In May 2011, then Congressman Anthony Weiner announced that he was resigning from the New York City Council. The congressman was an intense individual to work for. He kept long hours, worked staff hard, and was accused of being verbally abusive. Weiner made a mistake, something that we’ve all done at some point or another. He sent a public tweet that he meant to keep private. What was bothersome about that tweet was its sexually explicit content.
The congressman resigned and sought counseling on the matter. In May of 2013, he revealed via YouTube that he was looking to run a seat of New York City’s mayor. Barely two months had gone by when old habits crept back into the public eye. Congressman Weiner was at it again. The scandal has not caused the former congressman to drop out, yet. As we wait for word on his efforts to continue, a reflective look at his legacy can shed some valuable light on businesses under pressure.
We All Make Mistakes
Hopefully these mistakes do not involve sexually explicit texting, but we all make mistakes. It might be the customer we were rude to on the off day we had last week, or the colleague we got angry with when things were not done up to spec. Anthony Weiner chose the right venues to apologize the first time around, took proper punishment and waited to make his return. Whether he actually sought treatment is a matter for someone else to debate. When he took to YouTube to announce his run as the mayoral candidate, he circumvented media and took control of the situation to his advantage.
The lesson here is to put a lid on it. Case studies from Brand.com show that when you respond to negative criticism with positive news, you stand a better chance of navigating around the crisis. Work with the public at large on your own terms to give your statement some credibility and don’t respond to every petty issue that is taken with you.
Let Things Calm
When congressman Weiner resigned in 2011, it was with a heavy heart. What changed in two years, that he was able to come back and give politics another chance? He let the topic rest, that’s what changed. By dropping out of the public spotlight, he was able to let the new focus on larger issues. He had his 15 minutes of shame, took it, and should have dropped out of the spotlight at that point. You can do the same in business.
When something bad happens, it’s sometimes best not to react at all. By not committing to a statement, you give a chance to let the heat dissipate. When you do decide to make a statement, it will be to a more receptive and level headed audience.
Monitor the Reaction
The reactions to Anthony Weiner’s revelations have been varied across the Web, with many news outlets taking an almost tongue-in-cheek approach to the controversy. In situations like this, there is an opportunity for a well-crafted and clever statement to sway public opinion. This also plays into why you should let the situation die down before you respond to it.
When you give a knee jerk reaction, you end up with a statement like the one made by Barbara Morgan. It’s not fit for publication here, but suffice it to say that it was not pleasant and reflected a short-sighted view of the situation. Frustration is normal, and customers can sometimes come across as entitled. What you can learn from Anthony Weiner is that you sometimes have to go into another room and breathe. Vent before you respond to customers. It’s better for everyone involved.
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