Winning a fight is nice. Winning the war is better.
To put it another way: Act short term. Think long-term.
Facing a crisis? You can’t ignore what’s staring you in the face. That would be foolhardy. You must deal with it in the moment.
But never take your eyes off the horizon. Your tone and your message must be right for the long term. You must always be alert to how the public will perceive your company next week, next month, or next year?
For more tips like these, check out A Board Member’s Guide to Crisis PR: Protecting You & Your Organization’s Reputation.
A fast-fashion company got it right. It was receiving negative media because of baseless rumors about alleged working conditions at some of its overseas manufacturers. The CEO didn’t hesitate: “This bullshit will pass and soon be forgotten. What we must do is protect our brand long-term. If we lose our reputation, we lose the public’s goodwill — and that means we lose consumers.”
By contrast, a tech company was also in the media in an undesirable way. But its CEO was so focused on the immediate that he lost sight of the long term. “This is so painful. How can people say such untrue things?” the CEO said. “Just make it stop NOW. We’ll worry about the future later.”
Some Board members and executives get the difference instinctively. They quickly grasp the importance and dynamics of guarding an organization’s reputation. They also recognize that every victory is temporary until the next threat rears its head.
They have no tolerance for wasting time. They think fast, decide fast, act fast.
In one case, a complex Reputation Management concept was being laid out for the Board of an internationally recognizable entertainment company. Thirty seconds into our presentation, the Chairman waved to halt. “I see where you’re going. Do it. Anything else?”
Such abruptness is both chastening and reassuring. (It can be daunting to those unaccustomed to fast minds, but it means you have the client’s confidence.)
However, a caveat lurks not far below the surface: Mistakes aren’t tolerated, either. If any slip-up occurs, that confidence can evaporate in a heartbeat.
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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