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Reading McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s ill-conceived comments about recent shooting deaths of two children in Chicago (including one in a McDonald’s drive-thru) prompted out contributor to write about the Emotional Intelligence Quotient, or EQ.

Viewing the threat of ransomware through numbers illustrates its gravity. It takes an average of 280 days to identify and contain a breach and costs $1.85 million to remediate, double the 2020 figure. More than half (52 percent) of all breaches are deemed malicious.

More than half of organizations compromised in the past three years deployed some form of automated security system. This suggests that technology alone is not enough. The IT team must purposefully build, review and test a cybersecurity plan. So, how can communicators contribute? They can partner with experts to clearly explain this complex topic to the C-suite and employees.

Jes Staley wasn’t the first financial-sector heavyweight to step down after reports surfaced that he had ties with the late, notorious Jeffrey Epstein. Preceding the CEO of Barclays to the exits was billionaire Leon Black, CEO and chairman of Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm. Similarities between the Staley and Black stories are useful for crisis communicators.

While smaller companies have less room for error during a crisis, crisis pros argue a mix of preparation and free or low-cost tools can provide a solid foundation before one begins.

This month’s terms to know include Decentralized Autonomous Organization and WhatAboutism.

In a rare move from the Vatican, Pope Francis thanked journalists Nov. 13 for years of unflinching investigation into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. We’ll soon see whether this week’s coverage is an example of smart long-term reputation management from the Vatican, or more of a buffer from any scandals on the horizon.

PRNEWS Live welcomed Rachael Horwitz, head of communication and marketing at a16z Crypto and operating partner at Andreessen Horowitz. She discussed the basics of blockchain and cryptocurrency and how communication and marketing play into this burgeoning sector.

In observance of Veterans Day, we again asked former Pentagon PR pro Steve Manuel for his thoughts.

Nearly 70 percent of communicators think they know what updates and information employees need. However, only 31 percent of employees agree, according to an Axios HQ survey. 

The Astroworld Tragedy is gut-wrenching. A source told The New York Times that Houston Police Chief Troy Finner shared concerns about crowd control directly with performer Travis Scott in a visit right before the show. Municipal PR veteran John Guilfoil shares some PR learnings so far.