Crisis Leadership Blog

Insights and perspectives on being the lighthouse during a crisis.
Very Scary Marketing Decisions

Very Scary Marketing Decisions

Have you ever seen a social media post or TV commercial from a well-known brand and said, “What the hell were they thinking?” Especially if it bordered on or crossed into being perceived as racist or prejudiced?  That’s exactly what Bath and Body Works faced when they...

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Be Prepared for What Comes after Election Night

Be Prepared for What Comes after Election Night

It’s almost here. Based on retail stores, you might think “it” is Christmas, but “it” is not. No, “it” is Election Day. Most years, elections just kind of happen. People vote, wait for the results to be announced, celebrate or not, and then go on with their daily...

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By definition, Kith means a cadre of peers who shape opinions and attitudes while instilling sophisticated habits for action. As a way to live this value, we like to share resources that are building blocks to good crisis management and can help you start the path of protecting your reputation.

More Recent Insights
It’s a Litigious World after All
It’s a Litigious World after All

Are you signed up for Disney+? Well, according to a now-withdrawn lawsuit defense, if you are a subscriber, you’ve signed away your rights to sue the company for anything regardless of what happened and where.  Does this make you mad? Or think a little differently about Disney? You wouldn’t be alone. Here are the facts: the widower of a woman who passed...

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How Colleges and Universities Can Handle Reputational Risk Better
How Colleges and Universities Can Handle Reputational Risk Better

Higher education is seemingly in an increasingly perilous spot. As the job market shifts — 47 to 54% of jobs will likely be lost to automation by 2030, or roughly 800 million jobs globally, according to McKinsey Global Institute — higher ed also needs to reinvent itself to remain a value-add in the modern age.  Into this confusing time comes a lot of...

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Far from a Textbook Year for Higher Ed Leaders
Far from a Textbook Year for Higher Ed Leaders

Thousands of colleges and universities around the nation are back in full swing for a new academic year, my daughter among them (Sko Buffs!). The beginning of a new college semester heralds many things on college campuses. The sight of students burning the midnight oil in the library. The sound of roaring crowds at a football game. The smell of stale...

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Don’t Lie
Don’t Lie

We are all professionals. As professionals there is one cardinal rule of talking to the media (or if you ask my grandma, anyone): never lie. Don’t outright lie. Don’t tell a half truth. Don’t try to be cute. Don’t parse the truth.  Don’t lie.  All that does is make your audience mad and make them trust you less. And if you are lying to reporters, lying...

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Putting a Positive Spin on a Bad Break
Putting a Positive Spin on a Bad Break

It was an SNL skit that wrote itself. Australian breakdancer Raygun was thoroughly lampooned for her amateur performance at the 2024 Summer Games, called a disgrace to her country, and criticized for “making a mockery” of the sport. She went viral in all the ways a person or company doesn’t want to go viral. The athlete, Australia, and the sport of...

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The Perils of a Shallow Apology
The Perils of a Shallow Apology

It can be incredibly difficult as a business to publicly admit that you made a misstep.  Savvy executives and communicators know the importance of making a timely mea culpa statement that demonstrates ownership and empathy, and clearly outlines steps being taken to support impacted consumers and stakeholders. Less savvy leaders may fumble an apology,...

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Who Matters the Most in a Crisis?
Who Matters the Most in a Crisis?

Stakeholders has become a term we hear bandied about all of the time. And it's an important one. Whether internal or external, the people who buy from you, work for you, or champion your brand matter. But, it is critical to ask, “ Who matters most to you and your organization?”  When thinking about a crisis and the issues that are most vital at a...

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Owning a Mistake that’s Not Yours
Owning a Mistake that’s Not Yours

Do you remember Chi-Chi’s? If you do, you are probably wondering what happened to them. If you don’t, then take this as a cautionary tale. Chi-Chi’s was a Mexican casual restaurant chain that was all the rage in the 80s and 90s. With more than 200 locations in five countries as well as a supermarket line (which still exists), the future was bright. Until a...

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Scaling Your CEO for Better Crisis Response
Scaling Your CEO for Better Crisis Response

At Kith, we have seen CEOs rise during a crisis and we have seen others stumble. The difference often comes down to what they focus on during the crisis at hand.  As your most senior leader, a CEO can be one of the most important assets your organization can deploy when responding to a crisis. However, just because he or she may be first in command does...

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The Kith Method

Good crisis management comes from a plan. Great crisis management comes from capability – and starts before you even smell smoke. That’s why we developed the Kith Method. We can help build and maintain a flexible capability that works for you.

Your reputation is an investment; time-consuming and costly to build and expensive to repair. Protect it.