In the News–Perception & Psychology
Barra’s review, from those who’ve been on hot seat
Amy Haimerl, Crain’s Detroit Business, April 6, 2014
As General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra faced congressional panels last week, she may well have felt like it was a firing squad.
The members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee‘s oversight panel grilled her, demanding answers — now! — about why it took the automaker more than a decade to recall 2.6 million vehicles over a faulty ignition switch that has been linked to 13 deaths.
“Unless you’ve been in front of Congress, you don’t now how grueling it can be,” said Davia Temin, who owns New York City-based crisis management firm Temin and Co. Inc. “It is a spectacle beyond all spectacles. You might as well be in a Roman coliseum.” […read more]
Christie’s $1 million spin-control bridge report
Dustin Racioppi, USA Today, March 27, 2014
For a pricey admission, New Jersey taxpayers now have a front-row seat to Gov. Chris Christie’s national rehab from scandal. After three months of press-dodging and largely evading public questions on the George Washington Bridge lane closures, the politically hobbled governor finally gets to tell his side of the saga, and on his own terms. The cost to state taxpayers: $1 million.
Davia Temin, who runs a crisis-management company in New York, said Christie should have ordered an investigation into the lane closure and he should have released the findings of the investigation shortly after it concluded. […read more]
GM’s Barra Showing Compassion Contrasts With Mishandlers
Matt Townsend, Bloomberg, March 20, 2014
GM CEO Mary Barra took a critical step this week in framing herself as a compassionate leader, invoking the fact she’s a mother as she said she was sorry for the lives lost in accidents linked to a defect that spurred the recall of 1.6 million cars. It was in stark contrast to the seemingly unempathetic response by Hayward to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill when he was BP Plc (BP)’s CEO and declared “I’d like to have my life back” amid the unfolding crisis.
Her next step, according to Davia Temin who shares her thoughts on GM’s latest crisis, is “to shift into action mode or at least into making statements about what she’ll do to right what’s wrong.” […read more]
Some see minimal impact on image of Maine lobster
Jessica Hall, Portland Press Herald, February 20, 2014
The Maine Department of Marine Resources announcement that it will be closing a portion of the Penobscot River to loberstering and crabbing due to mercury contamination has prompted discussion as to whether its closure will have an impact on the industry’s reputation. Davia Temin is quoted, stating that this issue will hurt the brand. […read more]
The Crisis of Trust and Rebuilding Trust After Crisis
Barbara Kimmel, Trust Across America, February 19, 2014
Reputation and trust. Disaster recovery and disaster prevention. Crisis response and the crisis of trust. Davia Temin and Charlie Green connect on these and related topics.
In this program they exchange, explore and examine these critical issues, such as: Why do organizations create their own public relations disasters? What’s trust got to do with it? What’s the connection between personal and corporate trust? Why is trust in companies down so far? What can companies do about it? What can individuals do about it? Whom should you trust? Whom shouldn’t you trust? What companies have a well-deserved (positive) reputation, and how did they get there? How can you recover from a trashed reputation, and how can you recover from broken trust? What’s the relationship between those two? […read more]
AOL’s Armstrong Joins Parade of CEOs Apologizing
Jeff Green, Bloomberg, February 10, 2014
AOL Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Armstrong is on a long list of corporate bosses who put their trust in an apology to contain fallout from an embarrassing public statement. Armstrong said he was sorry and backtracked on a 401(k) policy change days after he cited the cost of “distressed babies” on the AOL health-care plan as a reason the company needed to save some money.
The best outcome for Armstrong would be if the uproar blows over. But, according to Davia Temin, now that blunders move at the speed of the Internet, even executives with strong boardroom support sometimes can’t bounce back when they trip up in a very public way. […read more]
Target CEO opens up about data breach
Jena McGregor, The Washington Post, January 13, 2014
Crisis communications experts weigh in on Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel’s interview with CNBC in which he discusses the massive security breach that happened last December. Davia Temin was among those who thought it was a solid effort but also felt that the company may need to do more. […read more]
How much is an apology worth?
Kate Davidson, Marketplace, November 12, 2013
Marketplace Radio‘s Kate Davidson interviews Davia Temin on the “Faux-pology” – when an apology really isn’t an apology. […read more]
“Rebuilding Trust in the Financial Markets” – Still a Concern 5+ Years Later
T&C Press Release, Reuters, November 1, 2013
“Only 22 percent of Americans trust the financial system. Despite a broad stock market rally since the financial crisis officially ended, public distrust of banks and investment banks has not fully abated,” says reputation strategist Davia Temin. “In fact, in some cases, it has deepened.”
Ms. Temin’s essay, “Rebuilding Trust in the Financial Markets,” is featured in Barbara Brooks Kimmel’s new book Trust Inc.: Strategies for Building Your Company’s Most Valuable Asset, published today. […read more]
Boards Coming Up Short on Crisis Management
Marcy Syms and Davia Temin, Agenda, June 10, 2013
Corporate boards are facing crises of a magnitude never before seen, with even the most experienced board directors finding themselves ill-prepared for crisis. Therefore, how boards respond to such events speaks volumes about the character and culture of the organizations they lead. In this Agenda article, Davia Temin – along with co-author Marcy Syms, former CEO of Syms Corporation – outlines several steps boards can take to set the right tone for management and help mitigate risk when crisis hits.
If you’d like to read the full article, please click here (pdf).»
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