Why this matters in a crisis

If you don’t think that a corporate crisis attracts political interest, think again.

Political leaders can and do step into a corporate crisis when the situation is attracting significant media and public interest. After all, they are the people who elect politicians, who want to be seen taking action. That could range from making public statements to changing legislation. For example, in Auckland, Mercury Energy was roundly criticised by the New Zealand Prime Minister for failing to act in the interests of its customers. In Australia, the Sizzler restaurant chain was criticised by the Health Minister for failing to report deliberate food contamination in a timely manner. Legislation was changed to enforce time limits for such incidents.

How do corporate leaders – and those charged with disaster response – manage the political minefield? The answer is in my book, co-authored by Prof Jacqui Ewart, which delivers a roadmap on the blame game, finger-pointing, back-stabbing and intense pressure when information, resources and time are scarce.

Political Leadership in Disaster and Crisis Communication and Management, published by Palgrave Macmillan, lifts the lid on how political leaders maintain public trust and confidence in very uncertain times. It is this inside perspective that will help guide corporate leaders when calamity strikes and politicians hover. We specialise in reputation management and always ready to assist you.