How To Handle A Controversy
Lost in the midst of all of the hootin’ ahd hollerin’ surrounding Jim Joyce’s blown call last night (see Tom’s post below if you need clarification) is an important lesson on how to handle a controversial issue.
With the BP oil spill and discussions about how poorly they and their chief executive have handled communicating with the public on the issue serving as the backdrop, it’s useful to juxtapose that with a look at how everyone involved in the “perfect crime” as many are calling it, have handled things. Everyone from Tiger’s manager Jim Leyland to the pitcher Armando Galarraga to Jim Joyce himself, have handled it the RIGHT way. And what is that? Stand up to the situation and don’t hide behind “no comments”, admit that mistakes are made and live up to any that you own, and use the experience and your response to it to serve as a model for others.
This post has 2 comments
June 3rd, 2010
Right on. I should’ve include that in my original post, but you put it perfectly.
June 3rd, 2010
Absolutely! It’s never easy to own up to a mistake in a crisis situation, but it’s always the best course of action in the long run. I admire Jim for admitting he was wrong and going out of his way to apologize to Armando.
History has shown that customers often still support companies that make big mistakes but also accept blame and find a way to fix the situation.