Correcting Impulsive Responses
You assist a top manager in a major European luxury garment and accessories firm that subscribes to a fairly strict corporate code of conduct. Your firm is thinking of acquiring a supplier in Indonesia to make the highest line of shirts your firm offers. After verifying the viability and inspecting the working conditions in the Indonesian facility, you feel satisfied of renovating it to acceptable standards.
But a surprise encounter with a documentary filmmaker has you cornered in the face of uncomfortable queries and slighting comments. Frustration leads you to respond impulsively to one of the comments. Was it a good idea to respond to the documentary filmmaker in that way? How might that look on film, especially in the hands of a wily film editor? How can a company respond when confronted with sudden press inquiries about its divisions and suppliers? What kind of preparation might have helped you better manage this situation?
It is generally not advisable to respond impulsively or emotionally to queries from the media or documentary filmmakers, particularly especially when representing a major company. The comments could be taken out of context or edited in a way that paints the firm in a negative light.
In the hands of a wily film editor, my response could be edited in such a way that it makes me or the firm look unprofessional, insensitive or uncaring about the concerns of the people involved. Even if the working conditions in the Indonesian facility were satisfactory, a poorly thought-out response could cause significant reputational damage to your firm. When confronted with sudden press inquiries about the firm’s divisions and suppliers, it’s important to remain calm and composed. Trying to gather as much information about the nature of the inquiries and the specific concerns being raised is paramount. It is important to be honest and transparent with the media, while also being mindful of any legal or reputational risks.
To better manage this situation, it would have been helpful to prepare a crisis communications plan ahead of time, including talking points, potential responses to common questions, and protocols for interacting with the media. The plan should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect any changes in the company’s operations or policies.
In addition, it would have been wise to have a designated spokesperson or team to handle media inquiries, with clear guidelines for when and how to engage with the media.
