The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

76: Torpedoing the Commander of the USS Roosevelt: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea


Listen Later

If someone is between the devil and the deep blue sea, they are in a difficult situation where they have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.

Capt. Crozier made a decision, and it wasn't "stupid" or "naive." Trying to torpedo his career, however, turned out to be both.

U.S. Navy Captain Brett Crozier was fired after a leak of a letter he had emailed to Navy leaders detailing the service's failures in responding to a coronavirus outbreak on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt.

How will history view Captain Crozier’s decision? What lesson can other leaders take from this situation?

In this week’s episode, I’m dissecting the chain of events that define leadership in a time of global war on a virus.

  • [1:14] What was Captain Crozier’s “devil” and what was his ”deep blue sea?”

  • [2:00] Hear a clip from Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly’s press conference. 

  • [2:54] What is the chain of command in the military? 

  • [3:24] Learn why I’m sounding the alarm on this matter.

  • [4:46] Here’s the message that the firing of Capt. Crozier is actually sending to the public, and how they’re reacting.

  • [6:24] My new leadership theory due to the coronavirus.

  • [8:08] What could motivate a captain to sabotage his own career?

  • [10:48] Here’s the PR takeaway.

 

© Molly McPherson 2020

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly on Substack
Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter
Subscribe to Molly's Live Events Calendar.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.


Follow & Connect with Molly:

  • https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
  • https://mollymc...
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The PR Breakdown with Molly McPhersonBy www.mollymcpherson.com

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

206 ratings


More shows like The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

View all
Reality Life with Kate Casey by Kate Casey

Reality Life with Kate Casey

7,397 Listeners

Tom & Lorenzo’s Pop Style Opinionfest by Tom Lorenzo

Tom & Lorenzo’s Pop Style Opinionfest

739 Listeners

Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald by Heather McDonald & Studio71

Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald

25,829 Listeners

Be There in Five by Kate Kennedy

Be There in Five

7,195 Listeners

Hollywood Raw Podcast by Hurrdat Entertainment

Hollywood Raw Podcast

1,166 Listeners

The Emily Show by Baker Media, LLC.

The Emily Show

1,977 Listeners

Pop Apologists by PodcastOne

Pop Apologists

3,229 Listeners

Glamorous Trash: A Celebrity Memoir Podcast by Chelsea Devantez

Glamorous Trash: A Celebrity Memoir Podcast

2,206 Listeners

Beyond The Blinds by Cloud10

Beyond The Blinds

3,357 Listeners

The TMZ Podcast by TMZ

The TMZ Podcast

482 Listeners

FluentlyForward by CAKE MEDIA

FluentlyForward

2,204 Listeners

Deux U by Deuxmoi & Audacy

Deux U

2,087 Listeners

I've Had It by Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan

I've Had It

16,748 Listeners

Handsome by Headgum

Handsome

13,189 Listeners

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce by Wave

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce

10,270 Listeners