Damage to reputation. What does that cost? You might immediately think of the big organizations. Unilever, Shell.
But you are also an organization. You as a private person with a job, a career or a company.
Big players like Shell and Unilever have a lot to lose, that's true. But these giants are also very capable of repairing the damage. They hire experts. They throw a number of big campaigns at it. A charm offensive here. A positive project there.
You, as an individual, will have to make do with the resources you have. Do you sit back and do nothing when reputational damage occurs – as we always do in the Netherlands – or do you intervene? And if you do intervene, how?
First of all, something about your reputation. Of course, that is based on the image that people have of you. That image can be right. They see you as a crook and you are. It can also be wrong. You behave exemplary, but you accidentally did something wrong. Now they think that you are deliberately cheating. And once they start looking, they find all sorts of things.
Especially the latter hurts. A number of minor incidents are linked to the main incident.
I myself know for sure that none of us are the baby Jesus. We are human. We make mistakes. You. Me. The king.
An insignificant fire can become an uncontrollable conflagration. Messages take on a life of their own. Facts are twisted and opinions become fixed in people’s minds. “They say it, so it must be true.”
I knew a councillor from a fairly large city. His name was Gerhard. Gerhard had a family with young children. His wife was a teacher at the local high school.
Gerhard had an affair with a female council member from a different party than his. To be precise: Gerhard was a CDA member, the council member was from GroenLinks and younger. Apart from Gerhard, his wife and the council member, the affair was nobody's business. Everyone has the right to their own affairs.
And as far as I know, Gerhard wasn't madly in love with the other woman. It could have all fizzled out.
Unfortunately for Gerhard and the councillor, there were security cameras in the bike shed of the town hall. The security guards sent the images to such a questionable website.
Why did they do that? That's another question entirely.
Gerhard came under fire. The municipality investigated the case, but of course there was no abuse of power or sexual harassment. Gerhard was allowed to stay.
Whoever is being shaved must sit still, thought Gerhard. He chose to say nothing and simply pick up the thread again. In complete silence.
But yeah.
The audience had remembered the words 'abuse of power' and 'sexual intimidation'. Evil clung to Gerhard. His reputation was seriously damaged, as was that of his wife, who was a teacher, and the left-wing councillor. Things never really got better with anyone. Eventually, Gerhard mentally and physically went over the top. He divorced and was expelled from the party. The love with the councillor was not sustainable. He also slid down in business.
What could Gerhard have done better?
Protecting your reputation starts with being aware of what you stand for and what you represent.
Walk your talk.
But of course you are not a saint. If you suspect a crisis is brewing, you will have to act very quickly.
Doing nothing is always a bad choice. Because every crisis makes the media. You have to be before the crisis message.
So: come out first yourself. Do that with a clear news report. With all the ins and outs, so that you don't give the rumor mill a chance to come up with its own story.
Blame yourself, don't play word games. Show your emotion. Be clear.
Let your voice be heard on Facebook and Twitter. Respond to the rumors in measured doses and refer to a few interviews in a friendly but firm manner. And then follow the line of business as usual.
After a while you get involved in discussions about the demolition of the swimming pool again. Just to name a few.
You will of course also need to hire someone to monitor all the messages on the internet.
Gerhard's wife should have followed her own course in repairing her reputation. Just like the left-wing councillor and the city council itself. Because times have changed radically.
Because what citizens, consumers and customers want – and in fact, all people on earth want this – is clarity.
When reputation is damaged, silence is your fatal blow.
Your weapons are speed, openness and above all clarity.
Hans Ruinemans, boardroom monk