Page 19 - CCCA 243725 Magazine_Winter 2015

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He likes the idea of having GR and PR report to the CLO Not everyone shares that viewpoint. Bibic, who has had his
or GC, and stresses the need for a collaborative approach to share of media interviews, concedes that it’s not easy being the
build a well-oiled machine leveraging the talents of the three spokesperson but he has worked hard to master it. “I’ve relied
disciplines: “It’s a good idea to be in charge of that function. If primarily on the good advice and discretion of our comms
[general counsel] are not, they spend most of their time battling [communications] team. That’s where I learned it, by listening to
turf wars. That’s counterproductive. It’s far better to deal with them, taking their advice and doing a lot of media interviews and
GR and PR to get a consensus around the messaging.” appearing at committee hearings. You can really only get good at
Moreover, he says, the talent and skill sets complement one it by doing it.”
another. “In my view, lawyers are very, very good at managing “You don’t realize how bright the lights are until you experi-
risk, and very good at evaluating that risk and mitigating it.” ence it,” Bibic says of on-camera interviews. As well, scrums—
When it comes to government relations, he says, “you don’t where journalists circle their prey rapidly fring off questions—
want to send a lawyer into the government.” That only raises sus- can be a challenge to master, though Bibic says scrums “feel a
picions, and government offcials think if the lawyer has arrived, little more natural in some sense than one-on-one interviews,
there must be a “big problem. You are not going to get anywhere.” particularly when the interviews are live.”
In that case, the best thing to do is to “get a very, very good He says the toughest interviews are double-enders, where the
government relations person who knows his or her way around anchor is in one studio and the guest is in another staring at a
and knows all the people and can communicate all those mes- camera and they can’t see the other participant. “They take the
sages within the strategic plan you have created.” most getting used to because you are trying to be natural, but
can’t see anyone,” Bibic says.
Moreover, it’s his view that, in general, His advice for other lawyers who might be called upon to
lawyers are “not so good at talking to the handle media interviews: “Never ask your kids how you did.
public. You never want a lawyer talking They’re your harshest critics.” ❚
to reporters, particularly on camera. You
get the sense that they are guarded and
worried about what they are saying.” Jim Middlemiss is a writer based in London, Ontario.

Building An integrAted teAm

Lawyers who have the responsibility of overseeing government re- sponsibilities during a crisis, he warns, “it can blow up in your
lations or public relations need to think strategically about building face very quickly.”
their team and integrating those functions into the organization. Melissa Kennedy says, “Talent is the most important aspect for
Here are some tips on how to do that.
building out any team. I have made it a practice of being in charge
rob Landry says there are certain critical skills needed to man- of things I know nothing about, and identifying people who are
age in today’s fast-paced and highly interconnected business en- smarter than me.”
vironment that lawyers should not overlook. For example, don’t that means fnding competent gr and Pr people who can see
underestimate the need to address the digital component of the bigger picture and consider the broader strategic aspect of
communications. You need someone who has digital savvy and the business and company.
understands the technology side of social media.
“Be nimble,” she adds. “A crisis can change and morph from one
More importantly, though, is to ensure you have a crisis man- emphasis in a particular area to another. Be prepared to put dif-
agement plan in place and an effective social media risk ferent people in charge.”
management plan. If you are trying to sort out roles and re-

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