What to do when the spokesperson makes a mistake?
Public speaking is not an easy task at all and we can even say that it is relatively easy for our organization's spokesperson to make a mistake when making a statement to the press. However, in addition to the work that must be done beforehand, the secret lies in what to do when the mistake happens.
Initially, it is important to try to understand the extent of the damage, since only in this way will it be possible to determine and plan the reaction to the event in question.
Subsequently, one of the actions to be taken is to assume responsibility for a given statement. It is often thought that taking the blame necessarily damages an organization's reputation. However, the truth is that this option most often results in considerably less reputational damage. The decision to ignore a certain issue carries with it the risk that the media take the case and exploit it in a much more damaging way for the organization in question.
One of the measures that can be adopted to avoid this type of situation is the media training. Media relations is not an impossible task, but it does require preparation and advice from a public relations professional.