Media Training for CEOs and Executives Worldwide May Save Their Jobs & Protect Their Profits – Ask Lululemon Founder Chip Wilson
By Gerard Braud
Every media training class I teach worldwide begins with this phrase:
“If you could attach a dollar to every word that comes out of your mouth, would you make money or lose money?”
Here is an image straight from my media training manual if you need proof.
Here is a video lesson for you to share with your CEO and spokespeople.
Recently we have published two articles here about Lululemon founder Chip Wilson. The first focused on his foolish ad-libs in a TV interview for which he was clearly not prepared. In the article we said his failure to prepare for the media interview would affect his profits. The second article focused on his poor attempt to apologize for his first blunder, creating a social media fire storm. Now comes the news that he is out as Chairman of the company he helped found, because of… wait for it… wait for it… because of things he said.
Click image to watch video
Chip Wilson’s ad-libs and bad media interview caused him, in large part, to be ousted from the company that he helped start.
It all began in a Bloomberg interview and now CNBC is covering the final chapter on their network.
Verbal blunders have cost an executive his position in his company.
This should be a wake-up call to all public relations people, executives and CEOs. It should be, but it won’t. Most CEOs and executives will remain too stubborn and arrogant to schedule time for training. Most public relations people will be too timid and afraid of losing their jobs to get in the CEO or executive’s face and demand that they dedicate ample time to prepare for EVERY media interview.
Many CEOs and executives treat media training as though it is a bucket list item – something they do once in life. This is as dumb as me taking one class at putt-putt and thinking I can play golf against Tiger Woods in the PGA.
EVERY interview requires practice.
Media interviews are not something you should ever take lightly.
Media interviews affect your bottom line.
Media interviews are connected to money.
Media interviews affect profits.
Click to watch interview
I’m befuddled to see how corporations spend millions on branding, millions on product development, and millions on all the contracts lawyers write, all to protect profits. Why would any corporation or executive spend so much on all of that stuff… why would they place such a high financial value on all of that stuff… yet completely under estimate the financial value of a media interview?
Wake-up executives.
Wake-up public relations people.
Wake-up corporations.
Wake-up CEOs.
Wake-up Chairmen and boards.
If you invest time and effort in media training it will pay huge dividends.
I’ve witnessed corporations lose millions in moments in a bad interview.
I’ve witnessed corporations make millions in a moment in a well planned and practiced interview.
If you could attach a dollar to every word you say, would you make money or lose money?
