While the contractual details of basketball player LeBron James’ signing with the Miami Heat have been completed, we are now witnessing the public dissection of how the move was made, which is sure to continue for some time.
A quick recap: Last Thursday, ESPN hosted the LeBron James show, dedicated to the announcement of where James has decided to play in the upcoming season. Dan Gilbert, spurned majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, issued a public letter decrying James’ decision. Which then led to Jesse Jackson’s inflammatory quotes disparaging Gilbert’s letter. On Monday, the NBA announced that it was fining the Cavaliers’ owner $100K for his “ill-advised and imprudent” words. While many have railed against ESPN for the announcement show spectacle and criticized James for his lack of communication with the Cavaliers’ organization throughout the process, many parties are now lambasting the Cavaliers’ owner even more for his response – not only for the content but also for the non-traditional font he chose for his public letter. Dan Gilbert’s visceral, seemingly impetuous reaction letter was met with the same criticism as James’ decision. The truth is, communication errors are continuing to be made by all sides.
Fortunately, spokespeople in the healthcare space have typically taken a more measured approach, and for the most part have heeded the advice of counsel to use clear, coordinated and well thought-out communications. The LeBron James example is a reminder that professional scrutiny and dissection will continue long after the ink is dry on a given news announcement. In the world of public perception, how and when something is said is often as important as what is said. As we venture into the world of social media – an area where people tend to be less censored – this need for measured, coordinated and appropriate communications is especially necessary. A strong public relations voice needs to be a crucial part of corporate decisions – not just for outbound announcements and press releases but at the planning table as well. Beyond providing advice on corporate messaging, public relations should take into account how a given message will be received by different audiences in an evolving business climate. What’s more, organizations need to be mindful that with the advent of the Internet, communications now reside in cyberspace for an indeterminate amount of time, enabling people to access communications for years to come.
While your next public communication may not be at risk of a $100K fine from the NBA, remember that the implications of your words may be more far reaching than you think.
