Wednesday, March 10, 2010

When saying sorry is not enough

One of the first rules of good PR is “front up” – state the facts when things go wrong and apologise, instead of hiding unfavourable information that will eventually come out (and it always comes out!). We’ve seen this principle being heeded a lot recently, with several high profile figures saying sorry to an audience of national and international media scrums, some even shedding a few tears. But are these apologies genuine, or just strategies, excellently worded by the well paid PR staff standing in the background? And even if what is said is coming from the heart, is it enough or are actions needed to validate the words? We can find these answers in evaluating recent apologies.

The Telecom dramas continue as the communications giant battles ongoing XT network and other problems. Telecom has issued several apologies backed by compensation payouts, but there is still a call for greater visibility - we've seen Paul Reynolds but when is the board going to front up? So far Telecom has borne the blame, but recent media attention on Alcatel-Lucent’s involvement provides an opportunity for Telecom to share the load. Whether Telecom's reputation will survive the crisis is something that only time will tell.

Another ongoing case is Tiger Woods’ scandalous love life. The long-awaited sorry finally came and seemed genuine (although no questions please) in a exclusive press conference set to end the spotlight on the darker side of golf’s golden boy – until he finishes sex addiction rehab anyway. But no, there was more to come. An apology and sex addiction admission was appropriate, given the circumstances, and a stint in rehab demonstrated sincerity. However when one week later Tiger admitted to drug addiction allegations, the episode no longer seemed sincere. Maybe Tiger just likes rehab, but this latest confession has us wondering what's next in the pipeline for Mr Woods.

The tearful apology is always a good way to show sincerity, as displayed by two key figures lately. Firstly, Mr Toyoda of Toyota Motor Corp, who cried in front of international media, although the tears were more in gratitude for the loyalty of his staff than for the lives allegedly taken by Toyota's faults. Still, the apology that followed was heartfelt and most importantly, was supported by plans for change. Like Telecom, this is an apology to be judged by the ongoing actions of the organisation.

The second set of tears was in relation to the tragic death of Georgian Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili. International Luge Federation Secretary General Svein Romstad’s speech was touching and about as appropriate as an internationally mediated statement responding to an unexpected and unnecessary death can be. But the issue lies more in the release of the accident footage. Fronting up is always a good thing, but can it be taken too far? Maybe the Olympic broadcasting service felt a responsibility to show the moment when the fastest ever luge track went horribly wrong, but the international outcry at the screening of the death proved that respect for the individual comes before public viewing rights in such a case. The video was pulled from CTV and most international broadcasters and copyright laws ensured its immediate removal from You Tube.

While an apology is never judged to be perfect, it is clear that when it comes to PR, honesty is definitely the best policy. What’s done to put things right in the aftermath of the crisis is what really counts.