Ego has little place in CEO rehabilitation

It may seem unfair to blame CEOs when things go wrong, but that's because we have forgotten that they are responsible. In the growth years when school leavers set up shop and called themselves CEOs it was easy to overlook what the title meant and that – as officers – CEOs are legally responsible. What does this mean in communications terms? How does "responsible" show itself? The question posed to communications professionals during the current crisis is, how can a responsible image be retrofitted into a damaged, recession-worn shell of a CEO? The answer is, it can't. Reputation management, however well crafted or expensive, cannot plaster over the cracks of a broken reputation. And many CEOs now out of a job find their reputation is indeed broken. Those same CEOs who once led from the front with goosebump-inducing speeches found their vision had taken a rapid departure from reality. They began to look disconnected from the world, from their teams, in some cases from the truth. In short they lost credibility and, for a CEO, shattered credibility is terminal. For many, the outcome was being relieved of their responsibilities. The recession-damaged CEO and the corporation he represents must start again, reboot and rebuild. There's no such thing as a freelance CEO. The key to rehabilitation is getting back to work. Looking after business is an excellent place for the CEO-in-rehab to start – good business decisions, supported by good PR, build reputations. If you prefer the flip side, good PR cannot change poor management decisions and nor should it put a respectable veneer or "spin" on things, as the truth will come out. There is both art and science involved in rehabilitating a CEO. And the trick is to fix the issues they suffered from on the way down. Good communication for CEOs is based on building trust, demonstrating vision, earning credibility and demonstrating leadership, all of which is rooted in sound business performance. CEOs-on-the-mend must communicate a clear leadership plan backed by a pragmatic vision. Ego has little place here – the CEO must lead the business first and talk about leadership second. The phrase "Content is King" has never been more appropriate; the come-back CEO needs to manage his personal brand with employees, shareholders and investors by demonstrating a grasp of his empire and its complexity. They must demonstrate they are accountable for business performance and compliance. They need a distinct and compelling point of view that articulates the organisation's values. And they need to do all of this while putting their needs behind those of the organisations they lead. So, in a nutshell, how does a fallen CEO rebuild his career? Get back to work, keep your head down, do what's best for the business and persevere. Don't use a PR consultant to make you look good out of vanity – use them to make the business look great and the rest will follow. - Melanie Faithfull Kent is Director of Corporate and Finance Practice, Middle East, and General Manager UAE, Hill and Knowlton Also read: CEO Rehab: First, get them to admit their mistakes Image is everything in a boardroom blitz Bosses' reputations can take years to restore and rebuild Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the daily Emirates Business 24|7 newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here .