Tiger Woods' Master Class

Now that the dust has settled somewhat on l'affaire Tiger, it is useful to look back and see what lessons can be taken from a communications standpoint. Here are a few:

1. Communications won't fix everything. Even the best communications strategy in the world won't change the fact that a person has behaved disgracefully over a long period of time -- or that a company has sold cars it knew to be unsafe. Good communications is important and will help, but they're not a panacea and should not be viewed as one.
2. Having a good image to begin with helps. On one hand, Tiger fell so far so fast because he was seen as being at a pinnacle, not just as an athlete but as a person. On the other hand, the fact so many people want to like him helped him begin the turnaround during the Masters week. An investment in relationships and reputation when times are good will help when they turn bad.
3. Do not think you can control the media. This seems obvious to most of us but apparently wasn't to Tiger. The more controlling he tried to be in the early days of the scandal, the more journalists, bloggers and tweeters speculated about him and tried to turn up dirt. The first smart thing Tiger did was to have a full-blown news conference before the start of the Masters. He could have done it months ago and would have been better off. When someone in crisis goes into hiding, his/her supporters are not reminded of what they like about the person or why they might want to be understanding and forgiving. As hard as it may be, it's better to continue your routine, such as showing up for work and the places you normally go. Without being arrogant or defensive, you'll get to the other side sooner if you look people in the eye, apologize as is appropriate, take your medicine and allow any ill feelings to dissipate.
4. The truth is going to come out. Trying to hide bad news nearly always makes the outcome worse. If you've had 13 mistresses, it's better to admit that than to have 13 tawdry revelations. A little humility doesn't hurt either. For those who remember Magic Johnson's 1991 revelation that he had contracted HIV from living a Tiger-like promiscuous lifestyle, think about the quotient of sympathy vs. approbation then compared with that surrounding Tiger. Unlike Tiger, Magic broke the news himself, acted humbly, drew support from friends and answered questions honestly. What a difference! Too bad Tiger didn't check it out on YouTube.
5. This too shall pass. In the past decade, we've seen Martha Stewart, Bridgestone Tires, Mattel and others survive near-death experiences. Mattel went right to work with outstanding communications after revelations of unsafe manufacturing practices in China. The other two communicated poorly but nonetheless weathered the storm, although at a price. In most cases, the question is not whether you'll get through your crisis but at what cost. Tiger's awful communications strategy -- or lack of one until recently -- cost him fans and sponsors that will take time and ongoing effort to win back. With hard work, he may become the better person he promises to be and re-earn a place of respect.

A Latin proverb holds that even a fool can learn from his own mistakes, but the wise person learns from those of others. Tiger hasn't shown himself to be very wise, but the rest of us can benefit from his foolishness.