How to avoid bad press?
This is not a mistake. The empty space above this line is to symbolise that if you really want to avoid bad press, your best chance is to do absolutely nothing. Although, you will likely be blamed for that too.
There is a variety of reasons why you could get some bad press. First, there is this very strange belief among journalists that their role consist in giving "the truth" to the people. I am yet to understand what this means considering that every journalist is paid and therefore, like anyone else, they must abide by the rules of their boss. News editors have a line to keep which means they are only interested in THEIR truth, not THE truth. 2 tiny letters that change everything.
Having said that, it means that there will inevitably be press outlets that are against you. Whatever you do, they will fight it because their vision of the truth runs counter to your activities.
The second reason to get bad press is of course that you may do something wrong. Yes, that happens. A lot. And that is where stereotypes tend to blind us. Think data leaks... and immediately the examples that poop in your mind will be from Government or public body. The view being that private sector is much better protected. Sadly, this is "fake news". Private sector benefits not from good practice but from a screen of privacy to hide behind. Nobody leaks more data than Paypal and your bank (whichever that is). Why do you think you are constantly asked to change password by Sony or other cloud service providers? Because they had a breach and can't contain your password any more. When the screen of privacy falls, you are liable for bad press. This one is easy to avoid: don't do anything stupid!
Another reason for bad press is that somebody is fighting you with it. It could be a disgruntled employee seeking revenge for something they believe was your fault, or a competitor who doesn't mind playing dirty. Of course, in some case you may be an interesting target for some other groups (hackers, terrorists, lobbyists, activists, etc.)
The picture is starting to look bleak. You could be attacked for a multitude of reasons, and whether you are at fault or not is irrelevant.
How then do you avoid bad press?
I am so sorry to have mislead you, but you see, the sad truth is, you may not be able to!
The very obvious points to make here are: 1 - Don't do anything wrong. 2 - Don't infuriate anyone. 3 - Be so irrelevant that the press will not care. 4 - Buy the press so you can lead your own story.
The list above is rubbish and you know it. Bad press can happen and if you are in the public eye, it is inevitable. As with many risks, what matters is not avoidance, but how to act when it hits.
Here are a few aspects to consider.
- Adopt relevant and appropriate internal controls to avoid too many mistakes to be made. That should go without saying, but worth mentioning anyway. Just avoid mistakes if you can!
- Prepare your staff, especially the seniors, so if they have to become visible, they are ready. Everybody will remember BP's CEO Tony Hayward. He looked miserable in front of the cameras during the Deep Horizon incident. His demeanor then increased the amount of bad press the company got. Media train your executives, even if you really don't believe it will be needed.
- If something happened and you are now in the press, be humble. Acknowledge your mistake, ask for help, present a plan of actions. Do not deny the truth or become arrogant about your capacity to resolve.
- Create positive press. For instance, publicise a product launch, a new employee initiative, a building revamp... Anything, just pile up a lot of positive media coverage to dilute anything negative that may crop up.
- Part of the previous advice, forge good ongoing relationships with some journalists. Keep close to them, inform them, help them if they require something from you. Should bad things happen, they either will convey a better message, or they will be your champion to counter aggressive bad press.
- Don't be shy when it matters. If you are right and press is wrong, rebuff their arguments with your facts. Diminish the impact of bad press by proving it is but a lie.
- However, the previous advice will not work if the public opinion is against you. Don't fight public view with facts and proofs, history shows this only aggravates. Instead, be humble and accept even the lies. Propose actions to change things, consider the arguments thrown at you and offer to adopt parts of them.
In summary: be prepared for bad news, balance humility with assertiveness, nurture good relationship with journalists and actively create good press to counter the bad one. With these steps, you should be well prepared to face the worst.
Feel free to comment and share. Press the heart if you like. And please join me next Thursday for a new article.
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Seb Giroux is a consultant, entrepreneur and author who has run a variety of IT departments for 20 years. His first book, The IT Leader's Manual (Dux Publishing, 2016), provides hands-on tips and a personal framework for any current or aspiring IT leaders.
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