A quick crisis management lesson from our buddy Socrates
This week’s crisis management quotable comes to us courtesy of the great Socrates, famed Greek philosopher from the city-state of Athens:
“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear” — Socrates
How could Socrates possibly have known the value of reputation in an age without Twitter? Well, remember that Athens is well-known as one of the first, if not the first, modern democracies on the planet. The term, “democracy” is Greek in nature, of course meaning “rule by the people.”
Could it be that Socrates, in his political observation, realized a truth that many still struggle to grasp today? Namely, that it is not enough to simply talk a good game. One look at the reputation crises suffered by organizations like Goodwill, who claim to have a mission of doing good, but whose actions clearly state otherwise, is enough to prove the philosopher’s point.
If you want a reputation as a strong, caring company, the best thing you can possibly do is make sure that you are acting as a strong, caring company would. No smoke, no mirrors, just actions speaking louder than anything else, like they have since 400 B.C. and the days of Socrates.
Have a quote that can be applied to crisis management, or PR in general? Feel free to submit your own and we’ll share the best in future posts.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/