In case you find yourself in the middle of a scandal or managing not-so-great PR, look no further than Hollywood’s heroes for advice on how to walk tall even after falling into a bind.
Robert Downey Jr. is the kid to return this year with a starring role in Iron Man. For the last 15 years or so, the only time you’ve heard his name was in connection with a drug bust or another botched stint in rehab. Bloggers joked that the only costume they would expect Downey Jr. to wear was the orange county jail jumpsuit. Now we see him dressed as the intense billionaire genius Tony Stark and enjoying his redemption.
Downey Jr. has learned to refer to his difficult years with a heavy dose of wit and self-deprecating humor. I’m sure his 4 years of sobriety have helped him move to a place of acceptance on this issue.
OK, so what does this middle-aged Brat-Packer have to do with you?
Sometimes things happen in business that we cannot control. His company may be involved in a complicated legal dispute, you may have shot a reporter’s mouth off without first involving his brain, or you may have made a big mistake in some unforeseen way. And, God, forbid he angers some rabid blogger who’s going to town to publicly disparage him.
Any way you look at it, it’s not the most positive attention to your business. So what do you do next?
Damage control starts with you. Here are some tips in case you run into some PR trouble and need to get your good name back.
1. Admit it.
No one wants to point fingers or accusations, that will make you look like a whiner. Take the Harry Truman approach and let people know that the responsibility is yours. Your ego may have to take one for the team, but you’ll come out stronger in the long run. You want to acknowledge a problem and reassure people that a solution is being worked on, if it hasn’t already been enacted. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg incurred the ire of many last year with his inaction and ended up all over the blogosphere because of it. (http://scobleizer.com/2007/12/04/where-the-hell-is-mark-zuckerberg-and-facebook/)
2. Chin up.
Mary Poppins offers some great advice if you think about it. Chin up means you’re saying, “Okay, I’m in the middle of a bunch of crap, but I’m not going to let it get me down. I still have my dignity.” In this category, look at the spouses of high-profile people embroiled in scandals. Name any wife-in-law whose husband has been caught with his pants down (literally). Save your emotions for the therapist’s couch, but in public stay strong. You can always write a tell-all memoir after the dust settles and make a fortune.
3. Do something nice to make up for it.
On any scale, part of acknowledging wrongdoing must be expressed in action. Maybe you need to send someone a nice card with a sincere apology. Or maybe charity work is reserved to get your good name back. Do something publicly to rewrite your story. People will remember your most recent deeds, so make sure you keep paying back with good deeds.
At some point, you may look back and realize that you learned a great lesson through this. The ups and downs are what make strong leaders. Remember not to give up if something negative comes your way…weather it with common sense and humility, then keep moving forward with your newfound wisdom.
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Nancy Marmolejo is a public relations, media and social media strategist who teaches women entrepreneurs how to generate more money and attention by putting themselves in the spotlight. An award-winning business owner, Nancy is frequently quoted in the areas of business, creativity, and social media. Get Nancy’s free 7-part audio course by visiting www.VivaVisibility.com
