Honest Communication Is Not Optional

By Eric Seidel, CEO
The Media Trainers®

Cyber space is bloated with articles, blogs, video and audio criticizing and condemning businesses and their leaders, helping to form negative impressions. Online examples are easy to find:

The people at the top in general are the subject of a recent blog post entitled The Demonization of Corporate Executives.

A major air carrier, often its own worst enemy as pointed out in this space earlier this year (United’s PR Goes Down in Flames), is the subject of even stronger criticism in the blog of Forbes contributor and marketing expert Shaun Rein, founder of China Market Research Group. He does not mince words in this post: United Airlines' 3 greatest flaws.

When a passenger-filled JetBlue sat on a frozen tarmac for hours on end, the blogosphere went ballistic. One site defaced the JetBlue logo and its promise.

And, in the current angry environment over bailouts, when AIG chose to dish out millions in “bonuses,” the backlash was long, loud and predictable, as noted in this post: Why AIG is Getting Such a Bitter Reaction.

Executives complain they don’t know how to deal with it all. They actually do. It really comes down to wanting to. As pointed out in United Airlines' 3 greatest flaws, the airline’s statements about customer care rang hollow. They were only words, unsupported by the actions of management and employees.

Communication, first and foremost, is critical. Today’s CEO has got to be able to communicate effectively and honestly to a bevy of constituencies. What you say—promise—and how you follow through will answer the question of How Is Your Company Being Perceived?

This era of new media is a double-edged sword. Use it honestly, openly and authentically to protect your name and reputation.

Ignore it at your peril.

Spin

http://www.themediatrainers.com/



Get "spin" out of your lexicon. It's bad for your business health.


In media training workshops I try to pre-empt the notion of spin even before it comes up, telling clients I’m not in the spin business and they shouldn’t be either.

My job is to teach them the techniques of answering interview questions responsively, but on their terms, from their perspective.

Reporters typically know when you’re spinning and use it as motivation to really dig in their heels and come after you.

Case in point, JetBlue CEO David Barger’s response to an accurate contention by Fox Business Network anchor Neil Cavuto that his airline, formerly fee-less, now is hitting customers with some of the same additional charges as other airlines. Barger’s response: “…we’re now terming flying as jetting because we want jetting to be a good part of your life…” He followed with all the comforts and embellishments of JetBlue’s airplanes, and concluded that the core product remains the same with no new fees tacked on. (Click on video below)

Now why didn’t David Barger simply admit that JetBlue’s increased costs require some additional fees? It would’ve been so much more refreshing and credible. People already understand that airlines are charging for things like checked bags because their fuel costs have been astronomical. They may not like it, but they usually understand it.

Barger could’ve—and should’ve—just come clean instead of spinning his answer into trying to make us believe we’re lucky to get the same core product for the same price. And that line about “flying” now being termed “jetting”…where did that come from and what did it have to do with his answer?