The car in front of you is a…

Naked Leader Week – 345 – Monday 8 February 2010

It started with car owners being told by their local dealers “there is not a problem” and just a few days later led to a full, global, public apology from the company’s President, Akio Toyoda.

Three well known crisis-management issues emerge from this ongoing Toyota experience – the total power of the customer, the monetary value of reputation and the eternal importance of a simple, clear, easy to understand message.

Toyota underestimated the first (some dealers telling customers there was not a problem), now understand the second (billions of dollars in the recall, millions off share value) and have yet to get the third (whether it affects your car).

Strong leadership has to come to the fore in a crisis of every kind, through clear ownership, plan and communication. Toyota can still turn this around, and to do so they must show clarity in those three areas, by everyone in the organisation.

How does your company do, in a crisis?

Action: Don’t wait for a crisis to find out – have a clear plan for this occurrence in place.

With my very best wishes

David

X