Coaching

Whenever you give an interview, record a statement on camera, when you write a letter to the editor or post a comment on a website, you are doing an important job for your company, because what you are doing is renewing your company’s citizenship. Alright, so you didn’t realize that was what you were doing, but think about it. In the long run, a business can be viable only if the public thinks that what the business is doing is beneficial to society. Otherwise, political pressure will build up, and that can result in the business being forced to close down, if only in extreme cases. Whether or not the public thinks a business is beneficial will be based on facts, but only to a degree.

For the most part, this sort of judgment is made at a more or less subconscious, emotional level. So whenever you say something about your company, try to make it not just factually convincing, but be convincing emotionally. Make a case to the public that what your business is doing is good for everyone or at least for a large majority.
You don’t always have to say so in so many words, but this sort of judgment should be at the back of your mind, informing what you say and how you say it. If you manage this, you will have extended your company’s citizenship for another little while. That may sound underwhelming, but in this business every little bit helps. Consider, after all, what it would be like losing the public’s support or at least its tolerance. So be diligent. Canvas public support by being emotionally authentic and credible, and convince the people they are better off with you around. The freedom they grant you will be your own.