Heads Out of the Sand! CEOs Must Engage the Media
CEOs are in the spotlight everyday. With trigger-happy board members, demanding customers and a cynical media, they need to be careful of their behavior. And thanks to YouTube, corporate settings are no longer safe (ask Mr. Ballmer).
However, good behavior is not enough. CEOs can no longer have their heads buried in the sand. They need to be constantly engaged with the media. In many cases that includes the blogosphere. It’s too late to begin building relationships with the media during a crisis; that needs to be done beforehand.
What does that mean for PR people? Our responsibility is greater than ever to help our executives communicate clearly with stakeholders. I’ve had the opportunity to work with media savvy executives from large corporations such as 3Com and Burger King to hot start-ups such as Control4 and RemedyMD. It’s very rewarding to see media training in action and know that you’ve helped facilitate a key message to the public. Today’s business climate calls for PR pros to take a larger leadership role.
