A Lesson in Crisis Communications
12.30.2009
In:
Public Relations,
Public Affairs
In a year of reports about public figures behaving badly — think John Edwards, Chris Brown and David Letterman — the Tiger Woods scandal is hands down the biggest crisis communications story of 2009. The Woods scandal started with a minor car crash and could end with his complete undoing. The professional golfer, husband and father behaved badly — really badly — and in a way completely contrary to his public image of a man of discipline and integrity. So, could he have lessened the media bloodletting? Was there a way to save his image? Did the story cycle need to dominate the headlines from the day after Thanksgiving until the New Year? No amount of media outreach could have saved Woods from himself, but he made several media relations missteps we can learn from.
First Silence ...
Woods is known for guarding his privacy, so it was not a surprise to anyone that he was not calling Oprah or lining up a press conference following the car wreck. But Woods needed to talk. Woods (obviously) and likely his handlers knew about the years of secret affairs, and according to The Wall Street Journal , had taken steps to kill a National Inquirer story on an affair two years earlier. The ugly story of his infidelity was beginning to seep. It was inevitable that this was going to be a big scandal, and people with as much media experience as Woods and his team should have seen it coming. It was time for Woods to take control, make a strong statement, come clean and apologize.
Then Denial ...
But as we all know, Woods did not immediately admit his mistakes and apologize to his family, team, fans and sponsors. Instead, the golfer posted a statement on his website "about the false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating." Woods was likely referring to the rumors and reports that his wife hit him with a golf club. But for Woods to accuse the media of being wrong, he needed to be above reproach, and as we all know by now, he was not. The core of the story — his affairs — was correct, and in the public's eye, that's all that mattered.
Woods knew he had affairs, he simply thought he would never get caught, and when he did get caught, he thought he could cover it up. Clearly, no one in his inner circle had the gumption to tell him that the media does not have a hands-off policy for any public figure — if not for a sitting president, then certainly not for an athlete. That also raises questions about what kind of counsel Woods was getting from the people he trusts with his public image. Before the dust began to settle on the bed-hopping scandal, news reports linked Woods to a Canadian doctor, Anthony Galea, under a joint U.S.-Canadian investigation for possibly providing performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.
When The New York Times asked about the golfer's involvement with the doctor, Woods' agent Mark Steinberg made the critical mistake of writing an e-mail to the paper saying: "I would really ask that you guys don't write this? If Tiger is NOT implicated, and he won't be, let's please give the kid a break." This is surely going to make public relations textbooks for what not to say to a reporter. One never asks a reporter not to write something — it only makes them want to write it more. Also, on the heels of Woods' sex scandal, Steinberg must be completely arrogant, have zero judgment or be incredibly stupid to think one of the nation's leading newspapers would give Woods a break. This is an excellent example of an agent who can't see past the hype he has created.
Finally, contrition (maybe)
As the number of women with whom the golfer allegedly had affairs began to rise into double-digits, he admitted to "transgressions" and finally to "infidelity." If Woods had immediately admitted to the affairs, the announcement and the coverage would have been painful, but quicker. He also would have looked like a man who was truly sorry. His silence and then denial prolonged the story, and left reporters looking for other sources to talk about the scandal.
The best public relations move Woods made was his decision to take time off from golf indefinitely. In a crisis situation, the people at the center of it need to develop a plan to fix the problem. For Woods, taking a break from golf gives him the time and mental energy to work on putting his personal life back together, and it gives the public impression that he is working on his marriage. It also gets him out of the public eye, and gives the story an opportunity to fade.
Lessons Learned
Have a Plan
Companies and individuals need to establish a process for how to work with the media in a crisis, including identifying spokespeople who have been media trained and are available for print, radio and on-camera interviews. Whether a company is dealing with a crisis surrounding worker safety, product quality or employee misconduct, companies need a flexible crisis plan that can be adapted to the situation. With a sensational story like the Woods scandal, it's inevitable the story is going to run, even if the person or company at the center of the controversy refuses to comment. So, avoiding reporters is never a good strategy. Generally providing your point of view is better than leaving it up to others.
Respond Quickly
In all crisis communications situations, journalists will want information — and they will want it fast. The company or person at the center of a crisis should react within three hours — 24 hours at the most — and the situation will dictate if an interview, news conference or a statement is the best way to respond.
Take Responsibility
Most importantly, if there is a problem, take steps to fix it, and let the public know about the plan to make things right. Also, know when to say you are sorry. The public is amazingly forgiving and has a very short memory. A sincere apology will go a long way. Even for Tiger Woods.
