Published for Start-UP Africa Magazine
Business and society are susceptible to various defining moments. Whether it be in the form of a business-unique crisis, macroeconomic uncertainty or a global pandemic that thrusts us to reengage more meaningfully with what matters – we constantly need to be awake and palpable to the inevitability of introspection and redirection.
The character of business itself has seen some critical evolutions in the last 50 years – shifting from a severe focus on bottom line generation to a now developing view that business needs to operate fundamentally to create and sustain value (monetary, societal, and environmental). To understand this shift – it is important to contextualize some of the defining moments that have unfolded in the years leading to where we are now.
In the South African context, since the early 1970s, we witnessed a proliferation of NGOs, particularly due to the people-centered context that characterised our communities in the form of community-based organisations, an emphasis on social work and a general desire for community, togetherness and social good. Community based organisations were therefore positioned as virtuous ideals in a political climate that negated unity and glorified division instead. We then saw the establishment of COSATU in 1985 – the biggest trade union federation in South Africa, representing worker agency in a socioeconomic climate that did not favour raising your voice. These developments will forever be imperishable reference points for the creation of a new operating dimension both in society and for business. The cemented role of NGOs and Trade Unions (although currently evolving) a few decades ago, meant that business suddenly had to pay attention to other social aspects that could severely impact their bottom line. A key example is the role that COSATU affiliate NUM (National Union of Mineworkers) played in advocating for worker rights in the 2012 class action lawsuit against Anglo American on behalf of workers who allegedly contracted Tuberculosis as a result of digging in the company’s gold mines.
While I have contextualized these two examples at a very high level, a, key takeout here is that as an operating entity in any society (whether you are a business or government), it is fundamental to understand that you do not (and cannot) operate in isolation. The recognised importance of independent voices (such as NGOs, trade unions, social movements and campaigns) and their ability to influence perception and social discourse over the years, has severely tempered with the one track minded ideals of the need to just make money as a business, and has instead allowed businesses to think more importantly about investing in their operational conscience.
A key outcome of a good operational conscience is credibility and trust. This is a key feature of any effective reputation model you will find. The role of sound Public Relations (PR) has and continues to be the difference between successful companies and those that are not.
The world of PR too has evolved. The increasingly digitized era in which we find ourselves in, means that we need to constantly interrogate our intrinsic ability to create value – both as individuals and as businesses. To this end, it is no longer enough to structure our concept of PR as a mere ability to scope out and understand your ‘audience’. Adopting this point of view as a primary driver of any of your PR initiatives in today’s times is seen as dangerous and contrived. Many PR faux pas of our time have proven that PR has and should continue to go beyond the prescribed mandate of seeing your role as that of having the power to control the huge megaphone filled with messages directing your ‘audience’ to what they should be thinking and buying. Instead, today’s world continues to point us to the importance of understanding that people view companies very much like they view people. A lot lies in this point of view and much research has been done in this area. Susan Fiske - Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University puts it nicely when she says people make two automatically fundamental judgements when they meet people – the first is: can I trust this person? Do they share my interests? Are they on my side? The second relates to whether or not they can act on their intentions with competence. What this shows us is that at the crux of a ‘what makes good PR?’ conversation, should be the fundamental question: “how can I be what they need?”
Here are some 3 quick PR tips to help you navigate your journey to credibility and trust:
1. Have an empathy strategy
A key ingredient to successful human relationships is the ability to empathize with others. Empathy makes people feel heard, understood and acknowledged at the point of their struggles. In contextualising this, I’ll use the BP oil spill as an example of a company that didn’t get this right at a time when it mattered most. In 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana, causing the worst oil spill in US history. As a result, 11 people died and it took the company 3 months to stem the flow of the oil that threatened marine wildlife and local ecosystems. In a media interview CEO Tony Hayward was widely criticized for his response to the oil spill where he was quoted saying "There's no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back." The company was reported to have lost an additional £14bn in value in the two weeks following this statement. Ten years later, one of the most salient criticisms of BP is in the form of a prevailing view it failed to empathise with the plight of those most immediately affected by the spill, resulting in loss of credibility. This has had a lingering impact on people’s ability to trust them ‘beyond petroleum’.
2. Build relational equity
Remember that good quality relationships are equity. The status and quality of your relationships as a business are crucial for your long life and credibility as a business. A key ‘to do’ for any PR expert, is to ensure you constantly create and maintain healthy relationships with everyone directly or indirectly related to your business. A key part of achieving this as a business is to not take yourself too seriously – every good relationship requires a level of sincerity and vulnerability. Your ability, as a business, to quickly and sincerely admit when you are wrong or when you need help with something, will not only set you apart from the rest but it will encourage the people on the other side of the relationship to feel safe enough to do the same. When you know what your clients, customers or shareholders need – you are able to turn your response into equity.
3. Plan for a crisis
I strongly believe that you either spend your time preparing or repairing. Locally, quality and urgency of responsiveness in the case of Ford Kuga’s mechanical issues and Liberty’s data breach highlight the need for a well thought-through, functional and actionable crisis response plan. Every crisis is unique, and it is important to remember that crisis management is about ensuring that senior management is confident enough in its processes to respond to an unexpected or impending occurrence.
PR plays a significant role in facilitating the relationship between business and the people they serve (directly or indirectly through their existence). Ultimately, you will only be as effective as the quality and depth of your relationships as a business. One of the most crucial relationships of our time is the one that business has with society – it is the ability for business to be sensitive and empathetic whilst pioneering innovation and driving leadership. Credibility or its dilution, can have a huge impact on any company’s bottom-line. One of the key takeout’s from my experience in this space is understanding the important role of empathy and how it is proving to redefine the meaning of what it means to have a license to operate.
Comentários