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Managing a Crisis — and Becoming a Stronger Organization

Summary

From 2008 to 2009, 75 percent of companies saw their reputations holding relatively steady, with changes of only plus or minus five Reputation Pulse points. This indicates that although the media focused on company-specific scandals related to the economic downturn, most large U.S. businesses that enjoyed a high level of public respect before are still just as trusted now.

But companies must continue to remain careful and aware. In the current media climate, damaging news travels in a hurry. The widespread growth of social media enables rumors to disseminate further and faster. The media — traditional and bloggers alike — are often more concerned with getting the news quickly than getting it right.

Therefore, companies faced with potentially negative coverage need to take extra steps to control the message and come out as the trusted source of information about their own affairs. Here are a few examples of how some companies and organizations have successfully managed a crisis and emerged stronger.