Writing Assignment #5: Crisis Management

The New York Knicks have lost 10 straight games. Phil Jackson, the New York Knicks team president, has been seeing too much of a loser's mentality infecting the team. Frustration is boiling and Derek Fisher, first year as head coach for the Knicks, has to keep everybody calm, keep everybody believing in the triangle and keep everything from falling apart. Between multiple injuries and in-house bickering between some players, things are not looking too great for the New York Knicks.

James Dolan is going to be the New York Knicks organizational spokesperson. Walt Frazier is going to be the New York Knicks back-up organizational spokesperson.


The 10 Steps of Crisis Communications

1. Anticipate Crises
2. Identify Your Crisis Communications Team
3. Identify and Train Spokespersons
4. Spokesperson Training
5. Establish Notification and Monitoring Systems
6. Identify and Know Your Stakeholders
7. Develop Holding Statements
8. Assess the Crisis Situation
9. Finalize and Adapt Key Messages
10. Post-Crisis Analysis

Questions from the Media:

1. What is being done to better the Knicks game?
2. Was hiring coach Derek Fisher was a bad idea?
3. Have the Knicks been thinking of any type of trades?
4. Should the New York Knicks organization look into hiring a new head coach?
5. Did hiring coach Derek Fisher negatively impact the Knicks? Put them in an even worse position than they were in prior to him being hired?
6. Are there any specific players causing issues behind the scenes?
7. What is Coach Fisher doing to snap the players out of the funk they're in?
8. Are team meetings being held to address any issues going on on and off the court?
9. Do any of the players have anything to comment about the issues at hand?
10. When can we expect to see some improvement on the court? 

A vast majority of the New York Knicks front office should be involved with motivating the organization and it's fans about the Knicks basketball games. More specifically, the New York Knicks Public Relations team should be heavily involved with the crisis management plan for the Knicks.  

The Knicks organization should not fret over what the media may be saying about the teams current state. Derek Fisher should not listen to the media because it could truly negatively effect his position head coaching. None of the players should do anything foolish to add to the Knicks bad name. 

(Source: ESPN and Bernstein)