The Life & Times of a Nortel PR Person

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The Life & Times of a Nortel PR Person

By Mark Evans | September 14, 2007

A few years ago when I reporter with the National Post, I asked a Nortel PR person - just out of curiosity - why they weren’t running away to a job that didn’t involve accounting scandals and a shrinking stock price. His answer was a little surprising. The reason he stuck around was it was the best crisis management experience you could ever get.

I thought about that conversation today amid the SEC’s filing of charges against another four ex-Nortel executives. I wonder what it’s like to handle PR for Nortel these days given all the crap that is still emerging took place before CEO Mike Zafirovski took the helm. I guess given the circumstances, you just roll with the punches and realize that there’s nothing you can do but put up a brave front as the media has yet another field day at your company’s expense.

Still, it must be discouraging to have your employer dragged through the mud….again. As much as you’re part of a new team committed to reviving Nortel’s fortunes, the past keeps biting you every so often.

Maybe, in a strange way, PR person thrive when it comes to managing bad news - much like reporters get far more excited about bad news than good news. When times are good, it’s a breeze handling requests from the media looking to celebrate a company’s success. But when times are bad, you’ve got to be quick on your feet. If you’re not prepared or fail to execute, you and your company will be crucified.

In any event, I hope the PR folks over at Nortel at well-compensated or, at least, using the experience as a launching pad for the next gig.