Emotional boo-boo? Best to rip the Band-Aid.
When trouble erupts, it’s natural to want to hunker down. But silence isn’t a viable option. The hardest pill to swallow may be realizing you need to set the record straight.
People often have things they’d prefer to keep quiet because it’s embarrassing, damning, painful, or a combination of everything. Problem is, you don’t get your druthers.
Consider this all-too-frequent conversation:
Us: We need to address this issue now. If we don’t, people will speculate.
Client: Let them speculate all they want. I don’t care.
Us: Trust me. You will care. If you stay silent, it’ll only cause more questions. By reporters, investors, the public, your family, and opposing counsel. They want to know.
Client: But it’s none of their [insert your favorite expletive] business!
Us: That may be true. And I understand how painful this is. But if you don’t bite the bullet now, the pain will only be worse later.
The goal is simple. Get out in front and frame the story on your terms. Otherwise, you’ll fall farther and farther behind. You can hold your breath and wish it away as much as you’d like, but you won’t be doing yourself any favors.
When you know that something is going to be made public soon, you shouldn’t waste your precious time in denial. You need to figure out how you’re going to frame your story.
There’s a time-honored rule in our business: We often talk about how you don’t answer the question you’re asked. Instead, answer the one you want. (The reason it’s time-honored is because it works so well.)
Here are two things you can do to put this into practice:
First, ask yourself, How can I sidestep this so I don’t seem evasive?
Remember: Different audiences have different needs. Reporters just want a pithy quote. Investors just want to be reassured their money is safe. The public and your family just want an explanation that’s reasonable and comforting. Opposing counsel — well, they’ll never be satisfied.
Second, shift the conversation. What would you prefer to focus on?
Do you have a bright, shiny object to distract them with? Can you plausibly steer their attention to someone or something else?
Lesson: Rip the Band-Aid. Make the story short-lived. Then quickly move on.
For a deeper glimpse into our world, see our book on Amazon, A Lawyer’s Guide to Crisis PR: Protecting Your Clients In & From the Media.
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You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
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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