Tiger Woods’ Unconventional Crisis Management Deserves An A Grade.

In managing a crisis, conventional wisdom commands to talk to the media as quickly as possible, tell what you know, tell it all and promise more as soon as more information is known. As Tiger Woods copes with what he calls his “personal failings,” his one car accident on November 27, 2009 at his estate, some have suggested he employs the conventional wisdom of crisis management. See Magic Johnson on Larry King, December 4, 2009.

Tiger Woods has so far resisted, choosing instead to employ an unconventional approach for which, in my opinion, he deserves an A grade in crisis management.

All crises are not the same. This one especially is particularly unusual. Managing it successfully therefore will require thinking outside the proverbial box. Whatever techniques employed must take into account the exigency, the principal(s) involved, the audience, the relations, method, and the kairos. Knowingly or unknowingly his approach has these six basic elements, helping him earn an A grade:

1. The exigency: A so-called crisis, which compels some response from someone. Is there really an exigency or a crisis?
There’s only a crisis if the principal stands to lose legitimacy and benefit he enjoyed from his most important audience or public. It is this same public from whom he will seek and receive forgiveness and reputational restoration.
Woods, in his statement on his website, has correctly identified the exigency: personal failings, issue with his wife; accident involving public property, namely fire hydrant, and tree in a neighbor’s yard.

2. The Principal: Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods has enormous reservoir of goodwill from the public the world over. He is intensely private. Other than speaking to the media after one of his numerous golf tournament wins, Tiger Woods does not do media interviews. No one knows his political views or his religious thinking. To whom does he then ask forgiveness? Who therefore would grant him such forgiveness? If so, what does the general public granting Tiger Woods forgiveness mean?

3. The audience. There is an audience of ONE! Mrs. Tiger Woods. So far, there is only a personal failing. His approach has been to isolate, and lock himself up with his most important public and try to work out his personal failing and issues in their marriage.
Any public acknowledgement or statement will be a mistake. A public statement will expand the audience to include the broader public whose only interest is in the juiciness of the story of possible infidelity of Mr. Tiger Woods, and possible problem in his marriage. There’s absolutely no reason to meet the press and talk to any other audience? Most people like Tiger Woods, not because of his morality, but because of his prowess on the Golf course. With time and more wins, the audience will forget about his personal failings.

4. The relations. The relationship to his most important audience is marriage. It is this audience that has been wronged. It is this audience he must seek forgiveness. It is this audience that has the power to grant forgiveness, restore his benefits and make Tiger Woods whole again.

5. The method: His method of communicating he has chosen has been his website. Granted, it is the proverbial drip, drip; the very worst way to deliver a message in a conventional crisis management, he has written about his “personal failing,” suggesting he is not perfect. With this method, he has managed to control what he says to his fans which include this writer.

6. The kairos. The timing and measure of response.
Friends and so-called experts are calling for Mr. Woods to talk to the media, own up to his failings and “be done with it.”

He has chosen instead to hold off and only write generically about the issue on his website. He has cancelled appearing in the next tournament. With possible scar on his face, possibly from his wife’s blow, meeting the media will only serve to further sensationalize the issue and worsen the issue. Besides, no one knows the extent of Tiger Woods’ involvement with other women. Probably, not even Tiger Woods. Who knows what other woman may soon come out? How will he answer that inevitable question, are you involved with any other woman?

Tiger Woods’ Unconventional Crisis Management Deserves An A Grade.

In managing a crisis, conventional wisdom commands to talk to the media as quickly as possible, tell what you know, tell it all and promise more as soon as more information is known. As Tiger Woods copes with what he calls his “personal failings,” his one car accident on November 27, 2009 at his estate, some have suggested he employs the conventional wisdom of crisis management. See Magic Johnson on Larry King, December 4, 2009.

Tiger Woods has so far resisted, choosing instead to employ an unconventional approach for which, in my opinion, he deserves an A grade in crisis management.

All crises are not the same. This one especially is particularly unusual. Managing it successfully therefore will require thinking outside the proverbial box. Whatever techniques employed must take into account the exigency, the principal(s) involved, the audience, the relations, method, and the kairos. Knowingly or unknowingly his approach has these six basic elements, helping him earn an A grade:

1. The exigency: A so-called crisis, which compels some response from someone. Is there really an exigency or a crisis?
There’s only a crisis if the principal stands to lose legitimacy and benefit he enjoyed from his most important audience or public. It is this same public from whom he will seek and receive forgiveness and reputational restoration.
Woods, in his statement on his website, has correctly identified the exigency: personal failings, issue with his wife; accident involving public property, namely fire hydrant, and tree in a neighbor’s yard.

2. The Principal: Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods has enormous reservoir of goodwill from the public the world over. He is intensely private. Other than speaking to the media after one of his numerous golf tournament wins, Tiger Woods does not do media interviews. No one knows his political views or his religious thinking. To whom does he then ask forgiveness? Who therefore would grant him such forgiveness? If so, what does the general public granting Tiger Woods forgiveness mean?

3. The audience. There is an audience of ONE! Mrs. Tiger Woods. So far, there is only a personal failing. His approach has been to isolate, and lock himself up with his most important public and try to work out his personal failing and issues in their marriage.
Any public acknowledgement or statement will be a mistake. A public statement will expand the audience to include the broader public whose only interest is in the juiciness of the story of possible infidelity of Mr. Tiger Woods, and possible problem in his marriage. There’s absolutely no reason to meet the press and talk to any other audience? Most people like Tiger Woods, not because of his morality, but because of his prowess on the Golf course. With time and more wins, the audience will forget about his personal failings.

4. The relations. The relationship to his most important audience is marriage. It is this audience that has been wronged. It is this audience he must seek forgiveness. It is this audience that has the power to grant forgiveness, restore his benefits and make Tiger Woods whole again.

5. The method: His method of communicating he has chosen has been his website. Granted, it is the proverbial drip, drip; the very worst way to deliver a message in a conventional crisis management, he has written about his “personal failing,” suggesting he is not perfect. With this method, he has managed to control what he says to his fans which include this writer.

6. The kairos. The timing and measure of response.
Friends and so-called experts are calling for Mr. Woods to talk to the media, own up to his failings and “be done with it.”

He has chosen instead to hold off and only write generically about the issue on his website. He has cancelled appearing in the next tournament. With possible scar on his face, possibly from his wife’s blow, meeting the media will only serve to further sensationalize the issue and worsen the issue. Besides, no one knows the extent of Tiger Woods’ involvement with other women. Probably, not even Tiger Woods. Who knows what other woman may soon come out? How will he answer that inevitable question, are you involved with any other woman?

Alaska Gov. Is Resigning. Good Luck Ms. Palin

Lets face it, competition for the GOP nomination will be brutal. Think about Huckabee, Romney, T-Paw, governors who finished their terms, some of them, two terms; and some candidates we don’t know yet.

In announcing her resignation from the governor’s office, Palin, I think, is leaving the very job she needed to continue to build on her resume so she can do better next time she tries to run for National office. Have you heard this woman articulate international policy ideas better than her ability to see Russia from her front porch?

Since leaving the national campaign, Ms Palin has done the exact opposite of what I thought she needed to do to better herself for future national political run. Read what I wrote on this blog on November 10, 2008. http://mrsmart.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/is-palin-too-far-away-3/

All I have seen her do is fight with virtually anyone who dares say anything she doesn’t like about her or her cause. From political operatives to David letterman; John Kerry, the media, etc.

Everything about her future plans is speculative for now at best. So, I just wish her the best in whatever she chooses to do.

Alaska gov is resigning. Good Luck, Ms. Palin

Lets face it, competition for the GOP nomination will be brutal. Think about Huckabee, Romney, T-Paw, governors who finished their terms, some of them, two terms; and some candidates we don’t know yet.

In announcing her resignation from the governor’s office, Palin, I think, is leaving the very job she needed to continue to build on her resume so she can do better next time she tries to run for National office. Have you heard this woman articulate international policy ideas better than her ability to see Russia from her front porch?

Since leaving the national campaign, Ms Palin has done the exact opposite of what I thought she needed to do to better herself for future national political run. Read what I wrote on this blog on November 10, 2008. http://mrsmart.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/is-palin-too-far-away-3/

All I have seen her do is fight with virtually anyone who dares say anything she doesn’t like about her or her cause. From political operatives to David letterman; John Kerry, the media, etc.

Everything about her future plans is speculative for now at best. So, I just wish her the best in whatever she chooses to do.

Governor Palin resigns

Sarah Palin resigns her post as Alaska Governor

Lets face it, competition for the GOP nomination will be brutal. Think about Huckabee, Romney, T-Paw, governors who finished their terms, some of them, two terms; and some candidates we don’t know yet.

In announcing her resignation from the governor’s office, Palin, I think, is leaving the very job she needed to continue to build on her resume so she can do better next time she tries to run for National office. Have you heard this woman articulate international policy ideas better than her ability to see Russia from her front porch?

Since leaving the national campaign, Ms Palin has done the exact opposite of what I thought she needed to do to better herself for future national political run. Read what I wrote on this blog on November 10, 2008. http://mrsmart.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/is-palin-too-far-away-3/

All I have seen her do is fight with virtually anyone who dares say anything she doesn’t like about her or her cause. From political operatives to David letterman; John Kerry, the media, etc.

Everything about her future plans is speculative for now at best. So, I just wish her the best in whatever she chooses to do.

Alaska gov is resigning. Good Luck, Ms. Palin

Sarah Palin resigns her post as Alaska Governor

Lets face, competition for the GOP nomination will be brutal. Think about Huckabee, Romney, T-Paw, governors who finished their terms, some of them, two terms; and some candidates we don’t know yet.

In announcing her resignation from the governor’s office, Palin, I think, is leaving the very job she needed to continue to build on her resume so she can do better next time she tries to run for National office. Have you heard this woman articulate international policy ideas better than her ability to see Russia from her front porch?

Since leaving the national campaign, Ms Palin has done the exact opposite of what I thought she needed to do to better herself for future national political run. Read what I wrote on this blog on November 10, 2008. http://mrsmart.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/is-palin-too-far-away-3/

All I have seen her do is fight with virtually anyone who dares say anything she doesn’t like about her or her cause. From political operatives to David letterman; John Kerry, the media, etc.

Everything about her future plans is speculative for now at best. So, I just wish her the best in whatever she chooses to do.

The GOP Needs A Time-out

Is it just me or is the GOP trying too hard to recover too quickly from the back-to-back beating of the last election cycles? In my opinion, they need a long time out to regroup.

If the GOP needed more compelling reason to take time out, it came in Governor Bobby Jindal’s GOP response to president Obama’s masterful address to the joint congress last night. From my stand point, that speech and its deliverer fell flat, with no discernable pluses for the GOP, whatsoever.

Loses as they have experienced are not all bad. In fact, they may serve a necessary corrective purpose. The party has ideas, but I call what they have done so far, knee-jerk reactions.

First they select Michael Steel as chairman, pro-affirmative action, pro-DC statehood, minority in an all white party. Okay, an almost all-white party. Then, Steele comes up with a pledge to turn the GOP into a hip-hop party. Give me a break.

These knee-jerk reactions, in my opinion, are only further damaging their already tainted brand, giving the president kudos and increasing his approval rating. Further, it serves to prolong the GOP time in the political wilderness.

Secondly, the GOP congressmen and women vote zero on the stimulus and have the nerves to celebrate that as an accomplishment. Their alternate solutions? The same “brilliant” tired, worn out and rejected tax-cut solutions to all financial ills!

My advice.
I’m sure they don’t want my suggestions. But I’ll give it anyway.
Other than what they have done so far, I think they should lay low, really regroup, while hoping the Dems screw up very badly. While lying low, they should spend time formulating a better message of who they are and what they intend to do for the citizens if given another chance in the majority. Then, just maybe the electorate will give them another look. While in that reflective mood, they should seriously consider pragmatism. It isn’t a bad word, you know?

The GOP need to stop while this brand can still be salvaged. The public is well served when there is more than one equally respectable view on issues. But the emphasis here is on respectable view.

Re: Gingrich Rips RNC For Its Blagojevich Attacks

This is a post in response to a Huffingtonpost.com article: Gingrich Rips RNC For Its Blagojevich Attacks

Newt Gingrich Took the words right out of my mouth. I know I am one of only a few Newt’s fans. Whatever happened to the smart GOPers there used to be? Where is Mike Huckabee?

Not that anyone in the GOP asked me. But, the leadership of the Grand Old party should be ashamed of itself.

The Republicans received a thorough beating in two successive congressional elections, and are poised to make it a Trifecta in 2010; not to talk of the presidential contest which was a blow-out. The Blaggy/ Obama senate seat problem should be the least of their worries!

Fitzgerald says Obama isn’t a target; Emanuel is not a target. Even if they were, Political crisis 101 says when you see your opponent in some sort of trouble, stay out. It further says to allow them to crash and burn, and then you’ll get the full benefit. A political neophyte should know that, but apparently these “brilliant minds” in the GOP leadership don’t.

With four to eight years in office, there will be plenty of opportunity to oppose Obama if that’s what the GOP chooses to spend their time doing while in their self-created political wilderness.

Getting involved as they did, complete with an attack ad, reveals their issues bankruptcy, and their determination to work tirelessly towards irrelevancy.

Secret Ballot To Decide Lieberman’s Fate

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT). The 2000 Democratic Party Vice Presidential nominee.

This post is in response to The Hartford Courant’s article today, November 15, 2008
It is titled Secret Ballot To Decide Lieberman’s Fate. By Jesse A. Hamilton.

The Dems didn’t quite get to the 60 super majority senate seats in the election.
As I wrote in this blog on October 26, please see below; that’s why the wringing
of hands on what to do about Lieberman, today.

There were indications last week that, like Bill Clinton, Obama wanted Joe Lieberman
to be left alone. This secret ballot, if true, however, gives his colleagues cover to
voice what they truly thought of Lieb’s shenanigans during the 2008 GOP convention.

No one questioned his friendship of McCain; or try to stop him from supporting his
Friend. But, he knows, or should know, he crossed the line with some of his comments,
especially during his speech at the convention.

Democrats can say they deserve a say on whether or not Lieb stays, because while Lieb
was off doing his thing, they can say they worked extremely hard for their victory.

Plus, they can do it without seeming to contradict the new president-elect’s wish. In
addition, if successful, it may be the first Obama veto override.

Is Sarah Palin Too Far Away?

Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK)

Ironically, Sarah Palin’s geography, being thousands of miles away; and in a far-away time zone, may be her best asset.

Now that she is home, she can lay low for now, avoid the media as much as possible, while learning basic civic lessons she appeared not to know. If she has any future national political ambition, this is the time to get coaching by the best minds she can put together. Lord knows she needs help.

The country knows enough about her now than she can reasonably expect to improve on or correct with constant back and forth with opponents in the airwaves. Palin risks further damage to her image. She has supporters in the lower 48 who can speak on her behalf and, if necessary, respond to things that need responding to.

Hopefully better prepared, in about a year or two, just in time for the 2010 election season, she can re-emerge with media interviews. She can start on Larry king Live, get on David Letterman, etc. After that, she can then go on FOX, CNN, and the like. That’s how she can be ready for 2012 if she is interested.

As were evident during the 2008 election, short empty sound bites lost out to well thought-out ideas. Gone are the days when the intellectually challenged could just wing it in our government, and a lack of curiosity almost a badge of honor.
Originally posted as a comment by E_in_Houston_TX on Political Wire using Disqus.