Stakeholders reward transparency in communication
Maintain honesty and integrity:
Every business model should be molded around these two pillars, but while you’re in the eye of the media, (more than ever) maintaining honesty and integrity is crucial. Executing this simple concept can be difficult, but if you’re at fault, accept responsibility and always point to yourself before pushing blame onto others. In 1982, Johnson & Johnson conducted a nationwide product recall when seven people were killed from cyanide poisoning in Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules. The recall resulted in a more than $100 million loss in sales, and although Johnson & Johnson was not directly responsible for the tampering of the product, the company assumed responsibility to ensure public safety. This act of morality helped the company survive and restored the public’s faith and trust in the Tylenol brand.
This advice, from an article by BLASTmedia’s Julie Zaitz, seems simple, yet many organizations fail to meet these standards. In fact even J&J, the example provided in the article, has suffered enormous reputation damage after being called out for dishonest practices in relation to a more recent string of recalls, the latest event of which involved secretly sending employees throughout the country to buy up Motrin in order to avoid a recall.
Stakeholders reward honest crisis communication, and although things may look bleak initially, with the right response you can build their confidence in your ability to handle adversity.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/