Basil Jarrett | Bridging the credibility gap: Actions speak louder than words

WE’VE ALL heard the old saying that ‘actions speak louder than words’, right? It’s simple, straightforward and to the point. But unfortunately, some of us in the communications business seem to have forgotten that age-old adage, as we seek to talk our way out of some of the most difficult crises that we face. But in the world of strategic communications, this little nugget of wisdom is an often ignored game changer as it addresses one of the most critical components of any communications plan – credibility.

Credibility is the bedrock upon which effective communications is built. But what happens when there’s a gap between what you say and what you do? If that’s the case, you’ve got yourself what we call a credibility gap, and trust me, that’s one slippery slope that can derail even the smoothest talking PR managers.

THE ANATOMY OF A CREDIBILITY GAP

Credibility gaps happen when there’s a disconnect between what an organisation claims to stand for and what it actually does. This could be inconsistent messaging, lack of transparency, or actions that don’t align with stated values. The result? A loss of trust and a tarnished reputation. Take a look, for instance, at the 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal where the car manufacturer had built its brand on the promise of eco-friendly cars, touting their low emissions and commitment to the environment. Until it was discovered that they’d been using software to cheat emissions tests and months later, a massive fallout had resulted in billions in fines, a plummeting stock price, and an epic erosion of consumer trust. Volkswagen’s credibility gap was ruthlessly and quite expensively exposed, and it wasn’t pretty.

Then there was the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. BP’s initial response was to downplay the severity of the spill, providing inconsistent information which lacked transparency and accountability. When the full extent of the disaster was known, the public and media backlash was fierce, and BP’s credibility took a nosedive as the company’s attempts at strategic communication were hampered by the perception that they were not being honest.

BRIDGING THE GAP: LESSONS LEARNED

So, how do we navigate these choppy waters and ensure our credibility remains intact? Well first and foremost, let’s talk about aligning actions with words. This is the cornerstone of bridging that credibility gap. If your company prides itself on sustainability, you must ensure that your practices reflect that. It’s not enough to slap a green logo on your products and call it a day. Your entire operation – from sourcing materials to disposal – needs to echo your environmental commitment. Here, authenticity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the essence of trust.

Consistency in messaging is another key player. Remember now, this is 2024 and people are smart, well informed and have long memories. They’ll catch on quickly if your communications are all over the place and thanks to social and traditional media, it’s just a matter of time before the truth pops up in a viral video. It’s like trying to tell a coherent story with plot holes everywhere – no one’s buying it. Your message therefore needs to be steady, reliable, and most importantly, aligned with your core values.

Here, transparency is your best friend. Take a leaf out of Tylenol’s book from the 1982 cyanide poisoning crisis. Faced with a deadly situation, Tylenol didn’t try to cover up or downplay the issue. Instead, they pulled their products off the shelves, communicated openly with the public, and showed a commitment to consumer safety. It was a masterclass in crisis management and a game changer in helping the company to rebuild trust.

These principles apply even here at home, where the trust in institutions is even more fragile and more precarious. Jamaican companies have a default tendency to be secretive and guarded when faced with embarrassment or a crisis, often choosing to bury their heads in the sand and pray that it passes, citing the nine-day wonder rule.

The problem, though, is that the community ultimately finds out the truth and ends up feeling betrayed. Years and years of efforts to communicate effectively are thrown out the window and take an inordinate amount of time to reverse.

YOU CANNOT NOT COMMUNICATE

In such scenarios, swift and transparent action is crucial. The company needs to own up to its mistakes, explain what went wrong, and outline the steps being taken to make things right. Public apologies, transparent investigations, and tangible actions are a great help to start the healing process.

But rather than wait for a crisis to act, a more proactive solution is to practise reputation management by ensuring that your company’s policies, action and operations are consistent with its core values. For example, if your company values or praises its culture of integrity, then it must actually practise ethical behaviour, hold its people accountable, and prioritise trustworthiness. One effective way to ensure that this happens is to engage regularly with your stakeholders and listen to their concerns, incorporating their feedback into your strategy.

It’s also good to bear in mind that you ‘cannot NOT communicate’ and so, everything your company does, from the products it pushes out, to the people it hires, the corporate policies it embraces and the causes it supports, is sending a deep and powerful message that is even more impactful than the words you put out in corporate messaging campaigns. Whether it’s a government agency, a private corporation, or a non-profit organisation, building and maintaining credibility requires consistent effort, integrity, and a genuine commitment to aligning your deeds with your words.

THE LONG

ROAD TO TRUST

The Olympics are now under way and pretty soon, all eyes will be on our sprinters. But building and maintaining credibility is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires a continuous effort to align your words with your actions, maintain consistent messaging, and foster a culture of transparency and integrity with your customers and clients. In the end, it’s about more than just what you say – it’s about what you do and how you do it.

Major Basil Jarrett is a communications strategist and CEO of Artemis Consulting, a Communications Consulting firm specialising in crisis communications and reputation management. Visit him at www.thecrisismajor. com. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com