We’ve seen a number of crises recently involving individuals whose reputations are being shredded in the press. It’s probably too late to think about these four things when a crisis hits, but it is worth considering them in advance.
- It seems obvious but don’t EVER lie to the media. This is not the same thing as saying “reveal absolutely everything to the media” but if you choose to say things that are untrue, hoping that you will get away with it, this will inevitably come back to bite you. Being caught lying your way out of trouble will usually bring more reputational damage than the problem itself.
- Tell your PR advisor everything from the outset. Unless they know everything, they can’t help you navigate through the problem and advise on the best way to approach the media or manage other key audiences. If you aren’t up front with your comms advisor, you risk unfairly compromising their reputation with the media alongside your own.
- It might seem an obvious point, but you can always decline an interview. If you and your advisors don't think there is any potential benefit to speaking to the media, don't do it. Often that is the right thing to do.
- The ideal team to lead you and your business through a crisis should include a trusted comms person, your legal counsel and a media lawyer. Do you respect them enough to listen to some really tough advice that you might have to take? It goes without saying that your trust in these advisors must be absolute, and you need to know that they can be relied upon.
- In a time when opinions matter more than perspective, and indirect stakeholders can influence reputations, there is no place to hide. Media lawyers are there to help stop lies being written, however be very wary of using injunctions to prevent the media from reporting the truth – they seldom prove to be water-tight.