BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

In just the last week, Serena Williams, Kanye West, and Congressman Joe Wilson have all led us to wonder what to do once you've made a very public gaffe. As critical commentary about their high-profile outbursts led the news and made front page headlines, there' s little doubt that each - given the benefit of hindsight - would likely have chosen a different way to voice their opinions.

In today' s hyper-connected world, there is no putting the cat back in the bag. Once it' s out there, it' s out there. But that doesn' t mean that the reputational damage done when a celebrity, politician, or business leader spouts off in public can' t be contained with a timely, sincere, and forward-looking apology.

As I told Forbes.com yesterday afternoon, the first thing to keep in mind when offering a mea culpa for such an action is speed. In today' s digital marketplace, immediacy is key. Word of a controversial statement or act travels at light speed via the blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, let alone by traditional media - and by the time fans, followers, and the public at large learn about it, they need your take on it in the same breath. Impressions today are instant and lasting. The only way to shape them is to be present when they are formed.

Second, the apology has to be meaningful. Remember Alex Rodriguez' s half-hearted apology for steroid use earlier this year? The fact that he didn' t seem sorry kept the story alive rather than putting it to bed.
And third, an effective apology has to be focused on the future. It must demonstrate not only that a lesson has been learned, but that the lesson will serve as a guide moving forward. Michael Vick' s work with the Humane Society after his release from prison provides a good example of what corrective action articulates to the marketplace. The bad actor shows, rather than merely tells, the public that he or she is back on the right track.

The public has shown time and again that it will forgive most transgressions if the transgressor seems genuinely remorseful and willing to change his or her ways. What it won' t forgive is silence or inaction. If a bad act itself screams arrogance and disregard for others, then a partial apology only serves to turn that shout into a whisper.

Michael W. Robinson is Senior Vice President of Corporate and Finance at Levick Strategic Communications, the nation's top crisis communications firm, and a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.