Crisis of Character: Building Corporate Reputation in the Age of Skepticism

By Peter Firestein

Reputation matters--now more than ever. Public opinion in the wake of the financial meltdown has revealed the public's abiding mistrust of corporations and the executives who run them. Scrutiny from the Internet and 24-hour cable TV offers companies no place to hide; so they must proactively seek the confidence of their shareholders and the public. In today's economy, reputation is a prime factor in a corporation's bottom line. Via its groundbreaking Seven Strategies of Reputation Leadership, Crisis of Character offers a fail-proof way for executives to immunize themselves and their companies against the breakdowns that can happen to even the most prominent organizations. Using real-life examples (from Merck and Citigroup to Hewlett-Packard and Coca-Cola), Crisis of Character presents concrete ways executives can shape the internal corporate culture to support their business interests. This book's many stories vividly illustrate how corporate strategy must shift to deal effectively with globalization and the new environmental and human rights standards that come with it. Crisis of Character offers invaluable advice to anyone who operates in the public sphere--and who understands that reputation is the key to survival. ? ?

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1402762461
• ISBN13: 9781402762468
• Release Date: November 2009
• Publisher: Union Square Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Skepticism and its Discontents

I'm recommending Peter Firestein's book, CRISIS OF CHARACTER -- Building Corporate Reputation in the Age of Skepticism, to all of my clients who face reputation issues. Filled with real-life examples and presented in down-to-earth fashion, this is a business book that's a pleasure to read. It's rare that prescriptive lessons imparted to businesspeople can be presented to a wider public without sounding academic or didactic. Mr. Firestein has managed to bring a conversational tone to his consultant's voice without sacrificing an iota of professionalism. It seems to me that even as a sole proprietor, almost everything in this book applies as much to my work and my reputation as it does to those listed in the Fortune 500. MARGARET B. OZER, Organizational Consultant +++++++++

TAMING THE WILD - HOW TO GET A HANDLE ON YOUR CORPORATE REPUTATION

In Crisis of Character, boardroom consultant Peter Firestein performs a not-insignificant feat: objectifying the very subjective topic of corporate reputation. He claims companies who feel they're misunderstood by the public needn't be passive in establishing what they consider to be their rightful position (I agree). And he offers specific, reasonable strategies for doing this. Firestein starts at the beginning, with the need to establish values the entire company can commit to, then he goes on to (delete: and include) the importance of listening to stakeholders. He details specific ways management can, through systematic listening, gather information (delete: gathering) on outside attitudes toward the company. What it all boils down to, as far as Firestein is concerned, is structuring the entire company to support a strong reputation. But he doesn't just talk about the herculean effort needed, he actually shows how to do it. Taking action to build a strong reputation, he says, is essential to assuring not only the longevity of the company, but the health of the surrounding community. What's different about this book is that, unlike others that address similar subjects, Firestein declares that the solution does NOT lie in PR and corporate communication. "You can't communicate your way out of a crisis," Firestein says. And he illustrates the issues with a great many, very real stories, each with a specific point. One theme that reappears throughout the book, though Firestein doesn't dwell on it, is the theme of redemption and transparency. He seems to say that anything can be handled as long as you prepare for bad things long before they happen -- and you come clean when they do. The book is as well written as any business book I've read, and its use of stories brings what could be a pretty amorphous subject alive. The strategies for building reputation make perfect sense, and they seem to be comprehensive. Highly recommended!