Lessons from the Rolling Stone “A Rape on Campus” Debacle
[By Bruce Hennes] Some months ago, I had lunch with an editor from a major metropolitan newspaper. At the end of the meal, after swapping childhood and industry stories and a few opinions, she asked me if there was anything she could do to help me. When an editor asks that question, you better have […]
Yesterday: Slam Books. Today: Online Bullying and Public Shaming.
[By Bruce Hennes] I recall, from the 1960s, what we called “Slam Books” – spiral-bound notebooks with a single student’s name at the top of each page and enough pages to list every student in class. These books were passed surreptitiously, and students would write about their classmates until teachers confiscated them. The anonymous comments […]
Monica Lewinsky Gave a Really, Really Important TED Talk on Bullying
In a recent issue of The Washington Post, Chris Cillizza, who covers the White House for the Post, writes about reputation management, specifically about cyber-bullying. He writes: (But) what I do believe is that there is a line — societally — that shouldn’t be crossed when it comes to how we treat each other. Sure, the anonymity […]
Why You Can’t Fake Your Feelings
As our clients, those we’ve trained and others who’ve attended our seminars, know, we constantly and consistently teach “tell the truth, tell it all and tell it first.” We also stress authenticity. If you don’t believe it, to the core of your being, don’t say it. Unless you’re Al Pacino or Meryl Streep, you can’t […]
Mass Fatality Events and their Impact on Public Company Value
[by Howard Fencl, APR] The emerging horror of a suicidal pilot methodically guiding Germanwings Flight 9525 and all 150 souls on board to their demise thrust the CEO of the airlines’ parent company, Lufthansa, onto the world media stage. CEO Carsten Spohr is in full-blown crisis mode, with millions – especially critics – hanging on […]
Corporate Reputation, Crisis Communications and the Global War on Terrorism
What do corporate reputation, crisis communications and the global war on terrorism have in common? According to author Col. Barry Johnson, it is truth, vision and values. You can read the rest of this short, but provocative piece here.
Curt Schilling Talks Cyber Bullying
It’s rarely a good idea to “strike back” at bloggers, flamers and trolls who defame and skewer others on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. The urge to attack may be overwhelming, but we advise against anything that will make a bad situation worse by drawing further attention to the original attacks. Former Red […]
Reputation Watch – Lawsuits’ Lurid Details Draw an Online Crowd
Every lawyer knows that if they call a press conference, lay out allegations of misconduct, and later on those allegations are defamatory, they can easily get sued. But if the lawyer files suit and the media downloads and widely publicizes those same allegations, the lawyer is likely safe. More and more, first court filings are […]
The ‘Coliseum Culture’ – The New Dynamics of Scandal Where No Sin Will Be Forgiven
[by Nora Jacobs] Noted media commentator James Wolcott observed in a recent edition of Vanity Fair, “The Internet is an accelerator and force multiplier of opinions and perceptions. Indignation is its rocket fuel.” Wolcott made the observation as part of a column dissecting the destruction of Bill Cosby’s reputation. Almost concurrently, David Brooks penned a […]
6 Reasons Why We’re Bad at Spotting Liars
We often remind clients that it’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. In fact, how you communicate often trumps the exact words you use. The how includes the way you look, the way you dress, move and occupy space – in other words, the totality of your being. From our colleague, […]