Dear GiGi, I work for a national nonprofit, and one of our board members was recently tied to a small scandal at her company. Although the charges are unfounded, I’m worried that my organization may become collateral damage by way of association. What can I do to protect my organization’s integrity and avoid having our name dragged through the mud?
September 23, 2011
Dear Dana, Regardless of the charges’ merit, you absolutely should be thinking about how the scandal may reflect on your organization. Everyone associated with the organization — from the executive director to board members to staff to interns — are brand ambassadors, and their actions affect the collective integrity. Here are a few things you […]
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Netflix’s Shaky Communications
September 19, 2011
Michael Gordon discussing the downside of Netflix’s recent announcement.
Latest Move Gets Netflix More Wrath
Dear GiGi: I run the comms team at a quickly growing tech startup, and we’re thinking of engaging a PR firm. What kind of internal resources should I plan on devoting to a solid PR effort?
September 6, 2011
Hi Gloria, You bring up a point that’s crucial to a successful PR program, yet often overlooked. The answer is that it depends entirely on your organization and the firm with which you want to work – but let me offer some guidance: First, determine your basic needs and goals. • Are you a new […]
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News Corp.’s Hacking Crisis
July 21, 2011
Michael Gordon discusses News Corp.’s handling of the hacking crisis.
The Missteps in Managing News Corp.’s Hacking Crisis
Dear GiGi: What’s the best way to handle a crisis created by the actions of one of my organization’s own staff? I want to stop the bleeding without totally throwing my staffer under the bus.
June 16, 2011
Dear Rachel, The tone of your question suggests that you don’t entirely blame your employee for his/her actions. There are a number of reasons why this could be the case. Maybe your employee was unclear about the instructions and did his/her best to execute. Maybe your employee’s comments were taken out of context, or manipulated […]
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