As weapons go, anger can easily miss the target or misfire — and you may be the one who’s injured.
Someone accusing you? Of sexual harassment or abuse (today’s most frequent claim). Of violating labor and employment regulations. Of money gone missing from your company or non-profit. Of causing a business deal to go sour. Of anything else.
Of course you’re angry. Either because you’re innocent or because you got caught. The former isn’t deserved; the latter you hoped would never happen.
All the sputtering in the world won’t make it better. Neither will lashing out. That’ll just cause you to be perceived as incoherent, uncertain, and probably guilty.
You need a strategy. And every word you utter and action you take must align with it.
How do you know what strategy to follow? The best rule: Pick your fights carefully.
First take a step back. Put your emotions aside. Analyze the situation dispassionately. There’s usually a difference between what you’d like to achieve if you had your druthers and what’s actually achievable. Recognize that, and accept it.
Then pick your tactics. Only after you know your goal can you effectively select your weapons.
As innocent as the driven snow? Saying so is good, but it’s rarely enough. You need to be ready to prove it to a society that’s as skeptical as it is cynical.
Caught red-handed? A mea culpa helps, as does a promise to sin no more. But those have been heard so much in recent years (and especially in recent months), that they’re losing impact. The public has become inured to them.
What if you’re somewhere in between? No such thing as a little bit guilty. Better to fess up and suffer some penance. If you try to finesse your way scot-free, you’ll likely become the target of ridicule and scorn.
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You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
Check out A Board Member’s Guide to Crisis PR and A Lawyer’s Guide to Crisis PR (Second Edition) on Amazon.
Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
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