Pete Peters presents: Back on the Public Relations Front
These words and information from Don Martin of Austin who is a real expert in these things
In most corporate
situtations or crisis the inevitable question arises
about which role is paramount -- the legal team, the PR/Crisis
Manager, or a combination of the two -- and who trumps who, when and
why.
In a corporate crisis, there
is often a battle between attorneys and the PR/Crisis Manager but
a decision about which path to follow must be made by corporate
leadership. Usually the attorney's job is to point out every
conceivable reason NOT to do something. And occasionally legal wins.
After all, their role is to protect the corporation. But often that strategy
wins the battle but loses the war.
Many times there is a
pressing need for the corporate President to step up to the microphone, admit
mistakes, apologize, and to say that every effort will be made
to correct the situation.
Over the years I've found many attorneys
who are willing and able to work hand in hand with PR with the common goal of
what's best for the organization. My best clients recognize and
practice this. We have generic statesments ready to go in advance.
Sometimes PR wins, sometimes the attorney wins, but 90% of the time it is
a joint win/win. A lot depends on attitude and direction from the
top boss.
The right course of action
is most often a balancing act with what is the best action relating
to public perception being the number one goal.
Example:
When the glass started falling out of balconies at a new Class
A hotel in Austin that had just opened, the President and CEO of
the hotel owner immediately held a news conference in front of the
hotel, stating that the reason regarding the falling glass was as yet
unknown, but that he was taking responsibility and their number one goal
was safety and they would do whatever was necessary to protect the public. You
can bet that some of his lawyers advised against taking responsibility when
contractors, subcontractors or suppliers were ultimately at fault. But it
was the right thing to do, calmed fears, created empathy for the company, and
won his company praise and public support.
While it is easy to develop all the reasons NOT to do something, it is the PR/Crisis Manager's role to point out the dangers of inaction. Doing nothing is often the worst thing to do. Avoiding the press and a "no comment" about a breaking crisis might win a momentary reprieve for a few hours, but could end up damaging the company's reputation for months if not years to come. Calm, confident action eases public concerns, employee concerns and often protects stock values
(PS "no comment" almost always connotes "I'm guilty" in the minds both reporters and the public. There are a hundred better phrases if needed. "No comment" should never be used.)
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The attorney says: I've
been in crisis situations when the attorney's advice is that we shouldn't do
anything publicly. We shouldn't issue any statements. We'll probably be
hit with hundreds of lawsuits. Don't say anything. Whatever we say will
come back to haunt us....
The crisis manager
says: That's certainly possible, but if we don't say anything we
look and act guilty. We have to speak to our employees, shareholders, and the
public for the good of the company. We'll use tactics that will show
compassion and action while protecting the corporation. And the sooner we do it
the better chance we have of limiting damage and shortening the life of the
story.
It's a tough call.
But more often that not being open and transparent is usually the right
course of action. Attorneys can and should help craft the message,
but not to the point of burdening the message with legalese, caveats or
eqivocations.
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