11 Crisis Rules for Boards of Directors

NEW YORK, May 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- "When a crisis hits a privately held company, the board of directors has a unique role in helping its company manage and survive the crisis," says Davia Temin, reputation advisor and CEO of Temin and Company. "Directors are expected to take on the role of representing not only shareholders, but the broader array of stakeholders, and the public interest. And, as best practice in private company governance evolves, there are rules of engagement that private company directors, as well as public company directors, must know as the crisis unfolds."

Leading "The Board's Role in a Crisis" session at the Private Company Governance Summit 2016, held this week by Private Company Director magazine in Washington, D.C., Temin discusses Temin and Company's "11 Rules for Boards Before, During, and After a Crisis":

1. Deny Denial
2. Become the Guardian of the Company's Reputation
3. Don't Let Your Company's First Response be Naïve or a Lie
4. Proactivity is Needed
5. Increase Your Input and Impact
6. Immediacy is Key, Especially in Social Media
7. Make Sure Your Board is High-Functioning Before a Crisis Occurs
8. Limit Liability, But Not Humanity
9. Work to Assure the Company Becomes a Real Part of the Solution
10. Conduct Role-Playing Exercises
11. Assure the Company Doesn't Make the Same Mistake Twice

"Private companies may not have the same level of legal oversight or media exposure as publicly traded companies, but stakeholders are placing greater expectations on boards to protect the company's reputation and act responsively and responsibly," says Temin, who addressed a number of these reputational issues at the WomenCorporateDirectors Global Institute in New York on May 5, at a roundtable, "What To Do When Your University Board Faces a Crisis."

For a copy of Temin and Company's white papers: The Role of Boards in Crisis, You Have 15 Minutes to Respond to a Crisis, or College and University Crisis Watchlist; or to speak with Davia Temin about crisis management and crisis communications best practice, please contact Trang Mar of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or [email protected].

About Davia Temin
Davia Temin is the founder and CEO of Temin and Company. She writes a column for Forbes.com entitled "Reputation Matters" covering social media, branding strategy, crisis management, women's leadership, resilience, and corporate governance in the "25/8" age of digital communication. In addition, she tweets (@DaviaTemin) regularly on these issues, and publishes articles in The Huffington Post and American Banker.

Temin also serves as an executive leadership and communications coach to global CEOs, university and non-profit presidents, diplomats, and scientists. She is a frequent public speaker to organizations on subjects ranging from rebuilding trust, crisis and reputation management, and resilience, to building brands over social media, executive presence, and presentation training.

In addition to her work as a reputation and crisis strategist, she has served as the First Vice Chair of the Board of Girl Scouts of the USA, and is currently Chair of the Board of India-based investigative media non-profit Video Volunteers, and a member of the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College. She is also on the boards or advisory boards of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship at Columbia Journalism School, WomenCorporateDirectors, ProPublica, and Harvard Kennedy School's Women's Leadership Board. 

About Temin and Company
Temin and Company Incorporated (www.teminandcompany.com) creates, enhances, and saves reputations. Temin also markets by leveraging the expertise, ideas, and insight of its clients to produce differentiated intellectual capital and content.

The firm helps corporations, professional services firms, and other institutions define and strengthen their public image – and their bottom line – through strategic marketing; branding; media relations; thought leadership; social media; speaker, media, and leadership coaching; financial communications; and crisis and reputation management.

SOURCE Temin and Company, Inc.

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