Shop Talk: Crisis Comms Expert Kim Peacock On Overcoming “Fight-or-Flight” Mode

When Kim Peacock was publisher of Vancouver Magazine, she and the periodical came under fire from animal rights groups over ads for fur coats.

This helped create a curiosity in Kim about how people respond in a crisis. She eventually began researching the topic, studying with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score. She also took The Art of Leadership training course with Dr. Robert Gass, who spent several years working on organizational development in the Obama White House.

In 2015 she founded her own consultancy firm, K2 Strategies, where she helps clients with leadership strategy and crisis and issues management. Clients have included the Fraser Health Authority and Emily Carr University, and she’s currently working with YVR Airport, Science World and Rocky Mountain Aircraft.

In addition to her consultancy work, Kim facilitates yoga as a volunteer for incarcerated men, women and male youths in Calgary.

We’re built for getting away from lions, not for dealing with emails or somebody on social media saying something that sets you off.

The Helm: How did studying how the body processes trauma help you work with clients?

Kim Peacock: It made me more effective because I understood what was going on with them in a crisis. When people are under stress our perception narrows. Your prefrontal cortex, which is the center of logic, of being able to rationally look at what your options are and make a decision, shuts down. People revert to their limbic brain, which is where storytelling, emotional responses, all the emotions live. Your body just naturally will go to fight or flight mode. We’re built for getting away from lions, not for dealing with emails or somebody on social media saying something that sets you off.

You have to override your operating system to be a good communicator when you’re under stress.

The Helm: Every case must be different, but have you noticed any trends in the kind of problems that clients approach you with?

KP: They all come from places where people feel threatened in some very basic way – their shelter, their livelihood, being able to provide. If you look at almost any crisis, that’s what it comes down to.

What I would say is that it really can follow the news. I’ve definitely given clients advice on how to manage perceptions around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That’s especially come up in organizations that have a lot of young people working for them.

But I think the biggest change probably is just this pressure on companies to speak out about global issues and knowing whether that’s appropriate or not.

The Helm: What do you suggest to leaders about when and where to contribute their two cents when it comes to politics?

KP: If it’s directly related to your mission, then you should say something. Companies that are investing in, say, controversial areas probably need to have something defined. But sometimes you just need to say nothing, or to just say, “We are not experts in this area. This is our mission.” And leave it at that. You don’t have to weigh in on every issue and you shouldn’t weigh in on every issue.

The Helm: How should leaders handle things like political debates within the workplace?

KP: You just have to be very clear. With one particular client it got really heated, and I said you need to talk to your employees, tell them why you’re not saying anything publicly and what’s appropriate and what’s expected of them, especially if they’re dealing with the public. For example, a school might say, “We are place of learning and it’s not appropriate for us to be commenting on political issues. And we need to make sure that our organization, our building is a safe place for everybody, regardless of whether they’re Jewish or Palestinian.” Just get rid of all the political statements.

If you don’t have a strong mission statement and values, then it’s really difficult to manage any crisis that comes up.

The Helm would like to thank Kim for sharing her time with us. Find her on LinkedIn



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