Corporate reputation is the collective assessment of the corporation’s actions and its ability to deliver improving business results to multiple stockholders over time. a company’s corporate reputation is extremely fragile and hence needs to be monitored and in some cases steps must be taken to improve it. Managing corporate reputation is not easy and requires skilled professionals. Here are three main skills that one must master if they wish to manage corporate reputation:
1. Strong Communication Skills
A corporate reputation manager should have strong communication skills. The reason being that when a company is in a crisis, the eyes of the media and all the stakeholders tend to have a slightly critical outlook towards the company. The media particularly can be relied on to focus on the more negative aspect of the crisis which showcases the company in an ugly light. With so much public scrutiny, it becomes the corporate manager’s job to communicate with the media in such a way that the company does not fall into the further problems. Language plays a crucial role when interacting with the media and should not be taken lightly.
2. Networking Skills
As in the case of PR professionals, it is advisable that individuals in the corporate affairs management maintain strong networking skills. Doing so increases the chances of the manager staying ahead of the news and helps him prepare for the worst. When dealing with a crisis, it is important for the business to stay one step ahead of the news agencies in particular. Doing so allows the company the time to figure out a plan of action. Strong networking skills helps a corporate reputation manager develops sources which provide additional information which will be beneficial for the business and help them come out of the crisis on top.
3. Planning And Implementing Skills
When dealing with a crisis or simply figuring out how to map the reputation of the company, the corporate affairs managers should be able to make an effective plan. Corporate reputation is fragile and can be severely affected by negative comments. It hence becomes important to the corporate reputation manager to devise a plan which can counter the negative opinions against the company as well as set up a monitoring system to protect the reputation. In the case of a crisis as well, particularly when it comes to public advocacy, the manager needs to make a plan of how to react in a crisis as well as provide a guideline of how to interact with the media. Along with planning, one must also be able to effectively implement their plans.