Self-sabotage, reputation and a cheap laugh

Under Pressure 4 April 2025

Self-sabotage, reputation and a cheap laugh

The week saw April Fool’s Day happen. Unsurprisingly there were the inevitable posts on social media from brands and organisations looking for a quick joke. I don’t want to appear as though I have no sense of humour but in the current world is this really appropriate for all?

News and commentary can feel unusual and unexpected leading to people questioning whether it is accurate. There is a lot of concern about misinformation and disinformation and how it may be impacting on people. Schools are said to be considering or starting to introduce lessons in critical thinking and not trusting everything that is shown on social media. Set against that backdrop are organisations struggling to gain trust and build a positive reputation actually self-sabotaging when they click post on those April Fool jokes?

In my latest book, published in November, I consider the slippery fish that reputation is. We struggle to define it. We struggle to evaluate it. And yet we all say in PR and communication roles that it is fundamental to the job we are doing. Building a positive reputation can be achieved but is more of a challenge in the post-truth world, and it can be lost quickly.

Everything that PR and communication and the business as a whole does impacts on reputation. From the advertising and PR campaigns through to the board meetings and stakeholder discussions. Structures and approaches need to be in place that help to build a positive reputation through all areas of the business. This will allow a focus on all the small things which this week would be April Fool’s Day. Where is the critical thinking that considers whether or not to post? Where is the long term thinking about how it may damage the reputation? And where is the discussion about such posts sitting forever on social media?

If you have a fragile reputation, are working in the public sector, are an emergency responder, or have been the subject of fake news the simple post could be the way you sabotage your own reputation. Time to think again.

Preparing for disasters

Being ready for unexpected events is now being highlighted by many governments. In the latest move the European Union has recommended citizens maintain a supply of items to cover a 72 hour period after disaster. (Read more here) An EU action plan is said to be in development. This may be the time where everyone needs to consider their own personal resilience and preparedness to deal with emergencies and disasters.

Last call for crisis event

This is a last call to join latest crisis communication discussion with Professor Lucy Easthope and Amanda. The session takes place on Monday 7 April at 6.30pm. To find out more and register to attend click here.

Leaders need crisis training

There was an interested article in Forbes recently that discussed why leaders need to have crisis management training. In many years watching and considering disasters and emergencies it is clear that the issue of decision making under pressure is not something that you can learn in the middle of the crisis. In the polycrisis, permacrisis world training is more than having a plan and possibly doing an exercise. It is about having a crisis mindset, having the right coaching for the right people, and ensuring your skills are up to date. Read the Forbes article here.

In Brief:

• The World Health Organisation has launched a collaboration centre looking at research in crisis and risk communication. The centre based in Norway will look at research to help health practitioners. Find out more here.

• New research has been published that considers internal crisis communication in both public and private sector organisations across Indonesia. Find out more here.

• The International Atomic Energy Authority has been considering the importance of effective public information as part of a recent plant based crisis scenario. Read more about the discussions here.

• Disaster risk management in South East Asia is the focus of a new research paper. Find out more here.

• An interesting event is being run by Amanda‘s good friend Philippe Borremans looking at defending organisations against rage farming. Find out more here.

• The latest Testing Times Case Study produced by Amanda has been published and can be found on her website here.

Diary Dates:

• 9 April - Amanda is running a webinar about crisis communication and will be answering questions with CommsX. It is at 7pm Kyiv time and all ticket proceeds will go to "Zemliachky", an NGO supporting women on the frontlines. Find out more here.

• On 10 April Amanda will be running a two hour webinar session looking at Reputation and Building Credibility as a communicator and how this can support effective crisis communication. For more information email office@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

• 24 April - Amanda is running an online session on crisis preparedness for legal firms as part of a risk management series. Find out more here.

• On 30 April - Amanda is joining CIPR SW conference to talk about the latest thinking and issues in crisis communication with some points to take away and consider. Find out more here.