A clear, strategic guide for protecting your reputation when leadership becomes the story
When a CEO’s personal choices go public, the company’s reputation is instantly on the line. That’s precisely what happened when Astronomer Inc. CEO Andy Byron was caught on camera embracing a woman at a Coldplay concert, a woman who wasn’t his wife but was his company’s Chief People Officer.
The clip went viral. By the end of the week, Byron was placed on administrative leave and then resigned. The company posted a statement on LinkedIn that was simple and direct:
“Leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability. Recently, that standard was not met.”
No laws were broken. No one was arrested. But in the age of cameras, comment sections, and internet sleuths, legal boundaries aren’t the only ones that matter. A CEO’s conduct, especially when tied to power dynamics, internal relationships, or personal behavior, can become a full-scale reputational crisis within hours.
If you run a company and your top leader becomes the story, you can’t sit still. You need a plan.
What Makes a Scandal a Crisis?
Not every public controversy leads to resignation or investigation. But what turns a personal misstep into an organizational meltdown is how fast the company acts, how it communicates, and whether the response aligns with its values.
Let’s break it down step by step.
Step 1: Align Internally. Immediately
When exposure hits, confusion is your enemy. The priority is to bring together legal, PR, HR, and executive leadership to review what has happened and what is already public.
Establish the facts. Lock down your internal timeline. Identify all people involved, especially if there’s potential for HR or ethical concerns. Assign a crisis lead to coordinate updates, control messaging, and avoid internal contradictions.
Confusion breeds contradiction. Contradiction breeds headlines. That’s how reputational fires spread.
Step 2: Acknowledge the Situation—Even Briefly
Transparency doesn’t mean saying everything. It means saying something. If your CEO is trending online or media outlets are starting to call, your silence will be interpreted as weakness, complicity, or worse.
Start with an internal message to your team. That builds trust and prevents rumors from becoming company-wide morale issues. If a public statement is warranted, focus on clarity and values.
Example:
“This situation does not reflect the values we stand for. The leadership team is addressing it directly and taking appropriate action.”
As Lyft CEO David Risher put it, “In moments of crisis, sometimes it’s best to opt for more communication, not less.”
Step 3: Make Accountability Visible
Astronomer acted fast. Byron was out. The company didn’t defend the behavior, and it didn’t hide from the headlines. But it did make one mistake: it failed to address the role of Kristin Cabot, the Chief People Officer, who was also seen in the viral clip.
That silence allowed speculation to spiral. Were there different rules for different executives? Was the company protecting one leader while disciplining another?
In a reputational crisis, perceived inconsistency becomes the next crisis.
If you’re going to hold people accountable, be fair and be clear. Announce leadership transitions clearly and inform employees about the standards being upheld.
Crisis communication is about consistency. If one party is addressed and the other isn’t, you create a second wave of reputational risk.
Step 4: Equip Your People to Talk
Once the news is out, your employees will be asked about it—by clients, vendors, friends, and media. That’s why it’s crucial to provide your team with a company-approved response.
This isn’t about silencing people. It’s about creating alignment.
Recommended script:
“This situation does not reflect our values. The leadership team has responded, and we’re focused on moving forward with integrity.”
Train leaders and managers to use this language across departments. Consistency protects your team and prevents someone’s offhand comment from becoming a viral screenshot.
Step 5: Monitor the Story and Adjust
A crisis isn’t over when your statement goes live. It continues as long as the story is evolving. Monitor social media, press coverage, internal Slack channels, and even Glassdoor.
If misinformation takes off, correct it quickly—but without sounding defensive. If new facts surface, be prepared to update your response. This is not a one-and-done announcement. It’s an ongoing reputational event.
When Personal and Professional Standards Clash
Consider another recent case: a judge was disciplined by the state bar after it was discovered he had pursued a relationship with his law clerk. He and his wife maintained an open relationship, allowing for such consensual encounters. But that didn’t matter.
As a public figure and a judicial officer, the judge was held to a different standard. The appearance of bias and misuse of power damaged the integrity of the bench, even if no crime had been committed.
He was placed on leave, investigated, and ultimately resigned.
You can live how you want. But if you represent an institution, you have to lead with its values, not just your own.
Avoid These Common Company Mistakes
- Pretending it didn’t happen
- Leaving internal questions unanswered
- Letting legal write the public statement with no PR oversight
- Addressing one executive and not the others
- Assuming things will calm down “in a few days”
You’re not just managing a PR moment. You’re managing employee confidence, customer loyalty, and stakeholder trust simultaneously.
How Ethia Strategies Can Help
We partner with companies to manage reputational risk when leadership missteps go public. Our process is legally sound, media-aware, and people-centered.
We help companies:
- Assess exposure across stakeholders
- Develop rapid response plans
- Manage leadership transitions with clarity
- Rebuild internal trust
- Train teams for the next time
“The worst time to build a fire escape is after the fire starts.”
— Andrew Contiguglia
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Reputation is your most valuable asset. And the fastest to lose.
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