The Good, The Bad, The Spin

I’m no Buddha*. And likely, neither are you.

The amount of perfection expected for people is unrealistic and often contradictory. The world’s noted scandals are often the results of character flaws of familial, biological and sociocultural origins, of which most of us possess.

Yet the bar is raised particularly high for public figures. It’s at the point of being unrealistic, so much so that I get a sense of cynical, voyeuristic enjoyment from the Peter Dohertys and Dennis Rodmans of the world. People like them, who relish in their careless, destructive behaviors, are refreshingly honest even while being distasteful to some.

Not giving a shit, when compared with the uppity expectations placed on many public figures, or just about anyone who screws up and is publicly exposed for it, is a healthy perspective. Suspending judgment of others is even healthier because the levels of expectation we place upon one another is, on some level, dependant upon our own mistakes and misjudgments. (more…)

Contrast how New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has handled his demise with Geraldine Ferraro, who also recently resigned from working on the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Ferraro recently said of Barack Obama: “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”

Taking heat for this remark, she resigned from a fund-raising position on the Clinton campaign.

Her closing remarks:

“I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.

“The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won’t let that happen.

“Racism works in two different directions. I really think they’re attacking me because I’m white. How’s that?”

Knowing when you’re under attack may seem obvious at first thought. The truth, however, is that any business or organization can come under attack for even innocuous reasons. The Information Age has made damning allegations that much more convenient to make, and these attacks most often have an online component–the Internet being the main medium of criticism. Individuals, small businesses and organizations are not as immune as they once were.  

Here are five clues that will tell you whether your organization is facing more than normal criticism:

1.  A medium–usually a Web site–appears to target your organization and its actions
2. An organization forms to target your organization and its actions
3. Attackers go to the news media first–dialogue is absent, in other words
4. Reporters knock (if you’re lucky) rather than call
5. You did something wrong

Just one of these in and of itself may not represent a true attack (e.g., a disgruntled employee whining to the press or the existence of McDonaldsSucks.com). Two or more means crisis communications principles and practices should be quickly invoked.