Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria’s address last week to Air Force Academy students and staff in response racial attacks that appeared on message boards at the school set the bar for effective crisis response. It’s no surprise that the video has gone viral.
His five-minute speech, during which he encouraged those in attendance to film and share on social media, is worth watching in full.
PR Daily broke down his address, highlighting several key points that made it so effective:
- Message was unambiguous
- Strong closing
- Built on the group’s collective power
- Demand for action
- Avoided politics
- Strong delivery emphasized audience connection
Adding to these, and having worked with clients on crisis responses, one aspect that gave the address such impact was its authenticity. Surely everyone who heard it live, watched it on YouTube or on one of the many media sites that picked it up, walked away with no doubts that Silveria set the right tone for condemning the actions, and for moving forward as the preeminent educational institution that represents the Air Force and the country.
