Recently Barbara presented to The Board Leaders Network, delivering her insights to what board directors need to be aware to ensure organisations have an eye on reputation management and are ready should a crisis strike.
The session was focussed on equipping attendees with the tools and checklists necessary to oversee critical organisational risk and what they can do.
It is well documented that reputation is critical to an organisation’s success, boards need be well informed on reputation risks and issues, understand what management is doing to address these risks and importantly what is in place to predict and respond to impacting events before they occur or as they happen. The single most important strategy is to identify issues and problems early and take proactive steps at senior executive level to stop them becoming crises.
Yet a global study of non-executive directors showed 73% named reputation as the single greatest crisis vulnerability, yet only 39% had a plan.
Leadership has significant control and responsibility, boards should be working alongside CEO and their leadership teams on overall strategy, investments, and governance structure.
Strengthen reputation
- Have a focus on the enterprise – who you are matters more than what you do
- Deliver on corporate responsibility – be responsible in all aspects of business
- Leverage leadership – CEOs matter greatly, choose wisely or if not working fire early
- Express your story – speak to your brand purpose and values
- Put humanity first – caring and honest qualities go a long way
What’s important for board members to remember
- You have no direct control over your reputation – make sure you keep an eye on it
- You may have multiple reputation with different groups
- Remember reputation goes both ways; understanding what’s facing you will allow you to know what action to take
- Measure and manage your corporate reputation. Know which questions to ask your CEO and management team. And if you can’t ask the team or they don’t have the answers call in experts
- If an organisation is successful, people will barely know your name – but the minute something goes wrong you will soon make a name for yourself on the list of people to blame
Finally, boards need to lead by example.
They need to be proactive and ensure there is a well-rehearsed crisis communications plan, understand what is proactively being done to measure and monitor reputation risk and issues, know who can help is if reputation expertise is needed, have the governance in place with updated and appropriate policies as well as have regular reporting at board meetings.
The Board Leader Network is a membership-based organisation that provides services and resources to non-profit boards and their members. Their mission is to improve the effectiveness of non-profit boards by facilitating networking connections, providing education and training, and offering guidance on governance, strategy, and fundraising. Check them out here: https://www.boardleadersnetwork.com/
