Most organizations facing a serious crisis would welcome a few days away from the cameras. Manchester City has no such luxury. Its manager still has to face journalists before matches, its players must perform in front of thousands of supporters, and its employees have to answer questions from friends and family about what is happening at their club.
All this is taking place while Manchester City appeals an independent commission’s findings that it seriously breached the Premier League’s financial rules. The club maintains its innocence, but the reputational consequences are already being felt.
This week on When It Hits the Fan, David Yelland and I discussed what happens when a crisis becomes part of an organization’s everyday life. We also looked at how Marks & Spencer is turning its employees into social media stars, and why the government’s advice to prepare for emergencies is finding a more receptive audience than it might have a few years ago.
Manchester City’s Long Reputation Battle
The commission’s findings have generated damaging headlines for City, while the club’s response has been uncompromising. Both sides have committed themselves publicly to their positions, leaving little room for compromise.
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I’ve been in meetings where executives are so convinced of their position that even discussing alternatives feels disloyal. Advisers can become caught up in that confidence too, making it harder to raise uncomfortable questions.
Behind the scenes are hundreds of employees who may have no involvement in the allegations but still find themselves answering questions about their employer. Chief executive Ferran Soriano reportedly addressed staff and players following the commission’s decision. Keeping employees informed is particularly important when a dispute could continue for months.
I’ve seen organizations devote enormous attention to managing media coverage while neglecting communication with their own people. During a prolonged crisis, employees need to know what is happening and feel confident that their concerns are being heard. Manchester City’s supporters are another important audience, although their loyalty and public responses cannot be directed by the club.
I have also sat in rooms with clients who listen intently when their lawyers speak but show considerably less interest when communications advisers raise concerns. Legal proceedings have established rules and outcomes. Public opinion is less predictable, and a favorable judgement does not necessarily restore confidence.
Manchester City may succeed in its appeal, or the commission’s findings may stand. The Premier League also has its credibility as a regulator at stake. Whatever the outcome, both organizations will have to contend with how the dispute has shaped public perceptions of them.
When Employees Become the Brand
If you’ve spent much time on Instagram or TikTok recently, you may have come across Kathryn Turner enthusiastically introducing the latest food products from Marks & Spencer.
Turner is M&S’s director of food development, with decades of experience at the retailer, and her videos have attracted hundreds of thousands of followers. Her popularity has reached the point where comedians are parodying her product reviews, which must be quite a moment for someone whose day job involves developing supermarket food.
Over the past decade, I’ve watched more companies give their employees a public voice. Chief executives once dominated corporate communications, but people who develop products or work directly with customers often have stories that senior management cannot tell quite as convincingly.
Turner can explain why a recipe took months to perfect or what went into developing a particular product. Her knowledge gives her credibility, while her obvious enthusiasm makes people want to listen.
M&S has been developing this approach for some time. Its Insiders programme, launched in 2018, encouraged employees to share their expertise on social media. Turner’s success suggests that the investment is paying off.
There are risks, of course. Most companies have rules about who can speak on their behalf, and an employee with a substantial personal following presents new questions about editorial freedom and corporate oversight. Too much control can make the content feel manufactured, while too little can leave both the employee and employer exposed if controversy arises.
What M&S has done particularly well is allow Turner’s personality and expertise to come through. She can speak about the products with an authority that would be difficult to replicate through a conventional celebrity endorsement.
Preparing for the Worst Without Causing Panic
The British government has been encouraging households to prepare for emergencies, advising people to keep essentials such as drinking water, non-perishable food, torches and wind-up radios at home.
Not long ago, such advice might have sounded rather dramatic. But after Covid, when supermarket shelves emptied and everyday essentials suddenly became difficult to find, I suspect more people are inclined to take it seriously.
The government’s Be Ready campaign encourages households to check what they already have and gradually build up supplies, rather than rush out and stockpile. The language is deliberately measured, recognizing that warnings about emergencies can easily create the anxiety they are intended to prevent.
There has also been an effort to make the subject more approachable, with conversations about tins of beans and favorite snacks replacing some of the more alarming language traditionally associated with national emergencies.
For many people, disruption to everyday life is no longer something they know only from their grandparents’ stories. They have experienced it themselves
Of course, increased sales of torches or tinned food would tell us little about whether the campaign has worked. What matters is whether households understand the advice and feel able to prepare without becoming unnecessarily anxious.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.
