Doing the right thing could sway fence-sitters and restore the faith of fans, but it will take a hefty dose of honesty and humility
The saga of Alex Rodriguez has been one full of ups and downs, with repeated mea culpas and seeming returns to normality, followed by yet more revelations which proved to fans and critics alike that he much prefers dancing around the truth to admitting wrongdoing.
Last week, Newday’s Steven Marcus spoke to several crisis management experts regarding what A-Rod’s next move should be, including our own Jonathan Bernstein:
“I think he should be absolutely honest at this point. To whatever extent he has already admitted for the record anyway, he should not hesitate to say that again more publicly and to acknowledge that he made a mistake. And then to say I hope my fans will give me a chance to move on from here and prove that I’m committed to be an ethically, morally upright player.
“There’s always going to be three segments of the audience he is talking to: fans who are behind him no matter what; people who are going to think if his lips are moving, he’s lying; but the vast majority are fence-sitters. Really, it’s a battle for the hearts and minds of the fence-sitters. That’s who he has to focus on, the people who are undecided and willing to listen.
“As Lance Armstrong understands, as Tiger Woods understands the hard way, denying simply does not work. The court of public opinion will rip you to shreds.’
Rodriguez has already been caught red-handed more than once, and now it’s time to lay it all out for his fans, supporters, and even detractors, to decide whether he’s really sorry, or if he simply wants it all to go away. If he can pull it off, he may be able to salvage a reputation that’s on the brink of infamy, but given his previous track record we won’t be holding our breath.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com