New York Congressman, Anthony Weiner, has had a “ca-tweet-strophe” for the ages. A photograph “mysteriously” surfaced on Weiner’s twitter account of an underwear-clad groin.  Subjected to puns for perhaps the rest of time, Weiner has consistently refused to say “with certitude” that the picture was of his, well, you know. But he hasn’t outright denied it either.

While the situation is utterly embarrassing to say the least, Weiner’s pickle provides a lesson for all of us in crisis communications, or the process of skillfully handling news stemming from a bad situation.

The congressman has said his account was hacked, but never went to the police. It’s important to have some sort of credibility in these situations. While a hacking was definitely possible, without a second source it’s harder to believe.

Weiner has also given contradictory remarks to various media outlets. Our advice to him would have been to “Pick a stance, defend it, and stick to it.”  After he said he was “not going to allow this to be what I talk about all week,” he sat down for approximately eleven hours of interviews with NBC, Fox News, CBS, CNN, ABC, and others. Through it all, he’s remained mysterious and said different things as to his breadth of knowledge regarding the photo, and if in fact it was taken of him.

As House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said on Fox news this week, “My advice would be to come clean and clear it up. I mean, perhaps he’s trying, but I know there’s a lot of explaining going on without a lot of clarity.”

Crisis communications isn’t about spinning bad news into good, it’s about limiting the fall-out from bad events and making sure the stain doesn’t permanently taint your good reputation. Weiner could’ve used some tips from Boardroom’s crisis communications experts.

To get his panties out of a bundle, (pun intended), Weiner could and should have done the following:

o Call his trusted advisors. As soon as word gets out, call your PR consultant versed in crisis communications, as well as your attorney.

o Think before speaking. Take time to assess the situations, and the irrevocable consequences.  If Weiner wasn’t prepared to speak he should not have expressed concern, as he told Fox News, “We’re concerned about saying anything indefinitely.”  Right there, it implies that Weiner has something to hide. If you’re not prepared to speak, say, “We are determining exactly what has happened and will respond with a statement when we can.” This shows you’re actively engaged and not avoiding the questions, and the truth.

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Mark your calendars for the National MS Society South Florida’s Whimsical Women’s Retreat on July 29th – 31st – an amazing and fun-filled weekend that focuses on giving participants the opportunity to share their stories and experiences with MS in an intimate setting. Women who attend will be able to participate in workshops such as color therapy and nutrition and cooking demos, as well as massages, games and giveaways.

Click on the image for more information! Hope to see you there!

In a tough economy, businesses everywhere are looking for new ways to stay alive – including nurseries. Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmers Market was recently included in a round up story about innovative ways that nurseries are bringing in more business. Jim Dezell, owner of Flamingo Road, has introduced a farmers market and deli, and uses novelty items, such as double-yolk eggs, to lure in new customers. Coupled with free gardening classes and festivals throughout the year, Dezell says that his business is thriving more than ever before.

Recognizing what sets our clients apart from their competition has made Boardroom Communications a successful public relations agency for more than 21 years. We spotted the booming trend of nurseries in South Florida and capitalized on it by including Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmers Market in the article.

Click here to read the full story.