The King Has No Clothes
December 16, 2009
Q: I have a client who is considering a run for public office. Without citing specifics, my client, who is married, has been less than straightforward about past extramarital affairs. A handful of people are aware of the situation. How should I handle my client? He thinks that nobody knows or cares, that it will all go away and it won’t affect his campaign?
A: Your client’s ego is blinding him. He is knee-deep in denial. Whether a transgression is infidelity or unpaid taxes, no one, especially someone in the public eye, is above the law. This past month the news media have been rife with stories about Tiger Woods’ rapid fall from grace, including marital strife and an exodus by sponsors. What can you and your client learn from Tiger’s sad saga?
First, make sure your client’s house is in order. Counsel your client to take responsibility for his actions. No one until now was better than Tiger at managing his brand. Behind the scenes, however, his life was falling apart. Make sure your client has his head on straight about his actions, beginning with the basics — that he knows right from wrong and understands the consequences, the harm, his actions have caused. He needs to make things right at home before going on the campaign trail.
Second, tell the truth first and tell it fast. If you decide to go forward with a campaign, get out in front of the media. Your client should avoid hiding behind a website; instead, he needs to be a stand-up person. Tiger’s obscure website statements have only compounded his problems as the truth comes out.
Third, have the guts to tell the king he has no clothes. It has been reported that “everyone on the PGA Tour knew about Tiger’s girlfriends” and that his close friends and his agent arranged all the trysts. Do not get caught up in your client’s secret life. Your silence only condones his actions. If your client doesn’t grasp the implications of his actions, it’s time for you to resign this account. At the end of the day, you will have given your best counsel and you will keep your integrity intact.
Paula Blanchard Stone and Patty McCarthy are partners in McCarthyBlanchard, an executive training firm specializing in key message development, presentation skills training, media interview training and executive presence. Copyright © 2008 McCarthy Blanchard. | Website
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