A tragedy is unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. And where there’s tragedy (and crisis) there’s always influence strategy. In fact, the 25 stratagems of The Standard Table explain exactly how reputations are made and broken, how crises are resolved, and how involved stakeholders can counter and collaborate with the involved parties. In short, the way BP and the Obama Administration are perceived as a result of this disaster (and how they will deal with the fall out) can be summed up with a quick examination of the principal plays being run. Click on any bold link to discover.

• Screen: “This is Obama’s Katrina,” is a comparison some are making as crude oil continues to spew into the gulf.

• Call Out: Earlier last week, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar angrily attacked BP on its failed efforts to contain the deep-sea oil leak, saying that he does not have complete confidence in the company to address the situation.

• Recast: President Barack Obama aggressively confronted accusations that the administration has been lenient with BP—emphasizing both parties are working together to plug the leak and that the spill “has been [the Obama Administration’s] highest priority.”

• Challenge: But it seems that none of this is enough for Louisianans who have been disappointed in the government and BP. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal continues to demand federal officials to be more supportive of using sand berms to fight off the oil.

Both parties are in murky waters (some pun intended). While it is uncertain how the crisis will be resolved, the answer to how the federal government lost the public's trust and how BP is now in a reputation conundrum can be explained by The Standard Table of Influence Strategies.

Posted by: Alice Hu

Photo Credit: reuters.com