Just today an employee is suing KPMG for sexual harassment at workplace. The company’s apathy towards her internal complaints forced the lady to involve media. The company, like many others, now finds itself in a precarious situation. A lot of its brand-building initiatives are nullified through one indiscretion of the management. Surprisingly Corporates are not able to deal with media attention. Yet corporate chieftains can draw parallels with two people to learn the do’s and don’ts of media behavior.
Learning the Don’ts
Her story would read like a normal girl’s tale if it weren’t for one critical detail. The name is Britney Spears. Britney was a siren who lured media with her simpleton charm. Media noticed her for her talent and then seduced her into letting her guard down. Relentless media pressure has driven her to wits ends. Once a girl media darling and now the one media loves to hate, Britney epitomizes the way one should avoid dealing with the media.
The do’s
On the contrary Sachin Tendulkar is still standing. From the time he was sixteen a billion people have been crazy about him. In India cricket is a religion and Sachin is the God. Yet that hasn’t affected him. He distances himself from the media and maintains impeccable conduct. The master blaster has always said that he will let his bat do the talking. And boy has he done that! Just today he became the second Indian batsman to score 1000 runs in 2007 and the first one in cricketing history to achieve the feat 7 times! Yet he rarely interacts with media and almost always gives rehearsed answers. To him media a siren whose lures with her song but like Ulysses he never left his boat.
In Sum
If you maintain an impeccable conduct and refrain from acting smart with the media you will go a long way in avoiding such blunders. Impeccable conduct and cautious nay over cautious approach is the best way to deal with the media.
