Managing Reputation Through a Leadership Transition
July 24, 2024
By Dan Ward, APR, CPRC
Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with a phrase that every business leader knows: “the only constant is change.” Change in customer buying habits, change in technology, change in the competitive environment, and inevitably, change in leadership.
For an established brand, a change in leadership can be a scary proposition, but it can also be a tremendous opportunity if managed well. The goal is to manage and enhance the organization’s reputation while allowing the new leader space to grow into his or her new role.
We’ve helped numerous organizations (including our own) manage this process and have learned five key strategies to manage corporate reputation through a transition in leadership:
- Listen
- Honor your legacy
- Focus on organizational rather than personal brand
- Promote new ideas through a corporate lens
- Establish thought leadership
Listen
In 2020, when the Florida High Tech Corridor – an organization with an established history of more than two decades of leadership in high tech economic development – named retired Rear Admiral Paul Sohl its CEO, we worked with him not to immediately communicate updated goals or changes in strategy but first to support and document a region-wide listening and learning tour.
Sohl had the humility to know he needed to listen before he could lead, and we worked with him to facilitate introductions to leaders throughout The Corridor’s innovation ecosystem so he could hear from them on how they viewed The Corridor. Only then was he ready to develop his initial plans as acting CEO.
If you’re not listening to the audiences that are most important to your brand, any transition to new leadership can quickly go awry and impact brand reputation. Listening shows your audience that a new leader – and through them the entire organization – actually cares about their input and the relationship that has been built over the years.
Honor your legacy
While it’s important to communicate that “there’s a new sheriff in town,” an organization with an established, strong brand reputation must also honor the legacy of past leaders who built that reputation.
When I purchased Curley & Pynn from Roger Pynn in 2018, I knew his impact was much more than a name on the door. For decades, Roger had been the “face” of the organization and helped to establish our reputation as The Strategic Firm®. Even as we communicated both internally and externally, and worked to put my stamp on the future direction of the agency, we saw the importance in honoring his legacy, as well as that of co-founder Joe Curley, with current and former clients, community leaders and those who have worked at our firm over the decades.
That became increasingly important once Roger officially retired from the firm in 2022, and we sought additional ways to honor his legacy while firmly establishing how we have changed and continue to grow. For example, we worked with the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) to secure lifetime memberships for Roger and Joe, an honor shared by only a few, along with re-naming FPRA Orlando’s highest award for professional achievement after Roger. In both cases, our company played a key and visual role, allowing us to not only honor the legacy of those who built our firm but also build awareness and reputation of our current leadership team.
Focus on organizational rather than personal brand
Protecting corporate reputation during a leadership transition begins long before a leader announces their intention to depart. As Jim Collins reinforces in his best-selling book, “Good to Great,” companies whose brands are intertwined with that of leaders with larger-than-life personalities are heading for a rude awakening when there is an inevitable leadership change.
Collins uses the example of former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca, a charismatic leader whose outsized ego led to all corporate success being seen as the result of his management.
Iacocca became the brand.
And when he left, he brought that personal brand reputation with him, leaving Chrysler to redefine who it was as a company and how it would deliver on its promise to customers.
Both before and during a leadership transition, companies should focus on building the brand reputation of the organization. Sure, both former and future leaders should be prominent as the face of the brand, but their role should be to reinforce the organization’s values, the contributions of its people and its corporate reputation as a leader in its space.
At Curley & Pynn, one of our five core values is “Win as a Team,” and we believe very strongly in crediting the assist no matter who scores the goal. Winning and succeeding for clients is part of our company’s brand, and every member of our team, not just its leader, shares in the responsibility and rewards.
Promote new ideas through a corporate lens
This approach also applies to how an organization communicates new ideas from a new leader.
When our long-time client, Lake Apopka Natural Gas District, recently celebrated the retirement of GM/CEO Samuel Davis and the hiring of Brent Haywood to replace him, it became clear very quickly that Haywood brought with him several new ideas to drive the District’s continued growth, including an intensive focus on promoting “energy choice,” ensuring that homeowners and business owners continue to have the option of natural gas for cooking and heating.
In promoting this concept, the focus should be on the District’s mission rather than a personal goal of the new leader. It is a new approach for the organization, not just a directive from the CEO. While perhaps subtle, it is one way for us to continue placing the focus on the organization and build its reputation as a leader in the industry.
Establish thought leadership opportunities
Much of what I’ve discussed thus far has focused on the corporate brand and protecting its reputation during a leadership change. But let’s not forget that establishing the new leader and the role they play is just as important in communicating brand continuity, which protects corporate reputation even further.
When we help clients through leadership transitions, one strategy we pursue is researching and capitalizing on opportunities to establish them as thought leaders in their industry. This can take a number of forms, including speaking at industry associations, drafting bylined articles or media opinion pieces to pitch to local and trade outlets, and one-on-one meetings with community leaders who hold influence.
Going back to The Corridor example, when Paul was hired, we worked with him to quickly identify and secure opportunities to speak as the new leader of the organization, share what he learned on his listening tour and begin to share his thoughts about the future of the organization. Speaking opportunities and opinion pieces were also an important part of our transition strategy when I purchased the firm from Roger Pynn.
Change is indeed a constant. It is inevitable. However, you want the positive reputation of your organization to be a constant as well, especially when there is turnover at the top. Communicating strategically and following the five steps above can help you to manage your company’s reputation, and in so doing, help to set your new leader up for success.
