The rumors are flying on the Internet today about Oscar de la Hoya and some reportedly racy pictures of the boxing champ dressed in drag.
Here are the photos...you can be the judge, if you'd like.
The real point here, and the lesson for businesses everywhere, is that this is a crisis situation for Golden Boy Promotions (de la Hoya's company) and de la Hoya himself. For years, he's carefully crafted a very marketable image. One that will far outlast his boxing career. These pictures are probably fake, as de la Hoya's spokespeople have insisted, but all of this serves as a good lesson in damage control.
De la Hoya, more than being a boxer, is a businessman. When potentially negative news comes about, you need to do several important things to weather the storm:
- Get your side of the story out immediately, as de la Hoya's office did.
- Tell the truth. If you don't, you'll pay for it later.
- Communicate with your customers. Give your explanation for the situation, in full, so that they feel like they can trust you and continue doing business with you.
There are other tips I could give, but those are the things you need to do immediately.
We'll see how de la Hoya deals with this problem, and how his advisors help him in crisis management. Keep your eye on things...there are good lessons here for business people and entrepreneurs who are facing (or will be facing) a crisis.
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