David Letterman, crisis communications expert?
That might not be the first thing that pops into your head when you think about the comic and talk show host, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.
Letterman’s handling of the blackmail plot in which someone threatened to expose his sexual encounters with female staffers on The Late Show offers a classic example of how to communicate in a crisis.
Rule #1: Tell the truth and admit your mistakes. Fast. Letterman went on his show the same day he went before a grand jury and admitted that he had engaged in sexual relations with some of his employees. This story didn’t leak out in dribs and drabs and Letterman wasted no time in trying to create some weasely excuse about how he couldn’t comment and everyone should respect his privacy (like half-a-dozen politicians we could all name). This doesn't mean you have to tell the whole truth (Letterman has withheld some details, for example), but it does mean that what you say must be the truth. If you’ve screwed up, just admit it. It changes the conversation completely.
The other key factor is that by “outing” himself, Lettermanwas able to control the message. Suddenly the story was not about the head of a company potentially abusing his authority over a staffer (which is certainly one way to describe what happened), but about a beloved public figure who was the victim of a sleazy extortion plot. Of course, what Letterman did was incredibly stupid on so many levels, and he could be subject to criticism over time as this story develops. But the fact remains that the first “narrative” of a crisis is often what most shapes opinions over the long term.
The final lesson is that building a solid reputation forhonesty, integrity, and likeability now will help inoculate you against potential crises in the future. This is as true for businesses and organizations as it is for individuals. While Letterman’s persona is not as warm and fuzzy as, say, Jay Leno’s, he is a likeable fellow who makes people laugh and who doesn’t take himself too seriously. He has developed good will with his fans, and while he may lose some over this incident, I’m willing to bet that most people will give him the benefit of the doubt. Compare that with self-righteous politicians or cultural leaders who sermonize about family values while cheating on their wives.
You can see part of Letterman's comments about the situation here.
And if you think that the travails of a talk show host don't apply to business--remember that Letterman is the head of a multi-million dollar production company called Worldwide Pants, Inc. It is not at all far fetched to suggest that Letterman is protecting his company as much as himself in this situation. So far, he's doing a pretty good job.
