Bill Gates, Kathy Ruemmler and More: Our Stomachs Turn + Their Brands Keep Crumbling

Bill Gates has been a long-term user/abuser of reputation rehab. The Wall Street Journal article about that notes:

"Employees around Gates have spent years carefully cultivating his portrayal to set him apart from his combative years fighting antitrust charges while leading Microsoft, according to internal documents and Gates employees."

More recently there's the detailed campaign to reposition Gates back as the noble presence first in tech, then in philanthropy he once was before divorce and the Epstein files fallout.

Read all about it in the WSJ. Stomach turning, isn't it. 

But, there's more. Obviously, it hasn't been effective. The Gates brand continues to collapse. Individuals such as Warren Buffett and entities such as institutions in India have distanced themselves. And Gates gets it. He himself had decided to not attend Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting. Previously he had been a regular.

The same lack of results from message managing is happening to Goldman Sachs' top lawyer Kathy Ruemmler. The New York Times article on Terakeet's efforts on her behalf seems to almost smirk:

"Today when you search for Ms. Ruemmler, the first entry is her Wikipedia page. Its first paragraph states that she resigned from Goldman Sachs 'over her links to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.'”

Terakeet thunders on its website:

"Control Your Visibility. Own Your Reputation. Manage, monitor, and protect your brand’s visibility, sentiment, and presence in search."

Perhaps after that NYT's expose it's best not to be using Terakeet - or let on that you are or had been.

It's not too much of a stretch to predict that those hit with scandal will have to try to clean up the stink in ways different from what has become standard. Actually, expand that to blowing up what public relations has come to be. Do we want a continuation of all that managed self-promotion on professional and social networks? PR-placed articles in legacy media? Influencer antics?

Maybe we long for a return to how salvation used to be achieved. Essentially that was through behavior change. Not public relations. 

The con embraced menial hard work. Early American literature and drama hammered that meme. 

In the late 1930s, Dr. Bob and Bill W created the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They were geared to transcend the wreckage of the past via total transformation of the self. 

When Saul realized he was wrong to be eliminating the early Christians, he dedicated his life to nurturing that new religion. 

Coud this unfold: Gates stands before the world admitting his wrongdoing. Then he takes on the mission to behave very differently. 

Ruemmler labors invisibly for the legal needs of the powerless. Never peeking up in a windowless office. 

Other miscreants figure out how to become decent human beings.

In coaching/tarot-reading I am noticing that there's a hunger for what's real - in relationships, at work and in how people see themselves.

Careers? So Over. It’s about Earning a Good Living. No matter what.

Complimentary consultation. No Pressure. Street-smart Guidance. Contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Control Your Visibility.
Own Your Reputation.

Manage, monitor, and protect your brand’s visibility, sentiment, and presence in search.


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