--- title: "Wednesday Buzz: Build a Strategy for Bad Press" id: "40929" type: "post" slug: "wednesday-buzz-build-a-strategy-for-bad-press" published_at: "2017-12-20T22:31:23+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T16:13:25+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/12/20/wednesday-buzz-build-a-strategy-for-bad-press/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/12/20/wednesday-buzz-build-a-strategy-for-bad-press.md" excerpt: "These steps can help your nonprofit navigate negative press. Also: The four types of leaders who create the future." taxonomy_category: - "Organizational Strategy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "C-suite" - "Public Relations" - "Risk Management" - "Web Strategy" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Wednesday Buzz: Build a Strategy for Bad Press Bad press can do serious damage to an organization. How should you respond when negative stories begin bubbling up? To start, consider the source, recommends [the Capterra Nonprofit Technology Blog (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.capterra.com/the-nonprofit-guide-to-dealing-with-negative-press/) . Does the publication command authority and have a good reputation? If a source isn’t credible, you may not want to take any action at all. If the source is credible and the facts are correct, then you should consider publishing a public response. “When writing your response, don’t dwell on the negative press. Mention it for the sake of context, then move on to explain your point of view,” writes Nick Morpus. “If your nonprofit is at fault for the negative press—say your nonprofit experienced a data breach due to an employee’s error—then it’s important to own the mistake and focus your response on what your organization is doing to address the situation.” You can publish this response on your blog and share via social media, or you can reach out to newspapers with a letter to the editor or an op-ed. ### Invent the Future > The profiles of leaders who are excited about the future[https://t.co/uBryQEjcbh (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/uBryQEjcbh) > > — Harvard Business Review (@HarvardBiz) [December 19, 2017 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz/status/943105212964798464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) The world is changing faster than ever before. In an uncertain time, which leadership characteristics will help your organization find success? In a new post, the *Harvard Business Review* shares [four categories of forward-thinking leaders (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2017/12/the-4-kinds-of-leaders-who-create-the-future) . Consider the Eager Experimenter. This leader not only is willing to try new things, but also knows that most experiments fail and is willing to accept those failures and learn from them. “Leaders who are fit for the future understand that there is no success without setbacks, no progress without pitfalls,” writes Bill Taylor. ### Other Links of Note **Nonprofits are constantly looking for new donors.** The Bloomerang blog [shares 10 ways to find them (opens in a new tab)](https://bloomerang.co/blog/10-ways-to-find-new-donors-for-your-nonprofit-organization/) . **What do millennials want from professional development?** *Blue Avocado* details which PD [topics are most important to this generation (opens in a new tab)](http://www.blueavocado.org/content/professional-development) . **Event marketing best practices are always in flux.** The Eventbrite blog reveals the [marketing trends for 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/event-promotion-2018-ds0c/) . (Sezeryadigar/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. 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