathize deeply and take accountability.

00:21:22.430 --> 00:21:23.773
Did you enjoy this background?

00:21:23.773 --> 00:21:35.606
Well then, I encourage you to subscribe, leave a review and share with your network of fellow communicators and anyone else who's listening to this podcast your network of fellow communicators and anyone else who's listening to this podcast.

00:21:35.606 --> 00:21:38.548
So follow me on social media for more insights into PR strategies and crisis communication.

00:21:38.548 --> 00:21:45.109
It could come from celebrities, it could come from leaders, but I promise you it's always going to be ripped from the headlines.

00:21:45.109 --> 00:21:46.710
Thanks for listening.

00:21:46.710 --> 00:21:48.810
Come back for next week's big story.

00:21:48.810 --> 00:21:49.691
Bye for now.