A Day at the Races - or How Not to Shoot Yourself in the Foot - Bby John Hendrie
We won’t have Tony Hayward of BP to kick around anymore. He has his life back, watching his yacht place fourth in a sail race off of England. Here was a man, the voice and face of a major corporation, who just did not get it, and, even if he did at some point, the damage had been done.
We won’t have Tony Hayward of BP to kick around anymore. He has his life back, watching his yacht place fourth in a sail race off of England. Here was a man, the voice and face of a major corporation, who just did not get it, and, even if he did at some point, the damage had been done. There was no recourse or salvation. What a lesson for us all. Fortunately, the chairman of BP, who is concerned about the “small” people, has reassigned him. It makes your head and heart hurt!
We see this play out certainly on the U.S political scene: microphones are on when we least expect them (Joe Biden), photographers are snappin’ those unflattering shots (John Kerry windsurfing), challenges are made to reporters (Gary Hart, ala Monkey Business) and just everyday gaffes. No wonder good people and solid citizens shy away from public service. Any one in the public eye must be aware and vigilant.
We in Hospitality are out there, as well. We spread our message, create expectations and dreams, and, then, hope to deliver. Our shortcomings may not make the New York Times or MSNBC, but there are so many other avenues for critique and criticism available to our audience, particularly on the Internet. Everyone has an opinion. We used to hear only from a Comment Card, a letter or a phone call. Now, everyone is wired, and word of mouth travels quickly in the 24/7 news cycle and “blogisphere”. Dare we fight back to set the record right? You bet, brother.
One of the best examples of Damage Control was Johnson & Johnson with the Tylenol scare, where they admitted the problem, stated steps to rectify, kept everyone advised and essentially removed the Brand from further excoriation. Their action was timely, deliberate, planned and executed. A small problem, just like a significant situation, can take on a life of its own, unless managed. Fluff and “sky blue” do not work.
One critical problem for BP was they appeared to not care and became another symbol of big business avarice and elitism. Plus, they were not honest and forthcoming. We all can learn!
