Safeguarding Reputation Imperative for Organisational Success
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”—Abraham Lincoln
Communications officer or Public relations professionals have been saddled with managing Organizations’ reputation through sustained efforts of establishing and maintaining goodwill; between organisations and the publics.’
Increasingly, the rapid and explosive media space for modern communications officer is boils down to one aspect of the job.
For some time now, communications officers are punching way above their weight. Why? Simply because reputational hazards have multiplied, striking at the very heart of companies’ brand, with the advent numerous social media potentially pulled threat on public perception.
Meanwhile, UK’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) see reputation as the result of what you do, what you say, and what others say about you.
Without gainsaying, reputation is every Organization’s most valuable asset. It is jealously protect as a potent driving force for the progress and profitability of businesses and governments.
Reputation is more solid than image. It takes time to build and nurture; it endures more than image. While reputation built over decades could be ruined in an instant through mistake. Needlessly, more attention should be devoted with great resource for reputation management.
Although you may not be able to control what others say about your brand, creating positive contents to reduce the impact and visibility of negative posts is inevitable.
Ultimately, reputation monitoring is making sure, as communication professional, are well-informed and put you in the best position to make the most of your online reputation. You can do your best to offer your customers the epitome of excellence and ensure that your business gets the positive attention it deserves. By supporting the general flow of new potential customers, you can increase the online visibility of your companies.
Managing your online reputation is not as easy as eliminating all the negative aspects of your business, such as poor customer service and poor marketing.
Here, communications officer not only rely on the company’s brand image but how efficient internal public relate in biding Organisational reputation. He needs to be equipped to speak up despite the facing crisis.
However, as Robert Eccles posited to fives steps to effectively managing reputational risk : assessing your company’s reputation among stakeholders, evaluating your company’s real character, closing reputation-reality gaps, monitoring changing beliefs and expectations, and putting a senior executive below the CEO in charge.
Reputation if not measure can break or make to sense of management. Andrew Griffin, a PR scholar opined public relations link to his organisation it represents, and suggests a dialogue with senior managers around a topic of pressing importance.
Griffin, however discovered that operational crises and reputational crises differs, not all operational crises, includes loss of life, ir have a negative impact on reputation, but some inconsequential-sounding words can have a profound impact.
By Kabir ABDULSALAM
