The manager who talked too much and was fired

The attitude of managers in social networks always gives to talk. If they are silent we accuse them of being anti-social., And if they talk too much, we accuse them of flip-flop mouths.

Today I talk about an Apple executive who has been fired this week for an inopportune comment. First I explain the fact, the context, Then I develop the idea that any Senior Management, wherever you are and before whom you are, is a spokesperson for the company. I deal with the reputation crisis, and how to avoid it.

Here you can see a one-minute video summary:

Here you can listen to the podcast version, in the episode 93 of Everything Leaves a Mark, In iVoox, Apple Podcast Or Spotify.

The Story of Tony Blevins

I put you in context: A few days ago, Apple fired one of its top executives over an inappropriate comment he made to the tiktoker @itsdanielmac, A guy with several million followers.

The managerial, Anthony Jackson Blevins, known as Toni Blevins or "Blevinator", had been at Apple for twenty-two years as vice president of acquisitions, one of the charges with direct access to Tim Cook, CEO of the company. He had a reputation as a tough supplier negotiator., whom he pressured excessively and manipulated to achieve low prices.

The tiktoker often asks owners of luxury cars (the Blevins featured in the video has a value of US$ 500.000) What they do for a living. And Blevins replied. (Literally): 

I have expensive cars, Golf game, I caress women with large breasts. But I take weekends and important holidays off.. In addition, If you are interested, I have an amazing dental plan.

No comment. Here you go the TikTok video.

The social manager

Importantly, the Connected Manager Or Social Manager You can leverage your position to improve the networking and reputation of the brand you represent. This is usually the case.. We could say that the managerial Social should act as a role model.

But sometimes it's hard to think that the role of policing your online reputation also includes treading carefully in places like Whatsapp. (where everything is written) or to a person with a camera or phone in recording mode.

You never know where that recording might end up, as in the case of Blevins, that perhaps he did not imagine that his words would be heard by millions of people.

Manage communication

Manage words, Attitudes and silences is an indispensable competence, and in the case of persons with managerial responsibility, even more.

In this case of Blevins, have been words. A few weeks ago, we saw very negative attitudes at times in the life of the new King Carlos III. And as for silences, These occupy the majority of claims, It is about the manager who hides and does not face a problem.

The role of spokesperson and brand ambassador

I usually explain that, in an organization, All its members are brand ambassadors, from the warehouse waiter to the CEO. It is another thing for them to be conscious and trained ambassadors..

It is essential that organizations activate Internal Brand Ambassador programs (employee advocacy) so the whole team knows how to manage their own brand, The brand of the organization, Crisis protocols, and especially in the online world.

Managerial reputation

Undoubtedly, the reputation of a managerial totally affects the brand. Whether in a positive sense, as the negative sense. That's why, Apple's response, has been what it has been.

Working on good reputation is working on personal branding thoroughly. It is important to keep in mind my maxim: everything leaves a mark, what we do and what we don't do, what we say and what we shut up.

Managing a crisis

For many companies, Managing a crisis like blevings, It's as simple as resorting to disciplinary dismissal. But the best solution, It's always in prevention, in preparation, in training.

If Blevins had been properly trained, Your company wouldn't have fired you, since possibly he would have been more careful with his statements..

The theme, treaty in Expansion

Today 8 of October has been published in Expansion the article In professional reputation TikTok is loaded by the devil ... but not always, in which I deal with this topic of the director Tony Blevins and I collaborate with my colleagues and admired Andrés Pérez Ortega and Silvia Leal, under the baton of the Director of Expansion & Employment, Tino Fernandez.

Sources consulted: The World, Bloomberg, Expansion

Stock Photos from Tero Vesalainen / Shutterstock