If you’ve been wondering if you or other people in your organization could benefit from media training, the answer is yes. And smart organizations make sure their leadership is well-trained before they actually need to get in front of the cameras.
When it comes to media training, organizations basically have three options:
Be proactive and get your team trained right now so they can face the media for any reason, at any time.
Wait until there’s a crisis and then hope you have time to get your spokespeople media trained before the crisis gets worse.
Get your team trained after a “friendly media interview,” where somebody at your company inadvertently made a comment to a reporter that is damaging to your organization’s reputation. Try to get that toothpaste back in the tube!
The fact is, nobody knows when an organization is going to face a public relations nightmare.
A couple of years ago, Nike executives were having a pretty good night. One of the best players in college basketball, Zion Williamson of Duke University, was wearing Nike shoes during one of the biggest games of the season. It was so big, even former President Barack Obama was there.
Then, everything fell apart. Literally.
Williamson’s Nike shoe fell apart during the game, the sole came off, and the national TV cameras turned to President Obama who was sitting in the stands, mouthing the words, “His shoe broke.”
To make matters worse, Williamson sprained his knee because of the shoe blowout and he couldn’t play for the rest of the regular season.
Immediately after the blowout, Nike lost over $1 billion in market cap (it has since recovered, to say the least).
Nike immediately took responsibility for the shoe malfunction, ordered an investigation into what caused the issue, and wished Williamson a speedy recovery.
For organizations like Nike, brand image and corporate reputation is everything. The Nike communications & leadership teams were well-equipped to react immediately when bad news happened on their watch.
After all, their slogan is “Just Do It” not “Just Wing It.”
Whether it’s learning how to share your good news, deliver bad news, or even deal with a crisis, every organization can benefit from media training, and the sooner the better.
