Duck and cover is not a crisis management strategy
Leave it to a legendary college football coach to understand dealing with the media! Paul “Bear” Bryant spent 25 years as the University of Alabama’s head coach, amassing an absolutely incredible 323-85-17 record and chalking up an immense number of press interactions on the way, stats we think qualify him to deliver this week’s Crisis Management Quotable:
“In a crisis, don’t hide behind anything or anybody. They’re going to find you anyway.” — Bear Bryant
We’d bet Bryant would be astounded, and probably quite satisfied, to see that his statement is true today to an extent he could have never imagined.
The media has always been quite tenacious when it comes to uncovering a crisis, but now they’re not the only ones chasing the latest scandal. Thanks in large part to social media, and of course the ‘net in general, there are legions of amateur e-reporters out there hungry for the next big story to share. They will dig up dirt, they will figure out who’s responsible, and if you duck for cover until you’re forced into the open you’ll be left with an even bigger crisis management hole to dig yourself out of.
Erik Bernstein
Social Media Manager
Bernstein Crisis Management
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com