4 Effective Strategies For Executive Reputation Management

Chad Angle, Head of ReputationDefender at Gen Digital | Expert in Growth Strategy, Online Reputation Management, & Executive Privacy.

CEOs do more than simply lead organizations—nowadays, they are the public faces of their companies. One recent study by Forrester Consulting found that nearly 75% of businesses believe that the way their customers feel about their brands is directly impacted by the reputations of their executives. Researchers also found that the personalities and behaviors of CEOs have a direct impact on the stock prices of their companies. In fact, according to Brunswick’s Digital Investor Survey, investors not only use information they find online to make decisions, but more than half of investors use it to “stay connected with CEOs.”

Just a few decades ago, managing one’s reputation as an executive was relatively easy. Most personal information was private, and anything damaging that did make it into the public eye had a temporary shelf life. Small issues covered by newspapers, radio and television could be easily managed by a good public relations team. Even if something really negative marred an executive’s reputation, it was often forgotten by the next news cycle, when a flood of new stories drew focus away from the damaging report.

With the advent of the Internet, however, things quickly changed. Suddenly, any story—whether positive or negative—had the potential to reach the entire world. And once it was out there, it was there for good. As the age of social media dawned, the odds of potentially damaging information about executives coming to light increased even further. People could document and post anything that they wanted and with whatever narrative they liked. It didn’t matter if executives were savvy enough to avoid posting something damaging about themselves because anyone with a smartphone could now document behavior and share it with the world. Even non-malicious actors, such as family members and friends, could inadvertently post something that revealed sensitive information or that painted the executive and their company in a bad light.

Four decades into the Internet age, people have a much better understanding of the importance of executive reputation management. And yet, despite that fact, each new year sees companies suffering due to the damaged reputations of their CEOs and other C-suite executives. Sometimes, this is the result of malicious attacks by antagonistic entities or foolish misbehavior on the part of the executives themselves, but other times, even innocent mistakes in online reputation management can cause damage.

Fortunately, there are several strategies that executives can use to help keep their reputations safe. Here are a few of the most effective:

Self-Audits

The first step to managing one’s reputation as an executive is to do an exhaustive self-audit. This can be as simple as Googling oneself and auditing one’s social media or as thorough as hiring an online reputation management firm to do a deep dive into what is lurking online. Anything that is negative or sensitive should be scrubbed from the Internet as much as possible, and steps should be taken to mitigate or repair any potential damage that could be caused by the information.

Media And Public Speaking Training

Once an executive’s online presence has been cleaned up, it is important to keep it as pristine as possible. One of the biggest weak spots for business leaders is a lack of experience when it comes to speaking publicly or interacting with the media. With today’s appetite for sensationalism and controversy, the media may jump on anything that even has a hint of indiscretion. This includes sound bites that can be taken out of context and misrepresented. As such, it can be valuable for executives to undergo media and public speaking training, as this will reduce the odds of saying or doing something that can hurt their reputation and undo the work that has been done to clean up their online persona.

Social Media Engagement

A strong and intentional social media presence is a vital component of executive reputation management. Social media provides a platform for executives to demonstrate thought leadership, share company milestones and engage directly with stakeholders. However, this engagement must be carefully managed to strike a balance between authenticity and professionalism. Executives should avoid controversial or overly personal posts while ensuring that their online interactions reflect their company’s values and mission. Consistent, thoughtful content that highlights expertise and builds trust can enhance an executive’s reputation and strengthen their connection with customers, investors and employees.

Ethical Behavior And Corporate Responsibility

It should go without saying that executives, even more so than the average person, should be hyperaware of the effects of their actions. Executives must prioritize ethical behavior and corporate responsibility, as their actions directly influence both their company’s reputation and market value. Hiring leaders with a proven track record of integrity is essential, but equally important is their ongoing commitment to ethical conduct. This is especially critical given that nearly 45% of a company’s market value is attributed to its CEO’s reputation, underscoring the profound impact of their decisions and behavior.

Unfortunately, there are going to be times when a company’s executives find themselves answering for something they may have said or done (or even something they were accused of doing). Being prepared for this eventuality ahead of time is essential for managing the problem properly.

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