Experts make the call: Feeding Frenzy is ‘must reading’

In my previous post, I declared (perhaps immodestly) that the intent of my soon-to-be-available book on crisis communications is to be “interesting as well as informative.”

Feeding Frenzy aims to provide readers with the sense of living through the pressure-cooker experience of handling a deluge of media inquiries throughout the epic Ford-Firestone crisis.

 

So, does the book achieve those ambitions?

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I’ll leave it to others to be the judge, beginning with perhaps the most widely respected expert on the contemporary auto industry, along with four highly-regarded thought-leaders in the discipline of public relations.

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Here’s what the five of them had to say after reading an advance draft of Feeding Frenzy:

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Feeding Frenzy is a view from the inside of one the most intriguing events in the history of modern industry, the highly publicized drama of the Ford-Firestone conflict. Jon Harmon, a key player in the drama, gives us a clear view from the team that lived with the enormous challenge for months on end. His “lessons learned” are highly insightful and valuable for any organization dealing with serious legal conflict. The detail, quality of writing, complexity of the issues and the interesting cast of characters make this a very engaging and educational read.

 

- Dr. David E. Cole, Chairman, Center for Automotive Research, Ann Arbor, Mich.

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Jon Harmon’s Feeding Frenzy is must reading both for CEOs and public relations professionals.  His insider account of a real-life business disaster involving two iconic brand names, Ford and Firestone, has all the suspense of a fictional “thriller.” From his perch as a senior Ford communicator, he provides rare perspective on a conflict that engaged lawyers and communicators fighting for mega-stakes – dollars and, even more important, reputation.

 

- Harold Burson, founding chairman, Burson-Marsteller; named “the 20^th Century’s most influential PR figure” by PR Week.

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The Ford-Firestone dispute marked the start of 21^st century crisis communications, an environment where the court of public opinion is often more important than a court of law. Jon Harmon’s “ground zero” examination of these events at Ford provides invaluable insights and lessons to crisis managers everywhere.

 

- Jonathan Bernstein, President & CEO, Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc; editor/publisher, “Crisis Manager.”

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Crisis communications expert Jon Harmon cracks open a famous case of a company under fire and comes away with fresh guidance for the corporate executive who wants to avoid costly mistakes and gain the advantage when things go wrong and critics are on the attack. A must-read for C-suiters.

 nnn - E. Bruce Harrison, author, Corporate Greening 2.0  

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Feeding Frenzy has the compelling narrative drive of a novel. The drama comes alive with details of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and intriguing personalities. It delivers important crisis management lessons that executives need: instant news, the role of the Internet, the melodramatic approach to story telling used by today’s ratings-desperate media – and the role trial attorneys and opportunistic politicians play now that reputations and trust can be lost in a heartbeat.

 

- Gerald Baron, author, Now Is Too Late: Survival in an Era of Instant News.

Comments

[Joseph Griffo]

An excellent perspective on crisis management from the person who had to manage the highly publicized Ford-Firestone conflict. The lessons learned provide valuable insight for those people contemplating starting their own business.