By Jason Snyder
Tiger Woods’ first statement about his multiple affairs at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, came about 80 days too late. Although he said many of the right things, he would be in a better public position today had he said them immediately after news broke.
Tiger said he was deeply sorry for the irresponsible and selfish behavior in which he engaged and asked that people one day believe in him again. But the things he was critical of — fabricated domestic violence stories, things written about his family, the media’s persistent digging for information — all could have been quelled months ago.
Even before Tiger made his statement, it was clear his strategy for the day was in keeping with his poor overall crisis plan: say as little as possible and hope for the best.
Effective crisis communications involves getting in front of the issue to proactively manage it, not a silent, elusive, evasive strategy that attempts to control it.
The morning of his mea culpa, an editor from People Magazine said Tiger “has done a masterful job of keeping everything under wraps.” It was difficult to tell whether she was a publicist on his payroll or a true journalist, but I know most reporters’ barometer of skepticism climbs high when their questions are met with silence. And I know for sure journalists don’t like to be manipulated or controlled, as Tiger did to them with his “press conference” ground rule of no questions.
The Golf Writers Association of America sure doesn’t like that. Kudos to them for boycotting the contrived event, where the hand-picked audience watched Tiger read his script in a controlled setting.
Under those parameters, many will ask where’s the credibility in not answering questions and not allowing the press if your apology is authentic and sorrow is genuine?
And these are just a few of the missteps Tiger has made over the past three months. What in your mind are the biggest? What, if anything, should he do differently?
Tiger may go on to win millions more and rise once again to the top of his game. But he will always have an asterisk hanging over him as the sex-addicted celebrity who believed silence would make everything go away. It was and is the wrong strategy for anyone who hopes to repair an image that is in danger of being forever tarnished.
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Jason Snyder is vice president of WordWrite Communications.
