As someone who does crisis communication and reputation management consulting, I have been asked by many over the last week - How would you advise Tiger Woods?
Well, it is easy to be an armchair quarterback when you are not in the game. Plus, I've had a week to watch the saga unfold, and at this point I see it as a case study for public vs. private as well as the fuel social communication vehicles give to crisis. I can't honestly say how I'd advise Tiger Woods because I do not know his personal risk tolerance nor do I have all the facts in the saga.
However, here are some basic fundamentals that I think are important when dealing with reputations -- companies or individuals.
1. The more "public" you are, the more your life/business is an open book. For all of us, slips in judgment have consequences, however, celebrities, public officials and companies transgressions will likely play out in public…No matter how much you beg for privacy.
2. Ignoring it won't make it go away. If your mistake has been uncovered or is likely to be uncovered, you might as well come clean, ask for forgiveness and set forth directional change. Letting something fester and ignoring it can cause irreparable damage to your reputation. Having said that, it is also important to understand the audience that controls your reputation…blanket statements aren't always necessary and in some cases cause bigger challenges. Also, timing is everything. Knowing the audiences that control your reputation and timing communication with them are strategic moves.
3. Do any of us really have privacy any more? One would say we have privacy in our own homes but when you turn on the computer, listen to music on your iPod, watch TV; there are such advancements that companies can collect data about you. Heck, there are even surveillance tools for kids in spy kits. Then you take social media tools into account, hardly anything is a secret anymore. So, for anyone, especially the most recognizable sports icon of our time, to believe you can have transgressions and not get caught is extremely naive. If someone is paying attention, you are likely to be busted. Again, it goes back to your risk tolerance…sometimes you feel the risk is worth the reward. My point is to know the rules, don't be naïve.
4. Take care of your family first. For instance, if you have transgressions in a marriage, you have to talk to your spouse first before you can make a statement. In a company, you have to strategize with your "family" before going public with anything. But don't take this point to mean you have to tell everyone in the family before you make your statement….never underestimate that uncles, cousins, lovers and employees are leaks. Strategically plan who you tell and when.
5. Don't underestimate the fire social media can create or the speed at which the flame can be fueled. Would this have had much of a news cycle 5-10 years ago? Would Tiger have had the privacy he requested then? Whether you agree with it or not, reality is that life is going to be this way until laws change or lawsuits alter behavior. Taking this into consideration is crucial when monitoring and protecting your reputation.
Ultimately, it is up to the individual or company to take the advice. It is hard to make these decisions and since Adam and Eve, it has been hard to be accountable for our mistakes. Today, the audiences who expect your accountability are larger and more engaged so you should evaluate your risk tolerance and be strategic in protecting your reputation…privacy may not be a luxury.
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