Case Study #40: Mitigating Tarnished Reputation and Credibility

Brand success is also dependent on the brand's stakeholders. But, what if a brand's most visible stakeholders mess up? Customers migrate to a competitor. Shareholders shed stock. Problem mitigation costs rise. The brand is mocked and teased in the social media universe, as well as Saturday Night Live.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn hired a public relations firm for advice after his arrest for sexual assault. Clearly, this problem is much bigger than a lapse of judgement in a New York hotel.

While Strauss-Kahn's blunder was not directly associated with his IMF responsibilities, his behavior, most likely, directly violated the organization's values. Also, no one wants to elect a public official with questionable values. But, ambitions die hard; Strauss-Kahn wants to salvage what's remaining of his reputation and credibility.

Mitigating tarnished reputation and credibility usually involves the investigation of sources causing those issues. Some sources are credible; Some aren't. And a communication plan should address all of them with proportional emphasis. Concurrently, it's important to establish a "future state" of the "brand" (entity or person). Regardless of the mishap, how does the affected entity or person"deal with the now" while re-baselining personal and professional goals? Crises consume the resources of organizations and entities; But, crises also drive the urgency to adapt strategies for improved tomorrows.

If one does the crime, one does the time. While image management may not help in a prison environment, pre-lock up communication efforts may help the improved tomorrows of close ones directly impacted by poor decisions.