It’s been a tragic start to the year. In just a few weeks we’ve seen devastating natural disasters around the world, killing thousands and affecting millions of people. Crisis has rolled into crisis and here in New Zealand we’ve just weathered our third major climate event since the year began with Cyclone Gabrielle taking lives and destroying homes and businesses.
We’ve also seen some very different styles and approaches to leadership communication and this prompted one of the sections in this month’s PR Horizons update which looks at some of the highs and lows of crisis communication witnessed through each event and includes some tips for dealing with difficult leaders. While crises have dominated collective thinking and focus – and rightly so – there have been other events on the horizon, including rapid developments in artificial intelligence, particularly with regard to search and two of the internet giants going head to head. The tussle for control between Microsoft and Google is discussed, along with implications of evolving AI for practitioners, plus we touch on the business of trust, misinformation and rumour. For a short time, the February briefing is free access for subscribers and you can take a look here. I hope it gives you some food for thought and a chance to reflect on some of the issues and horizons we need to watch this month.