New Book Identifies Compelling Reputation Recovery Strategies

Tuesday, January 29, 2008
NEW YORK, January 29, 2008 – As the corporate reputation “stumble rate” continues to rise, companies need to know not only how to build reputations but, more importantly, how to protect and salvage tarnished reputations. Over three-quarters (79 percent) of the world’s number-one most admired companies lost their crowns over the past five years in their respective industries. While reputation loss may now be inevitable, a new book offers a realistic roadmap to reputation recovery that can help any leader stabilize and regenerate a company’s most competitive asset.

The timely new book by Weber Shandwick’s chief reputation strategist Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Corporate Reputation: 12 Steps to Safeguarding and Recovering Reputation (John Wiley & Sons; $39.95; www.corporatereputation12steps.com), is a practical guide for leaders interested in the long road back to reputational health after experiencing reputation damage. The book provides a 12-step model based on research and best practices that any company can customize and apply to rebuilding and restoring its good name—and prevent it from being tarnished in the first place.

“Recent corporate crises have demonstrated that a company's reputation can be destroyed in seconds. A mishandled response, inappropriate act, product tampering, or poorly timed financial disclosure all have the power to instantly tarnish a respected reputation,” said Gaines-Ross. “The well-managed and reputation-conscious company need not stand defenseless when faced with a damaged reputation. Usinga step-by-step process and describing the actions taken by leading companies and their CEOs to recover tarnished reputations, Corporate Reputation provides a research-based framework to not only rehabilitate reputation but to avoid losing it at all or at least reduce its adverse effects.”

Reputation loss can strike any company or organization. The accelerated growth in the Internet, micro-constituencies, media scrutiny and public distrust make managing corporate reputation an increasingly challenging task. Relevant and straightforward, Corporate Reputation includes chapters covering:

• Why reputation matters
• The rise in reputation loss
• Triggers of reputation failure
• Monitoring reputation threats online and offline
• Leadership’s strategic role in reputation recovery
• Building reputational immunity, and more

The book references Weber Shandwick’s multi-country survey revealing that it takes companies approximately three and one-half years to recover a tarnished reputation. The book’s 12 steps fall into a four-stage model ranging from when crisis strikes to achieving reputational equilibrium and success. The stages describe how to minimize damage, identify what went wrong and right, build reputation momentum and sustain reputation for the long-term.

Dr. Gaines-Ross’ clear, concise and well-written prose dramatically captures the rapidly changing reputation landscape and concludes with predictions for the future of reputation in a highly transparent, extraordinarily networked and fast-moving global age.

Corporate Reputation is available in bookstores and on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information, please visit http://www.webershandwick.com/ or http://www.corporatereputation12steps.com/.



About the Author
Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross is chief reputation strategist for global public relations firm Weber Shandwick. She has been the architect behind landmark and award-winning research in the areas of CEO and corporate reputation. Her influential thought leadership and insights into reputation are featured in www.reputationRx.com and her blog www.reputationXchange.com. Her work has been featured in the Financial Times, The Times (London), The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, Fortune, BusinessWeek, Wired, Advertising Age, PRWeek, Forbes, The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Chief Executive, and Across the Board, among others. She has appeared on CNN and CNBC and is a frequent speaker on CEO and corporate reputation management. Leslie has been named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics for 2007” by Ethisphere Magazine.

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 81 countries around the world. The firm’s success is built on its deep commitment to client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an ‘Agency of the Decade’ by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog Reporter, a Digital Firm of the Year by PR News, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine. The firm has also won numerous ‘best place to work’ awards around the world. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.