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The Media Trainers®
4220 Cove Court, NE
Marietta, GA 30067
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Can’t Get a Straight Answer |
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Ever seen, heard or read an interview and said out loud "Huh?"
Perhaps you recall that Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher abruptly resigned and left the company. Why? Well, that’s an interesting question, one very hard to get a straight answer to from company executives.
Stonecipher had an affair with a female Boeing employee. On its face, that would seem to be cause for Stonecipher’s exit. But, not quite. Or maybe it was. However, not really.
Confused?
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Boeing chairman Lew Platt and the company’s interim CEO, James Bell |
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So was Executive Rewind after watching this interview with Boeing chairman Lew Platt and the company’s interim CEO, James Bell.
Neil Cavuto tried to get to the bottom of it on the Fox News Channel program, Your World. But even Neil’s superb interview skills could not get a straight answer.
Chairman Platt said an affair, even by the CEO with a co–worker, was not a firing offense. However, he added, Stonecipher used poor judgment, and for that, he was dismissed. Well, what are you trying to say then, Mr. Platt? Does that mean having the affair was poor judgment, but the act is excusable? Platt refused to be pinned down.
The result: Boeing, a company still recovering from a couple of other scandals prior to this one, appeared to be internally off balance and unsure. It was not a great performance for an audience that included industry analysts and stockholders, not to mention the company’s own employees.
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The Media Trainers® Re–winder Reminder:
- Prepare. Make sure you know what you’re going to say, especially in a crisis, before you meet the press.
- You’re not helping anyone, especially you or your business, if all you can say is what you can’t say. If you’re raising more questions than you answer, you’re giving longer life to the story.
- While TMT believes it’s always preferable to talk to the media, person–to–person, sometimes, especially in personnel matters like this, a prepared statement will have to do.
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