Managing a crisis and a company’s reputation is much easier and more effective when the PR team and legal counsel are on the same page.
To help this relationship work here’s a list of important PR qualities compiled by Bill Ojile, Partner, Armstrong Teasdale, Denver office; and former Chief Legal Officer Alta Colleges, a GroundFloor Media client since 2008:
Experience: Having a member of the PR team who has worked as a reporter was invaluable in translating the process. What was the reporter looking for? What would he accept from us?
Resiliency: Working with a reporter on background takes persistence and a willingness to go back repeatedly on issues, if necessary. They can’t give up and provide the reporter with an excuse to report an inaccurate or unbalanced fact.
Responsiveness: A media crisis is a 24/7 grind. Members of the media appreciate getting immediate responses to questions and issues. (It is also a two-way street.)
Toughness: Someone you would want with you in a bar fight.
Teachability: Work with someone who will get beyond sound bites and who wants to understand the details and background. This will involve a desire to dig in and learn about the company and how it does business.
