Reputation is rarely the only issue
“Reputation, reputation, reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself…”
The 400-year-old lament by Shakespeare’s Othello has never been more alive.
Tony Danker, who recently lost his job as head of The Confederation of British Industry following complaints about his behaviour, this week told the BBC he’s fighting to restore his reputation, which has been “totally destroyed”.
Few could disagree. Meantime the CBI’s #reputation is also in a bad place with both government and corporate members watching from a careful distance. As many other organisations have found, a good reputation is mission critical.
After many years working with organisations to manage and build corporate reputation, and manage reputational risk, I have two principal observations.
First, reputational issues are often a symptom. Underlying organisational issues generally cause the problem. For this reason, communications professionals need to work with colleagues across other disciplines to achieve real change, which typically involves re-assessing internal processes, culture, governance and so on. Comms has a vital role to listen, explain and help to embed what emerges as an improved approach - but it is rarely able to resolve these matters alone.
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Second, boards must ensure that Risk Committees assess #reputationalrisk in a far-reaching way. In my experience, this is often not the case. Most focus is frequently on financial and governance risk, more easily defined and quantifiable, whilst reputational risk is passed to the comms department. Few are equipped or mandated to dive deep and assess or challenge wider organisational processes.
Reputation matters. These are the worst crises for an individual or organisation.
My advice? The best crisis management is to avoid one. Many can be averted via an independent and wide-ranging approach to identify and manage reputational risk.
Better to lift the lid than let it blow off.?
Advisor, Consultant & Partner at Positive Momentum Limited, a Certified B Corporation?
1 年Loving the quote "better to lift the lid than have it blow off." Another that stuck with me and plays to your pound about Boards involvement is that "the best way to avoid a crisis is to plan for how you will deal with one!"
Non Executive Director, Committee Chair, Board Advisor on Strategy, Governance and Sustainability Practices, Angel Investor
1 年Thank you Tessa Curtis and Barry Gamble. Boards need to address reputational issues in a timely fashion to prevent them affecting the whole organisation and wider stakeholders. "Better to lift the lid than let it blow off".
Accomplished professional Director with extensive Operations, 3PL Supply Chain, General Management and Change Management experience.
1 年Some solid straight forward advice from Tessa Curtis, that all Boards should take note.
Board director, advisor, investor. Writes,speaks and chairs debates about the challenge of board best practice.
1 年Thank you Tessa Curtis. You are right to identify that a reputational issue will usually be a trailing indicator. As The Quoted Companies Alliance Code notes "good governance is fundamentally about culture" #board #culture #reputation.
Founder at The Nisse Consultancy
1 年Excellent advice, rarely taken alas