Can Tiger Change His Stripes?
by Terry Hemeyer
February 09, 2010
The recent Tiger Woods infidelity controversy and its gradual play-out is an interesting case study. While it’s easy for us to judge and form opinions as spectators, it’s a completely different ballgame when you’re calling the shots and making decisions that could cost a man his career, his family and his reputation.
Tiger’s strategy was and remains to keep quiet, but is it the right strategy – or was his reaction a double bogey? He stonewalled at first, refusing to disclose the truth. Then, once the full extent of his infidelities came to light, he went into hiding with the hope that the controversy would disappear. Instead, his going underground allowed the media to build momentum against him – momentum that, to this day, has not been overcome.
Only time will tell if Tiger’s strategy was the right one, but one thing is certain –
how you respond to crisis has a significant impact on your reputation.
Every crisis is unique, and successfully navigating a complex situation depends on many factors. In the case of Tiger Woods, many relationships were at stake. Fans’ and sponsors’ opinions (and dollars) were closely tied to his “good guy” image. When this image collapsed, Tiger faced not only a personal crisis at home, but a very public one in the eyes of the world.
While there is no “magic bullet” in crisis management, there are some universal truths that apply to crisis response. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation, remember the following tips to preserve as much brand equity as possible.
• Plan ahead. Good crisis response comes from good crisis planning. Don’t wait until something happens to have a protocol in place, and be sure your employees are educated on their roles and responsibilities in times of crisis. Learn from the mistakes Tiger made with his “it won’t happen to me” attitude.
• Seek counsel. Advice from a competent and trusted third party is critical in crisis communications. You need someone who can see the situation with a clear, unbiased mind and who will act in the best long-term interest of you and your company.
• Stick to the facts. Remember, you are the only one who knows your facts – don’t say anything, publicly or privately, that you wouldn’t want on the front page.
• Timing is everything. As illustrated in the case with Tiger Woods, the longer you say nothing, the more opportunity there is for speculation and the more momentum is built against you. When the time is right, step up and take responsibility for your actions (or inaction) and offer sincere apologies as necessary.
• Remember your audience – all of them. Rarely is it that you only need to consider one audience in a crisis situation. The media is not your only audience –- and often times they are not your top priority. Families, employees, law enforcement, government officials, lawyers and the public are all critical audiences that deserve your attention. Tailor your messages to each audience appropriately.
It will be interesting to watch as Tiger Woods’ story continues to unfold in the coming weeks and months. With more than 40 years of experience in the crisis communications field, I know that it’s possible for Tiger to bounce back from this setback – though he may never reach the level of influence that he had before the bad news broke. If history repeats itself – as with Bill Clinton, Robert John Downey, Jr. and Michael Vick – Tiger’s digressions could one day be overshadowed by his talents.