Spin doctors, CEOs and snipers

So when one of these captains of industry threw a particular line away, little did he realise that there was an armed sniper on the grassy knoll, waiting for the opportunity to take his shot.

Throwaway line

The throwaway line went something like this: "I have no time for spin doctors or PR people. Their only use is when a company has done something wrong - like pumping poison into a river - and we need them to step in and call one of their media mates to make a story disappear."

The cross-hairs are brought down and focused on that soft spot, just below the base of the skull.

The second throwaway line, when it came, came from a lack of knowledge of who was sitting at his table, as he pointed a finger at me: "And you journalists and media... you are always looking for 'kak', for the bad stuff that happens. You can't trust them."

The finger hovers over the trigger. There is a deep breath. A moment of reflection and the decision to spare him. Time to engage and educate - I think.

Sketched a scenario

So I sketched a scenario: "What if you had a senior PR person sit in on all of your board and EXCO decisions? What if important business decisions were taken with all perspectives considered? What if you were told to clean up your production process so that that effluent wouldn't be pumped into the river? What if you took professional PR counsel?"

To his credit, the CEO took a moment to reflect and admit that they had used the services of a spin doctor from time to time.

I feel my trigger finger getting itchy again.

I reminded him that spin-doctors spin and twist the facts to suit the business. Real PR professional will tell CEOs to rather get their house in order and not have their focus taken off their commercial goal trying to hide the facts, when the proverbial *** hits the oscillator.

Not lost

This subtle difference was not lost on him, thankfully.

I take off the telescopic scope and dismantle the rifle in quick order.

I handed over my business card. "If you need advice, call me. If you need a 'yes' man, call someone else..."