How to Handle a Firestorm Sparked by a Leader’s Missteps

Eden Gillott, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in Los Angeles, is a strategic advisor to C-suites and boards as the president of Gillott Communications. Her upcoming fourth book, Beyond the Statement, is a strategic playbook for leaders who know a PR crisis isn’t only about the statement, it’s about everything that comes before it. 

In the past, executives could often contain their personal scandals within their inner circles, in courtroom documents, or through quiet exits. But today? All it takes is one concert, one camera, or one comment to turn a private matter into a public reckoning. 

This has happened before. In 2019, The National Enquirer published intimate texts between Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, sparking both media frenzy and investigations into potential political or foreign motivations behind the leak. 

In 2022, Jesse Powell, then-CEO of crypto exchange Kraken, made controversial comments in internal Slack messages questioning DEI programs and gender identities. Their leaks triggered resignations and public scrutiny. 

What starts as personal (or even accidental) can become professionally radioactive in 48 hours or less. The longer you hesitate, the more your employees, customers, and investors start to question not just the executive’s actions but your company leadership. People expect CEOs to be visionaries and remain composed. However, no amount of quarterly wins can save you when a personal scandal goes viral. 

The Coldplay concert kiss-cam debacle 

What started as a harmless kiss-cam moment at a Coldplay concert on July 16 quickly morphed into a crisis for Astronomer and its CEO, Andy Byron. Byron was spotted with the company’s head of HR, Kristin Cabot, on the Jumbotron. Coldplay’s front man, Chris Martin, cracked a joke, and the video went viral. Ikea, the Phillie Phanatic, and even divorce party planners capitalized on the viral scandal in their marketing. Within days, Byron was on leave and then ultimately, he was out. 

When an executive’s missteps affect company culture and the bottom line 

That’s a once-in-a-blue-moon spectacle. However, you don’t need viral footage for a senior executive’s personal missteps to seep into corporate culture, erode investor trust, and shake brand credibility. Most companies still don’t see it coming until it’s too late.  

Whether it’s a DUI, a messy divorce, or leaked messages, your execs aren’t off the clock when their behavior bleeds into the business. Why? Because they confuse tactics for strategy. They draft statements, call legal, and hope for quiet. However, real reputational damage often happens before the first word of a response is spoken or written. 

When is a personal crisis your company’s crisis? 

Consider these questions: 

• Is this person the public face of the company? 
• Does the issue contradict your brand’s stated values? 
• Are stakeholders or media drawing the connection for you? 

If any of these are a yes, silence is not an option. 

Where leaders stumble 

• Delayed response 
  By the time you speak, the story has already been shaped (without your words, your version, or your values). 
• Pretending it’s not your problem  
  If employees are asking about it, then clients are commenting on it. If the board is restless, then it is your problem. 
• Lawyering up but staying mute  
  Legal teams may insist on silence. PR teams demand clarity. Going radio silent leaves your narrative untold as your public trust hangs in the balance. 
• Spinning instead of solving  
  Companies sometimes respond with over-engineered messaging, including vague statements, legalese, or corporate jargon which is meant to deflect rather than clarify. However, stakeholders are looking for credibility and reassurance. If your response feels like spin, then it only reinforces the perception that you’re protecting power, not people. 

Reputation is a strategy, not a statement

A public scandal isn’t just a PR nightmare; it’s a test of strategic foresight. Too many companies default to cleanup mode instead of asking deeper questions like:  

• What will this PR crisis signal five years from now?  
• Who are we becoming if we tolerate this?  
• What precedent are we setting for future leadership?  

Tactical precision matters, but it must serve a larger strategy rooted in your brand’s long game. 

Responding to a personal crisis isn’t just about making a clean statement; it’s about having a clear strategy. That’s where most companies falter. They default to tactics—writing reactive messages, looping in lawyers, hoping it dies down. However, a truly effective response begins earlier. It starts before you draft a single word. 

Strategy means understanding the long game. Who are you protecting? What precedent are you setting? How will your decision ripple across trust, morale, and brand? In a crisis, those answers matter more than polished language. 

Follow these action steps before it’s too late. These aren’t just crisis tips. They are tools to help you operationalize your values in real time. 

1. Define your crisis threshold.

Decide now what executive behavior crosses into corporate territory and put it in writing. 

2. Run reputation fire drills.  

Imagine your CEO is arrested tomorrow. What’s your play? Who speaks? What tone do you take? What legal constraints are in play? The first 24 hours shape the narrative. Even if you don’t have all the answers, map out your triage steps: Acknowledge the issue, name the interim leader, communicate internally first, and identify your external posture. Speed and integrity beat silence every time. 

A solid reputation playbook should include a designated crisis spokesperson, a pre-cleared holding statement, a map of internal escalation paths, and criteria for when legal and PR must collaborate versus when they must decouple. Without a playbook, you’ll be making judgment calls in the fog of panic—and that rarely ends well. 

3. Lead with transparent action.  

Announce investigations, interim leadership, or the leader’s leave. It shows you’re responsible and not evasive. Don’t deflect with, “This is a personal matter.” That phrase might protect an individual, but it leaves your employees and stakeholders exposed. When behavior contradicts company values, the matter is professional. 

4. Create daylight without demonizing.  

You don’t have to burn bridges, but you do need to show the distance between individual wrongdoing and corporate values. Contracts, equity ties, or critical dependencies might prevent immediate separation. However, communicating your interim posture (initiating investigations, pausing public visibility, etc.) signals alignment before legal disentanglement is complete. 

5. Clarify roles when interests diverge.  

When an executive becomes the center of a crisis, their priorities and the company’s priorities will likely diverge. They want redemption; you need separation. They want to speak publicly; you need strategic silence. This is why your crisis PR team can’t represent both the executive and the company. 

At some point, you’ll face a choice: Who are you protecting? Is it your people, your culture, and your brand or one person’s career? You can’t serve two masters. Know where your loyalty lies. That choice isn’t always easy. Loyalty runs deep. Contracts are messy. Emotions get involved. However, in crisis, clarity matters more than comfort. You can care about the person and still act in the best interest of the company. 

Leadership is revealed in choice. 

You can’t stop people from making mistakes. However, you can control how fast, how clearly, and how openly you respond. This won’t be the last time someone in power makes a personal mistake with public consequences. In a crisis, your values aren’t what you say in a statement but what you reveal through your strategy. If you don’t act decisively, the world will write your story for you. 

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