Reputation – can take years to build, minutes to destroy

First and foremost, a company must tell the truth. One of the key principles of a good PR practitioner (and company) is for them to be honest with their stakeholders – from their employees to their clients. It’s important to check the reliability and accuracy of information before you send it out. And never knowingly mislead clients, employers, employees, colleagues and fellow professionals.

I go to painstaking lengths to ensure that my communications do not mislead. I have strongly opposed the writing of letters to newspapers or issuing statements that I believe to be unethical. Okay, this has not always gone down well BUT a company’s reputation is the most valuable aspect it has (next to its employees) so it is vital that it is well managed. You must also try to stand by your beliefs as the impact to both you and your business can be catastrophical.

A business or individual can spend years and years working hard to build up positive relationships with its stakeholders but all this time and effort could be destroyed in just a few minutes of bad judgment. So it is important for you to ensure that everyone in your company understands that you will not willingly use data which could challenge the company’s integrity, not to mention your own.

The PR industry has had its ups and downs and its reputation has been called into question many times, mostly due to journalists being fed misleading stories, untruths, unreliable sources and so on. PR practitioners also have a responsibility to ensure that the industry is respected. Otherwise we too can destroy the whole industry’s reputation in just a few minutes.