Over the past few months so many celebrities got caught in the spotlight over sex scandals. But when such news surfaces in the media I think it is interesting to observe how celebrities address the poor behavior in an attempt to salvage their images and reputations. These types of crises can also happen in large organizations. When they do, top leaders have to decide how they are going to react and communicate with the media to preserve the reputation of the organization. In October, David Letterman came forward to quickly address the media on his late night show and describe an extortion plot against him that was based on allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a female employee. The media broke the news in November that Tiger Woods had been philandering with multiple women after he was involved in a mysterious car accident outside his home. But in that instance Tiger waited three months before talking about the scandal in public.So what can a top leader learn from these two men about what to do if this type of a crisis hits and their reputation and image - and that of their organization - is suddenly at stake?Top leaders are seen as role models within their organization. They or someone else in the organization can make a big mistake - but as leaders they or someone on their top staff must address the media in a proactive fashion. Otherwise personal and professional brands and images are threatened and can be easily damaged or destroyed. I acknowledge that there are millions of different viewpoints about how David and Tiger handled their personal situations and private matters. But what I want to highlight are some valuable professional tips for top leaders who face these kinds of unexpected situations and then have to step out and face the cameras.
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