“Think and act as if the cameras and the microphones are always on. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize to those you have hurt, lick your wounds, and move on.”
Donna Francavilla, Founder, Frankly Speaking Communications, V-P of Alabama Media Professionals, CBS Radio News Journalist
If you’re in the Spotlight, the Media quickly learns who you really are by how you handle mistakes and intense emotions
An Opinion Piece By Donna Francavilla
Just before the holidays, two events occurred which generated a good bit of discussion about a public figure’s actions. The Brawl at City Hall and comedian Steve Harvey’s mistaken announcement of the wrong Miss Universe had us shaking our heads and secretly thankful it hadn’t happened to us.
The public conflict and subsequent peaceful reconciliation between Birmingham Mayor William A. Bell and Councilman Marcus Lundy was all anyone was talking about in our local community and nationally.
Dubbed, “The Brawl at City Hall,” a bloody fight between two otherwise respectable leaders of our community broke out behind Birmingham City Hall chambers.
While we all try to avoid conflict, especially in public, and certainly cringe when our emotions get the better of us, sometimes we aren’t presenting our best selves. Politicians and public figures have the additional burden of having the media present when that’s happening.