This letter reveals a few things. Mrs Blackman is under extreme stress as one would expect. Mrs Blackman does not understand that this is her brand’s Tylenol moment. I hope the professional advice she is seeking is a crisis manager.
I am no crisis management expert myself nor anywhere near being one, however, here’s what I have learnt from my experiences:
– Put information out quickly as others will, including embellishments
– Come clean. Tell the truth as you know it to be
– Say sorry and mean it. And then say it again.
– Remember that there is something called the Internet and mobile phones (news travels faster than ever)
– Have a plan for who talks on your behalf
– Have a plan for when things go bad
This is an awful episode and I don’t envy Mrs Blackman’s position. (please people don’t jump on me for ignoring the child – this blog is about the letter, of course the child’s welfare is the most important thing in all of this and I hope a lot of attention is paid to this in terms of counselling and other appropriate action)
Tylenol took responsibility. Mrs Blackman should do the same. And fast.
