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<v Speaker 1>Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of

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<v Speaker 1>performance through strong human relations, team building, and golajving. This

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<v Speaker 1>is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Felloledo.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>It's episode four sixty eight. This episode is called Leadership

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<v Speaker 2>in the Shadow of a Scandal, and let's get real

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<v Speaker 2>right away. Every company, every industry, and every leader is

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<v Speaker 2>one headline away from crisis. It could be a mistake

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<v Speaker 2>made by an employee, a lawsuit, a bad customer interaction

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<v Speaker 2>caught on video, or even something out of your control

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<v Speaker 2>that pulls your company into the news cycle. Scandal doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>ask for permission. It kicks the front door open and

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<v Speaker 2>just makes itself comfortable. And in those moments, all eyes

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<v Speaker 2>turn to leadership. So here's the question. When your company

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<v Speaker 2>or industry is facing public controversy, what does strong leadership

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<v Speaker 2>look like. Let's talk about that for a minute. Number One,

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<v Speaker 2>don't vanish visibility is leadership. The worst thing a leader

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<v Speaker 2>can do in the face of controversy is hide. When

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<v Speaker 2>your team is unsure, the rumor mill takes over. If

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<v Speaker 2>they don't hear from you, they'll fill in the blanks

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<v Speaker 2>and what they fill in is almost always worse than

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<v Speaker 2>the truth. Even if you don't have all the answers yet,

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<v Speaker 2>communicate what you know. Say things like, we're still gathering

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<v Speaker 2>all the facts, but here's what we're doing now. Your

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<v Speaker 2>visibility is the first step to calming the chaos. Number two,

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<v Speaker 2>Be honest without fueling the fire. Now is not the

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<v Speaker 2>time for corporate spin. If your team made a mistake,

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<v Speaker 2>own it, If someone was wronged, acknowledge it. Transparency builds trust,

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<v Speaker 2>especially when it's uncomfortable. That said, Be thoughtful, don't over

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<v Speaker 2>explain or speak emotionally. Stick to facts, be clear, brief,

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<v Speaker 2>and sincere. Think of it like a pilot during turbulence.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't want to hear a panic voice. You want

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<v Speaker 2>to hear a calm update with a plan. That's your tone.

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<v Speaker 2>Number three, Keep your team informed before the public, before

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<v Speaker 2>press releases go out, before social media posts hit. Your

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<v Speaker 2>team should always hear it from you first.

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<v Speaker 1>Always.

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<v Speaker 2>Nothing crushes morale faster than finding out from Twitter that

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<v Speaker 2>your company is in trouble. Hold a briefing, send an

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<v Speaker 2>internal memo, walk the floor. Leadership during scandal isn't just external,

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<v Speaker 2>it's internal first, Because Your people are your ambassadors. If

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<v Speaker 2>they feel abandoned or confused, they will either go quiet

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<v Speaker 2>or worse, they'll become part of the noise. Number four,

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<v Speaker 2>Remind people of the mission. In tough times, people lose focus,

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<v Speaker 2>the company feels off track, and this is where your

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<v Speaker 2>leadership voice matters the most. Remind people why they're here.

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<v Speaker 2>Remind them what the organization stands for beyond one bad incident.

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<v Speaker 2>Tell them we are more than this moment, and here's

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<v Speaker 2>how we'll prove it. People want to believe in something.

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<v Speaker 2>If your culture has been built with purpose, now is

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<v Speaker 2>when it earns its real value. Number five rally the

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<v Speaker 2>core leaders. You don't lead through scandal alone. You rally

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<v Speaker 2>your other leaders and make sure your messages consist from

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<v Speaker 2>the top all the way to the front line. Your

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<v Speaker 2>team should be hearing the same message in the same tone,

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<v Speaker 2>because if each department head is reacting differently, you'll have

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<v Speaker 2>internal fractures that only make the external crisis worse. One voice,

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<v Speaker 2>one tone, one path forward. Number six take action that

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<v Speaker 2>shows change. Words are easy. Action is proof. If the

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<v Speaker 2>scandal revealed a gap in training, fix it. If someone

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<v Speaker 2>violated policy, address it. If your company failed in ethics, accountability,

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<v Speaker 2>or communication. Then make it right, but don't wait months.

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<v Speaker 2>Move quickly and publicly show people that change is happening

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<v Speaker 2>and that you're serious, because silence or slow reaction time

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<v Speaker 2>will be interpreted as guilt or indifference. Number seven, Lead

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<v Speaker 2>like your reputation is on the line, because it is.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's the reality. Your team is watching, the public is watching,

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<v Speaker 2>and most importantly, your future customers, employees, and partners are watching.

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<v Speaker 2>A scandal can break you or it can define you.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't have to be perfect, but you do have

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<v Speaker 2>to be real, steady, and brave. So to recap this episode,

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<v Speaker 2>be visible, be honest, be calm, communicate clearly and early,

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<v Speaker 2>rally your team, fix what's broken, and above all, lead

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<v Speaker 2>with character. No leader wants to be in the shadow

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<v Speaker 2>of a scandal, but when it comes, you have a choice.

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<v Speaker 2>You can either manage the damage or you can rise

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<v Speaker 2>above it and show the world who you really are.

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<v Speaker 2>This has been the seven minute Leadership podcast and I

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<v Speaker 2>thank you for listening.

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<v Speaker 1>For more Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com.