I think we can all agree that a consultancy does not want to see this headline on the cover of The New York Times. “Turning Tyranny Into a Client” That’s the headline that greeted the good folks at McKinsey over Sunday brunch. As discussed last week, the clients of a professional services firm …more
As the world becomes increasingly transparent, professional service firms need to know more about their clients and their potential clients. You may have read how the management consulting firm McKinsey took on an assignment with the South African government and the state-owned power company, Eskom. The story did NOT have a happy ending, tarring the …more
Observing Facebook navigate the onslaught of negative media coverage fueled by the Cambridge Analytics fiasco and Russian operatives using Facebook advertising to advance their cause, I wanted to revisit reputation management and being ready when things don’t go according to plan. Virtually every organization experiences a point in time that feels like a demolition derby. …more
The four-word stacked headline appeared in the print version of The Wall Street Journal last Wednesday: WPP’s Sorrell Faces Probe The online headline went for the jugular, “WPP Is Looking at CEO Martin Sorrell’s Possible Misuse of Assets and Allegations of Improper Behavior.” Before digging in, let’s get the disclosure out of the way. I …more
Journalists might look at that headline and assume this is another post bashing PR for hounding journalists after their pitches have been rejected. That’s not where I’m coming from. Instead, I want to move away from storytelling for a minute and talk about the business side of a communications consultancy. Every professional services firm values …more
