When a reputational crisis hits, everything comes at your organization at once. Social media, the mainstream media, the alternative media, local and national news outlets. Things will move more quickly than you can imagine.

You’re in the race.

In this episode of the Managing Uncertainty Podcast, Bryghtpath Principal & CEO Bryan Strawser and Senior Consultant Jennifer Otremba talk through reputational crisis situations and bring their years of experience in dealing with fast-moving challenges. Topics discussed include crisis communications, social media, “fake news”, interacting with the media, and “spin”.

 

Episode Transcript

 

Bryan Strawser:                   Somebody screwed up big time. We’ve had to terminate one of our senior executives for personal misconduct in the workplace, and they’ve been let go. So, today was their last day.

Jen Otremba:                        Quietly.

Bryan Strawser:                   Very quietly. There was an internal announcement that they have decided to leave the company for personal reasons, and we thanked them for their service, and against our advice, the company has chosen not to disclose this individual’s departure, and as a privately held company, there’s no reporting requirement. That’s cool.

Jen Otremba:                        And the rumors start flowing.

Bryan Strawser:                   And the rumors have started to flow. That was this morning, and now it’s 8:05, and we’ve been called by the senior vice president of communications at this same company, and they just got a call from a producer at 60 Minutes, who has the story.

Jen Otremba:                        We thought we were in the clear.

Bryan Strawser:                   Thought we were in the clear. They don’t know what 60 Minutes knows. They just know that they’re calling. Therefore, they must know about the personal misconduct that was committed by this individual. So now we’re in the race. We’re behind.

Jen Otremba:                        We are way behind.

Bryan Strawser:                   Way behind, but now the race has started.

Jen Otremba:                        We’re back at the start line.

Bryan Strawser:                   What we’re talking about here is really reputation management, and dealing the media from a communications standpoint, and as we talk about … I think the thing that we hear a lot as a consulting firm is that, “Look, I want to control the spin. I want to control the story. I want to control social media.”

Jen Otremba:                        Control the media. Yep.

Bryan Strawser:                   I don’t remember who said it, but there was the famous quote that you shouldn’t pick a fight with somebody who buys ink by the barrel. We do this all the … Digitally now, of course, but it’s true, and I think the notion that you control the media is just utterly ridiculous. You can’t. They’re going to write and say on the radio and appear on television, and say the things that they want to say.

Jen Otremba:                        Employees are going to post things on social media.

Bryan Strawser:                   Employees are more definitely going to quote things.

Jen Otremba:                        They’re going to be completely made up stories.

Bryan Strawser:                   There were will be some great fake news out there, I’m sure. Real fake news in this case.

But while you can’t control the media, you can interact with the media, and you can influence the story in a lot of different ways, and I think we always … When we’re talk...