What Would You Do With Your Donald Sterling?
Last week a recording leaked, which allegedly included Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, making “racially insensitive” remarks while talking with his girlfriend.
I’ve listened to the recording (as I’m sure many have), and I think the comments fall extremely below the “racially insensitive” line, as many news outlets are reporting.
On the recording, the alleged Sterling is heard saying:
- Why are you taking pictures with minorities?
- Yeah it bothers me a lot that you want to promote…broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?
- I want you to love them [blacks], privately. In your whole life, every day you can be with them. But why publicize it on the Instagram and why bring it to my games?
These are just a few of his alleged comments. Media outlets say the conversation happened after Sterling discovered his girlfriend had taken a picture with NBA legend Magic Johnson and posted the photo on her Instagram page.
Now, like with Paula Deen’s controversy, you can imagine the reaction Sterling’s alleged comments have received.
Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Lebron James and a slew of other NBA former and current players (and coaches) have spoken out against him. And a USA Today story reported the following sponsors have severed ties with the Clippers : CarMax, State Farm Insurance, Kia Motors America, airline Virgin America, P. Diddy’s water brand, AQUAHydrate, Red Bull, Yokohama tires and Mercedes-Benz.
As the owner and a major representative of not only the Clippers team, but the NBA in general, an issue like this is a pretty big deal. And as everyone speculates about what should be done with Sterling, I also wonder what a business would do with its very own “Donald Sterling”?
Imagine that the founder or CEO of your employer was discovered saying “racially insensitive” comments when he or she believed no one was listening? Just like the Clippers team and the NBA overall, this occurrence would certainly put a dent in your company’s employer brand.
In 2013, African-Americans accounted for 76.3 percent of all NBA players, while 81 percent of players were players of color. Also, African-American head coaches represented 43.3 percent of all NBA head coaches.
So, it’s easy to see why Sterling’s alleged comments wouldn’t go over so lightly in this industry. And what about yours? Say 76 percent of your company’s workforce is women, and your “Donald Sterling” made terrible comments about women. Or if your company’s leader made comments about the disabled or the LGTB community.
Something would have to be done, right, but what? Especially if these comments seemed to represent his or her personal ideologies.
In the same USA Today story, the writer quotes Michael Gordon, principal and chief executive officer at Group Gordon, a corporate and crisis PR firm in New York. Gordon believes:
For Sterling himself, it’s over. There’s no crisis management in the world that will fix this, so he has to go,” Gordon told USA TODAY Sports. “Not until he goes can both the Clippers and the NBA fix this.
That’s it. According to this crisis management pro, similar to Paula Deen, there’s no hope for Sterling to rectify the situation (and undoubtedly his reputation either). As Gordon said, he has to go.
I’ve read an article where the writer explained how firing Sterling wasn’t as easy as people would assume, yet what would become of the NBA’s reputation and brand if he stays? And I wonder if the same concerns would haunt every other business if they found themselves in this situation.
What do you think, Recruiter.com readers? If the founder, CEO or “face” of a business does something along these lines, should he or she be dismissed, no questions asked? Are some situations simply beyond repair when it comes to maintaining employer brand? Share your crisis management thoughts below!