Over a lifetime of building a personal brand, something less than ideal will happen. A crisis is rarely the end; how you respond decides most of the damage.
The Manifesto defines a crisis as a negative spotlight on something that happened to you, something you did, or someone you are associated with. It sets out five ways people respond, from pretending nothing happened to giving to charity, and is candid about where each one fails.
Its favorite is addressing the situation head on, because it shows the most accountability, and it is useless without real change afterward. A mistake can even become a public lesson.
Acknowledging your mistakes does not make you any less of a person; acknowledging mistakes shows character and that you are willing to accept accountability and adopt change.
Personal Branding: A Manifesto on Fame and Influence, Second Edition, 5.9
The moves ISIA, the engine behind the Brand Audit, draws from this part of the doctrine. Each one is something you can do this month, and the reason it matters.
This page is a summary. The subchapter itself goes further, with the reasoning, the stories behind it, and the exercise that closes it.
Before any sudden move, evaluate the situation and map out a plan. Then, in most cases, address it head on and make sure the cause does not happen again.
No. The Manifesto is realistic: not everyone will respect an acknowledgment, but it limits the long-term damage.
Advice Isaac Mashman has given on his own shows and in interviews on this subject, from the same library MCG consultants work from. Each one keeps the words he said it in, and links to the transcript where there is one.
Search your name with words like scam, review, and complaint. If something negative appears, address it openly instead of hoping nobody finds it.
Read the transcript ↗ (opens in a new tab)“have you ever googled yourself and found something negative about you”
Chase the Vision with Isaac Mashman, “What Is Public Relations”, April 18, 2022
When something goes wrong in public, list what you can control and act on that. Let the rest go so you can stay composed for the people watching.
Read the transcript ↗ (opens in a new tab)“he wasn't going to stress about the things that he couldn't control”
Chase the Vision with Isaac Mashman, “What Is Your Reality?”, October 5, 2020
When people ask what you do, say plainly that you make music, art, or whatever your craft is, and put it in every profile with the same handle everywhere.
Read the transcript ↗ (opens in a new tab)“you should own up to the fact that you're an artist”
The Codependency Survival Guide, “How to Get Your Music Heard During Lockdown ft. Isaac Mashman”, May 30, 2020
More executives are becoming the public face of their companies. The ones who do it well build a presence before a crisis or a stock price asks them to.
No matter how far a personal brand reaches, it is always a single misstep away from crashing down. The size of a reputation is not a shield.
To be a public figure is to be watched. As your efforts pay off, the people who hold leverage over you, and what they could do with it, matter more.
Avoid controversy that concerns your own reputation. External controversy, handled with intent and class, can position you as the expert.
Engagements are accepted by application and seats are limited each quarter. Tell us who you are, what you are building, and the position you intend to hold.
