After more than a week of intense scrutiny, former NFL coach Bill Belichick is reportedly looking for outside PR help to rebuild his reputation following his awkward “CBS Sunday Morning” interview. What was intended as a routine media appearance to promote his new book quickly spiraled into a viral moment that lit up social feeds and became fodder for comedians.
Belichick’s interview blunder is a good reminder of why effective reputation resilience must be built before the crisis strikes. Here’s how.
Follow a Crisis Playbook
As a seasoned coach, Belichick knows how to craft meticulous game plans and anticipate every possible scenario on the field. Unfortunately, that same preparation seemed to be missing in his sit-down with CBS. Even though he claims the interview was only supposed to be about his book and not his relationship with Jordon Hudson, which the network denies, he should have gone into it with a clear messaging strategy.
When someone agrees to a news interview, every comment with a reporter is considered “on the record” unless specifically discussed and agreed to by both parties ahead of time. And when cameras are present, they’re almost always rolling, which means whatever’s captured can also end up in the final story. Given that his relationship is such a hot topic, Belichick’s media preparation should have included how to better handle questions related to his girlfriend. Instead, he seemed to be caught off guard by the question about Hudson, and his response set up one of the interview’s most cringeworthy interactions caught on camera.
The same goes for brands and institutions — plan ahead. Understand what potential crises could happen involving your organization and create a playbook for these potential incidents. Determine who will speak on behalf of the organization, define contact protocols and establish who will manage and monitor social media.
Drive the Dialogue
Belichick created a dynasty by forcing other teams to play by his terms. Yet, the opposite happened in this situation. In a crisis, letting the media or public perception define your story can do lasting damage to your reputation. So take the lead and drive the dialogue. You can control the narrative by knowing exactly what you do and don’t want to say and having a core message that you return to consistently.
And remember — “no comment” is a comment. Avoiding a question altogether often creates more questions than answers. If your business is involved in a crisis and you’re not ready to speak in detail yet, your communications team should draft a holding statement that acknowledges the situation and indicates that more information is forthcoming. Your team can then work swiftly to tailor your message and release a clear, timely statement that addresses the issue directly.
Play the Long Game
Lastly, building — or rebuilding — a positive reputation takes time. Belichick’s legacy is the product of years of focus and planning. While it won’t take him as long to move past this, it will take consistent actions and communication about what else is important to him to shift the spotlight away from this misstep and his controversial relationship.
The same long-term mindset is essential for building trust before you or your company’s reputation takes a hit. Creating a positive online presence on your and your business’s social media platforms can act as a buffer that softens the impact when a crisis happens.
Thanks to the power of social media, reputations are either made, damaged or destroyed in seconds. Whether you’re a famous coach or a Fortune 500 CEO, the rules of effective reputation management apply — own your message, stay agile and always think a few plays ahead.