The tough subject of reputation management

Under Pressure 8 November 2024

The tough subject of reputation management

There has been a positive response to the publication of my new book that focuses on the issue of Strategic Reputation Management.

Reputation has been misused and misunderstood over the years and as a concept attracts negative views. But it is still important as without a positive reputation people will not want to buy your products or use your services. So in this modern world a new approach is needed. It is this challenge that drove me to write the book, which is my third.

Reputation management, or more importantly influencing, needs to be overhauled and brought up to date. We need to start challenging the way things have been approached before and particularly the view that ‘doing some PR and communication’ will address a poor reputation. It is about much more than that.

This is something that the whole business needs to be involved in and playing and active part in addressing. Reputation is not just something for communication teams to be involved in. Problems can develop quickly and cause lasting damage which means being prepared and reviewing the approach.

I am really grateful for the positive feedback including from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) who reviewed the book in a recent edition of their newsletter Influence. Read more here. And the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland shared thoughts in a recent review considering how it was relevant to those working in governance. Find out more here. I was also given the chance of writing an article on redefining reputation and building trust for Communicate Magazine that you can read here.

I hope that the focus on reputation may spark further discussion and debate so that we can start to refresh what it means and also get the whole business involved in it. You can find out more about the book here.

Spain: the actions and questions

The horrific flooding in Spain has raised many issues about the response and the communication. In a day or so after the terrible events, Amanda shared some initial thoughts on what to consider which featured in the latest edition of the Testing Times case study.

Concerns have been raised about when and how warnings were issued, and how people, including employers, responded to them. In addition, the King and Queen on a visit with the Prime Minister in the days following the disaster were pelted with mud by angry people. There is sure to be more analysis of what happened and the response in the coming days.

The scale of the disaster is a reminder to everyone and particularly those who are used to responding to flood situations not to become complacent or overconfident in the response capabilities.

Christmas Planning needs to start now

It is just a few weeks before the holidays are upon us and there is an extended Christmas and New Year break. Before planning the celebrations make sure you have planned how you will continue to be crisis ready. Incidents often happen during holiday periods so be clear on what staff are working on which days, that there is cover in place, and that issue and incident monitoring still continues. If you need any further help or advice to ensure you are ready contact Amanda at amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

Crisis communication exercise training

Amanda’s next crisis communication training is on 28 November at 1pm GMT and will be a chance to test your decision making in a safe environment. The crisis comms exercise is an interactive session with plenty of hints and tips. Spaces are limited but to find out more email office@amandacolemancomms.co.uk

In Brief:

• Amanda gave some thoughts on the opportunities and risks for CEOs using podcasts for PR Week. It followed the incident involving the boss of Intuit. Find out more here (subscription needed.)

• FEMA has released preparedness documents aimed at young people with a breakdown according to potential disasters and age groups. Find out more here.

• Amanda talked through what communication and particularly crisis communication can bring to a trustee role. It was part of a series of articles the CIPR ran during Trustee’s Week. Find out what Amanda said here.

Diary Dates:

• On 15 November Amanda is guest chairing a SASIG webinar looking at how to demonstrate security awareness value to senior stakeholders. It is a great opportunity to get tips from the expert speaker about building a security culture. Find out more here.

• There is still time to book on the free online session looking at the duty of candour and what it may mean for crisis response and communication. Professor Lucy Easthope will join me on 18 November at 6.30pm. Find out more here.