Embarrassment?
Hit to credibility?
Trust reduced?
👉 That’s a “yes” to all three from me.
News outlets are reporting the retraction of an award presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury to an individual on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
Previous comments made by the recipient subsequently came to light, prompting Lambeth Palace to reconsider and withdraw the award. Those comments had reportedly been published as far back as 2007.
It raises an interesting question:
Could this have been avoided with more thorough due diligence before the award was made?
I’ve said it before — I’ll say it again:
ACT ON FACTS, NOT YOUR THOUGHTS!
And this isn’t just a lesson for organisations.
As individuals, we can all act on what we think we know.
👀 We make assumptions.
👀 We react.
👀 We speak.
👀 We write.
👀 We make decisions.
And sometimes we do all of that before checking whether the story we’ve created in our own heads is actually supported by the facts.
Curious questioning can change that.
Before reacting, ask:
🤔 What do I actually know?
🤔 What am I assuming?
🤔 What evidence do I have?
🤔 What don’t I know yet?
Because sometimes the difference between a reaction and a considered response is simply taking the time to establish the facts first.
What say you?