No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, the Occupy Wall Street movement is a fascinating case study on how we connect and communicate in today's world. Over the past three months, this expanding movement has made headlines domestically and abroad — with its "We are the 99%!" rallying cry, savvy use of social media tools, and the ability to attract participants across all walks of life.

Personal ideologies aside, there are some key communications lessons we can learn from this socio-political phenomenon:

1. Transparency is key. Corporations are under greater scrutiny to be authentic, transparent and accountable. Employee communications will play a pivotal role in building and maintaining employee trust and loyalty.
2. Franchising is the new engagement. Communications today is not about building belief; it's about creating a franchise mentality. Is your initiative compelling enough to inspire ownership? If not, you have more thinking and planning to do.
3. Make friends with social media. If your company still hasn't embraced social media, perhaps it's time to rethink that position – and to find ways to leverage these tools in the workplace.
4. Encourage bottom-up messaging. Top-down, command-and-control messaging has gone by the wayside. If you want employees to have a stake in your initiative, give them an opportunity to weigh in on, and shape, key messages.
5. Be inclusive, yet discerning. While allowing for diverse voices and different perspectives will enrich your communications process, keep your agenda and messaging focused and concise.
6. Have an end-state in mind. Protest movements, like OWS, are given license to be messy, unfocused and meandering at times. Not so with corporate initiatives. Define your strategic objectives up front so your audience has a firm idea of where you're going and what's at stake, for you and for them.

Although it's not yet clear what version 2.0 of the OWS movement will look like, one thing is certain — our discourse, outside and inside the workplace, will never be quite the same.

There’s nothing more painful than listening to a boring presentation, unless, of course, you’re the one giving it! So what’s the secret to giving a great presentation? Well, in many ways, it’s a lot like creating a great meal:

• Use fresh ingredients. You wouldn’t serve leftovers when you’ve got dinner guests. Likewise, your presentation should have something fresh to offer — new information, new ideas or new insights.
  
• Strike a balance. Just as over-seasoning can ruin a dish, providing extraneous information can have your audience nodding off or ducking out early. So no matter how passionate and knowledgeable you are about your topic, make sure the level of detail you provide is appropriate to your audience.
  
• Make it visually appealing. We eat with our eyes. Similarly, the right images — graphics, video clips, illustrations or charts — will help your audience grasp and retain key concepts and bring your material to life.
  
• Watch your pacing. You don’t want to deliver the entrée in the middle of the appetizer course. Similarly, you don’t want to rush through your material or, on the other hand, drag it out with filler just to take up the allotted time. Always practice your presentation out loud to get a feel for the rhythm and cadence of your words to ensure a smooth, polished delivery.
  
• Make it personal. There’s something intimate about a great meal. You’ll feel as if it’s been prepared just for you, even if other diners are enjoying the same dishes. As you develop your content, weave in appropriate anecdotes, stories, quotes or analogies to connect with your audience emotionally, as well as intellectually.
  
• Keep your focus. Everyone knows the risks of having too many cooks in the kitchen. Well, writing by committee also has its risks. Although it’s tempting to divide and conquer, especially when you’re preparing a lengthy presentation, allow time for a final edit and polish to ensure that your material flows smoothly and presents a consistent “voice” and point of view.
  
• Have a vision. Each course of a meal should complement one another. Just so, the segments of your presentation should coordinate together and build towards a strong and satisfying conclusion.

So the next time you’re asked to give a presentation, don’t just focus on what you can tell people. Think about creating an experience that will nourish your audience and provide sustenance for both heart and mind.

We used to think of crisis communications planning as something you’d need if something bad happened. But with disasters befalling more and more global brands these days, it seems that crisis is now the new normal. And that means your internal communications function better be ready to spring into action when bad things happen. To help you handle your internal messaging when disaster strikes, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Stick to a few key points: Craft two to three key points you want to make about the issue. Keep them short enough to fit on a few 3x5 cards, easy to remember, and simple to convey to others.
  
• Forget the platitudes: This is no time to hide behind corporate-speak. Be candid, stick to the facts and give your employees the respect and honesty they deserve.
  
• Have FAQs prepared in advance: Think about the questions employees are likely to ask first, and include them in an FAQ handout (if appropriate) for the face-to-face sessions.
  
• Prepare for an emotional, or even hostile, environment: Depending on the nature of the crisis, people may be upset or angry in your sessions. Think about how you’ll want to handle such situations and keep them from escalating.
  
• Share the news verbally first: Although it may be tempting to send out an email as your initial communications effort, it’s better to convey your news in person; for example, in an all-hands meeting or several group sessions held simultaneously. Face-to-face communication shows that you value employees, allows you to dispel rumors and gives you greater opportunity to assess and manage employee reaction.
  
• Allow time for questions: In your face-to-face meetings, give people an opportunity to ask questions, share their concerns and yes, even vent a little. Doing so will enable you to identify key concerns among your workforce.
  
• Don’t leave employees hanging: Let employees know when you’ll have more information to share. And be sure to follow up when you say you will, even if it’s to say you don’t have all the answers yet.
  
• Set up a triage system for handling additional questions: Provide a channel that employees can use to submit follow-up questions and get prompt answers. Whether it’s a locked drop box, an 800 number or a temporary website, be sure to give employees a means of getting questions answered after your initial meetings.
  
• Make sure your internal and external messages are in sync: Take care that the messages you’re providing to employees and the ones you’re sharing with the public are aligned. There’s always a chance that an internal communication might be “shared” with your local news station — or posted on the Internet — so be consistent with your messaging.
  

In today’s volatile business environment, it’s foolhardy not to have a crisis communications plan in place. No matter how profitable your company, how beloved your brand or how impeccable your corporate reputation is today, bad things can and do happen. How well your communications team prepares for them now will affect how you fare as a business, and as an employer, in the aftermath.