Talking to the media--who's going to be on the "hot seat"?

Sometimes, it's a great thing to get a call from a reporter asking questions about your organization. Sometimes it's not. Whether the situation is positive or negative, you should always have a designated spokesperson to deal with media questions.

The media, of course, want to speak to "the top dog." But sometimes the worst thing you can do is send the CEO out to face the media. That's what Exxon did in its legendary Valdez disaster. Rather than sending out someone experienced in being a spokesperson, the company put their reigning CEO in the limelight. A former engineer, he came across as hostile, cryptic and arrogant, and public opinion of Exxon went straight down the toilet.

By all means, have one spokesperson--the organization must speak in a unified voice in a crisis. If your CEO is the designated spokesperson, make sure he or she is trained in effectively dealing with the media.