Glass Jaw: A Manifesto for Defending Fragile Reputations in an Age of Instant Scandal

by Eric Dezenhall, Josh Culling (Contributor)

In an age when scandal can destroy a company's brand or anyone's reputation in an instant -- Glass Jaw is an Art of War guide to modern crisis management.

In boxing terms, a tough-looking fighter who can't take a punch is said to have a "glass jaw," and so it is these days with targets of controversy. Down the rabbit hole of scandal, the weak are strong and the strong are weak. Just consider this slate of recent reputational body Toyota, Susan G. Komen, Paula Deen, Tiger Woods, Joe Paterno, BP, the Duke Lacrosse players, Lance Armstrong, and Anthony Weiner. Glass Jaw is a manifesto for these times, written by crisis management veteran Eric Dezenhall, who has spent three decades dealing with some of the most intense controversies, both known and . . . handled with discretion. In the current digital age, the fundamental nature of controversy is viral, rendering once-mighty organizations and individuals powerless against scandal. In Glass Jaw , Dezenhall analyzes scandal and demystifies the paper tiger "spin" industry, offering lessons, corrective measures, and counterintuitive insights, such How there really is no "getting ahead" of a bad story (and other cliches from the media) The perils of navigating the "Fiasco Vortex" The art (and transaction) of the public apology Why a crisis is not an opportunity The Nixon if only he had just said "I screwed up," the whole thing would have gone away (not a chance) How you are the the self-sabotage of selfies, tweets, emailing before thinking, technology creep, the privacy vacuum, and the industrialization of leaking. From the boardroom to the parenting messaging board, scandals erupt every day. Glass Jaw explains this changing nature of controversy and offers readers counterpunches to best protect themselves.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Psychology

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Eric Dezenhall is a journalist and author of twelve books, including three non-fiction texts on crisis communications. Other areas of expertise include organized crime and the intelligence community. He is the Chairman and co-founder of Dezenhall Resources, One of the country's first crisis communications firms. He lectures in academic and business circles and appears in international media including NPR, CNN, FOX, CNBC, MSNBC and the History Channel. He has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today.

Eric’s work is widely cited in business, media, and academic circles. His book, Best of Enemies with Gus Russo, is being made into a feature film. He is also the author of seven novels, including The Devil Himself, based on the true story of the U.S. Navy’s collaboration with organized crime in WWII. His latest non-fiction book, Wiseguys and the White House, documents when mobsters and presidents traded favors -- and double crossed each other. Eric graduated from Dartmouth College and lives near Washington, D.C., with his family.

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting study on what corporations, institutions, colleges, and individuals ought to do when they get caught up in what the author calls the "Fiasco Vortex."

[Niniane · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author attacks activists, child abuse victims, rape victims, whistleblowers. He repeats the tropes about how they must have ulterior motives, and he portrays companies and rapists as the innocent victims whose reputations are damaged.

[Zak · Rating 4 out of 5]

What to do when embroiled in a scandal or PR crisis. Eye-opening in that some strategies are counter-intuitive.

[Virginia Hume · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the antidote to snake oil from big PR and crisis firms. Eric has been at this for decades, and he knows of what he speaks. He looks at the current media environment through the lens of such high-profile cases as Komen, NSA and Toyota. You know - cases that prompted "experts" to go on TV to say how badly everything was being handled, as if some fairy dust was going to make it all go away.

If you're looking for happy talk or fairy dust, this isn't it. If you want someone to blow smoke you-know-where, there firms you can hire for tens of thousands of dollars a month. But in case you haven't noticed, it's ugly out there. Eric's book is not only much more truthful and far less expensive - if you're a public figure or executive concerned about your or your company's reputation, it needs to be on your shelf.

[Ed Barks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Dezenhall is an acquired taste, which may account for some of the relatively low rankings here.

Typical “PR” types are not likely to appreciate his perspective since he calls the approaches and talents of much of that field into question. They frequently rely on shopworn tropes such as a) get ahead of the story and b) respond immediately, which Dezenhall views as baseless.

Much of crisis management, he points out, revolves around setting expectations. Your CEO may want you to make the crisis disappear. Nice thought, but hardly realistic. In many cases, it is wise to adjust expectations so that the C-suite understands that sometimes the goal is not good news, rather it is less bad news.

During times of crisis, the real experts — whether staff or consultants — must assume the role of skunk at the garden party. Executives may not want to hear or heed such counsel. Regardless, their reputations, both organizationally and personally, are at stake.

Smart CEOs and “PR experts” will listen to Dezenhall’s advice.

[Rocky Duran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book during the current electoral season gave unique context and perspective, as it felt I had an inside track on how spin doctor's, the media, and the public react or respond amidst a scandal, or appearance there of. It was an entertaining read, and I highly recommend it.

What I took away:
1. Avoid getting sucked into the "Fiasco Vortex"
2. We live in an Era of conviction by hashtag
3. Controversy is an iceberg
4. Experience and good judgment can lead you through most any tough situation
5. Sometimes the best way to get back up is to stay down
#reading #books #listening #leadership #fiascovortex #glassjaw

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minus one star for his silly and wrong use of the word Physics.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways, I'd say my rating for this is more of a function of the fascination the topic holds for me than anything else. And it is an interesting subject, dealing with the propensity our culture has for generating scandals and the difficulty the subjects of scandals have in getting past those events. There were moments when it felt a bit like Dezenhall was blaming scandal victims for falling into these situations, but perhaps it's easier to take that stance after having dealt with the fallout many times. Anyway, it's all food for thought, given how we sometimes delude ourselves with the old saw that 'any publicity is good publicity,' and how difficult it is to overcome reputational damage in a world where the internet never forgets.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating examination and critique of PR/crisis management cliches, tropes, and tactics. A counterpoint might be interesting, but even without, it's persuasive and thought-provoking.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dynamic read focusing on public relations and crisis management in the age of social media and how these areas have significantly changed since social media's inception. While I felt this book was directed more towards large organizations, I felt that concepts could be easily adaptable to small organizations and the published author.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent follow up to the first crisis book I read from Eric Dezenhall. I loved Damage Control and this one goes deeper into the management of crisis in a world of social media. I will read it again!

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of helpful strategies.

[Jose Amezcua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good strategies to resolve problems with masses (social media)

[Wai-kit Ng · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about crisis management. Couldn't appreciate it cos the stories were too American and too obscure (for me).