BBC News recently reported a list of BP Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward’s “gaffes” in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Here is what they say are some of Hayward’s controversial actions and statements:
• Participating in a boat race recently, which a BP spokesman noted as Hayward merely “spending a few hours with his family at the weekend.”
• Spending nearly $50 million on a nationally broadcast television advertisement, in which Hayward said he is “deeply sorry” and “will make this right.” The following day, President Barack Obama criticized the CEO for spending money that could have gone toward clean up and compensating affected businesses. (CBS News clip)
• Telling reporters “We’re sorry for the massive disruption it’s caused their [Louisiana residents] lives. There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back.” Many criticized this statement in light of the 11 people who died in the explosion that caused the spill.
• Claiming to Sky News that the “environmental impact of this will be very, very modest,” even though as much as 116 million gallons have been spilled. Similarly, Hayward told The Guardian, “The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of volume of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.”
• Telling NBC, “Well, it wasn’t our accident, but we are absolutely responsible for the oil, for cleaning it up, and that’s what we intend to do.”
These examples demonstrate why clear, effective communication is imperative in times of crisis. As public relations professionals, it’s our job to make sure our clients are equipped with the right tools to handle a crisis – ideally before a major snafu occurs.
The major tenets of Crisis Communications 101 are to tell it first, tell it fast, and tell the truth. When this doesn’t happen, as exampled by Hayward’s PR blunders, it is then time for damage control.
Matt Eventoff, an expert in training leaders in public speaking and crisis management, offers his thoughts on what some of the next steps should be for BP in order to combat a negative image:
• Stop talking. All efforts should focus on action.
• Restructure leadership. Immediately.
• Support nonprofits. When you input the term “BP charity” or “BP nonprofit” into Google News, very little comes up. Not good.
• Give funding to virtually every major animal rights and environmental organization. Fly them down to be a part of the clean-up process.
• Fall on the sword. Now is the time to direct any and all blame inward. Someone internally needs to comment on how BP handled this from the jump and take the heat.