Warren Buffett famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” Those two simple sentences sum up the approach businesses of every kind, shape, and size should take when it comes to protecting its reputation, and thereby its existence. From a public relations perspective, doing things differently doesn’t just mean acting with integrity to avoid scandal, it also means preparing for the worst-case scenario, despite your good intentions. Business leaders, it’s time to heed Buffett’s advice and do things differently by implementing a solid crisis communications plan sooner rather than later.
