As public relations practitioners, we are masters of communication, regularly consulting our clients on what to say, how to say it and – in some cases – when to retract it. This week, venerable NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is facing public scrutiny after repeatedly reporting a false story, whereby he claimed to narrowly escape enemy fire during the Iraq war.
Communications professionals are buzzing with reactions to Williams’ story and his subsequent admission that he “made a mistake” in recalling specific details that lead to the untruthful reports. Whether or not Williams purposely fictionalized his experience to achieve ratings, one thing is clear – in public relations, the art of the apology is equally as important as the art of the story. Here are a few tips for making honest and meaningful apologies:
- Keep it simple. The one description that keeps coming up about Williams’ on-air apology is that it was so darned confusing. Stream-of-consciousness-style ramblings, too many details and an over-eagerness to “set the record straight” only serve to hamper an apology’s success. In order to maintain sincerity, get right to the point, avoid being defensive and let the facts speak for themselves.
- Take responsibility. Here is one aspect of Williams’ apology that he got right. Rather than blaming his producers, fellow crew members or others who accompanied him on his journey to Iraq in 2003, he took full responsibility for his error. In the case of an apology, integrity often translates to empathy, something that Williams and NBC Nightly News need in spades to extricate them from this quagmire.
- Move on. The days following an apology can be even more critical than the days before issuing it. Will Williams continue to provide end-of-broadcast updates about the situation? Will NBC Nightly News make additional media statements? You can be sure that the public is watching, and waiting. The best course of action post-apology is to move on with business as usual, as quickly as possible. The more time spent dwelling on the mistake, the more time important stakeholders will spend hashing out the consequences. Unless it is a case of extreme tragedy, your best bet is to keep on keeping on.
As we learned in kindergarten, we all make mistakes. It’s how you choose to correct them that make a lasting impression. What other tips do you have for delivering successful apologies?