CEO survey finds few prepared for crises
An interesting study just out reveals the alarming fact that too many CEOs feel unprepared to handle a crisis.
The poll of more than a thousand global company directors – 670 of them CEOs – finds they recognise the turbulent times facing their business in 2023. But surprisingly few feel well-placed to handle significant business disruption. Sixty-one percent of CEOs said they feel unprepared to deal with financial instability, 69% with ...
HR Magazine on how to handle a corporate crisis
I'm happy to be cited in a feature out in HR Magazine today about what HR directors should do to help manage a corporate crisis. The article says: "The problem, of course, is no two crises are the same. This is something that some admit ....
Fire chief shows how not to handle TV interview
I just saw the BBC's interview with Dorset & Wiltshire fire chief Ben Ansell about allegations of a toxic culture in the service. It's clear Ansell had prepared - but it's an instructive example of preparation misapplied!
The BBC's Dan Johnson asked Ansell about an email from a former employee blowing the whistle on ...
Quoted in Fortune on how to combat employee attacks
I'm pleased to have been quoted by Fortune magazine today on how companies should manage their reputations in the face of attacks from former employees - an article sparked by Prince Harry's allegations against the Royal Family in his new autobiography, Spare!
The Fortune piece says: "Workers often feel too afraid of repercussions to speak out while ...
Fundamentals of crisis communications
I took part in a discussion the other day about how companies should manage their reputation in times of crisis. Here's a summarised version of the three questions posed and the answers I gave.
1. How can a company mitigate its reputational risks? When it comes to business crises, there are three phases of reputation management: preparation, response and recovery. The adage that prevention is better than cure applies well to corporate reputation. But, in my experience, too few ...
Andrew thrown under royal carriage in reputation crisis
The latest developments in the Prince Andrew saga have been dramatic. The Palace has stripped him of his Royal titles and says he’ll have to contest the legal case against him as a ‘private citizen’. But two important reputation management points have been largely overlooked. Firstly, many have praised the Queen's decisiveness. Her actions were certainly swift, but ...
Crisis communications for care home charity
We’ve been providing crisis communications support for The Fremantle Trust, a charity providing support for older people and adults with learning disabilities.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had carried out an inspection of one of its care homes, which highlighted significant failings. With nine other care homes in operation plus a number of additional services supporting more than a thousand people, it was vital for the Trust to defend its reputation. Publication of the CQC report was looming and ...
How to (mis)manage a personal crisis
North Yorkshire Police Commissioner Philip Allott finally quit today in the wake of his inflammatory comments about the tragic case of Sarah Everard, abducted and murdered by Met Police officer Wayne Couzens. Three big problems stand out for me in the way Allott has (mis)managed his reputation throughout his career crisis of the last two weeks. The first - and most obvious - is his ludicrous ....
Brewer hounded by reputational crisis
Maverick Scottish brewer BrewDog found itself under fire earlier this month as more than 100 ex-employees sent a blistering open letter to its founders – condemning them for fostering a "toxic" culture and wrecking employees’ mental health. The signatories have since grown, now numbering more than 300.
The craft beer firm is no stranger to controversy: it has a habit of ...
Crisis talk at charity conference
I enjoyed talking at Fundraising Intelligence Conference 2021 last week about how to manage your reputation in times of crisis.
Charities, social enterprises, non-profits and public bodies are, of course, just as susceptible to reputational disasters as private companies. The sector was rocked last year by a large-scale ....