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Professor Diermeier outlines how companies and executives should manage their reputations, including the number-one mistake CEOs make

Professor Daniel Diermeier

Diermeier on Crisis and Reputation Management

Video: Daniel Diermeier covers how companies should prepare for reputation crises


In a speech before the Kellogg Alumni Club of Chicago, Professor Daniel Diermeier , Academic Director of the Kellogg Executive Education Crisis Management program, discussed how companies should address their crisis- and reputation-management needs and capabilities, as well as which notable business crises were handled the best and the worst.





Key Takeaways

  • Companies need to consider their response capability. It can be called crisis-management capability, but that implies acting after the situation has already reached a critical point. "I like response capability because I think you want to activate it even if something hasn't reached a crisis yet."
  • The biggest mistake executives make in a reputation crisis is trying to get their name taken out of the spotlight rather than becoming known for how well they handle the situation. "Think about this more as an opportunity to leave a lasting impression that shapes you or your company's reputation for the next years or for the next decades."
  • The typical news cycle for a business issue that captures the media's attention is only eight to nine hours, according to best estimates. "The actual cycle, when people pay attention to a news story that affects business, is very short—even for more major stories."

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