Don't Mulkey around with your reputation

There’s a lot of truth and wisdom to the quote, “Look forward not back …” but when you talk about someone’s reputation, the past often provides insight into the present.

With that in mind, it was no surprise to hear LSU women’s basketball coach, Kim Mulkey, say something some of us might say was … ill-advised. However, it probably wasn’t the Washington Post because it got an unexpected publicity bump.

Background -- Mulkey, known for a few public relations fails during her coaching career, used an NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament presser to threaten, criticize and chastise a reporter of an internationally known news outlet about a yet unpublished story. She took time a title-defending coach – or any coach – would typically talk about her team and the premier event of their season.

There’s nothing typical about Mulkey, but her outbursts have previously put others in sloppy spots where they’ve had to answer for her comments. In this case, the Post and writer, Kent Babb are likely thanking her.

Why is Mulkey concerned, threatened or whatever she is to lash out like she did? We don’t know for sure. Again, as of this writing, the story hasn’t been published. Thanks to Mulkey, however, we know something’s been in the works for TWO years. As Puck sports media reporter, John Ourand wrote, “Thanks to Mulkey for putting that story on my radar.”

You might wonder if Babb or anyone else associated with the story contacted Mulkey for comment. By her admission, they did. More than once. She declined the opportunity to speak for herself during those times.

There are so many red flags in Mulkey’s PR approach you’d think she was an NFL coach calling for officials’ reviews.

What she did and what she could have done

Where to begin … for starters, know your audience. While Mulkey might have thought dozens of reporters in one spot provided a good opportunity to air grievances, she instead attracted attention to an unpublished story and created massive anticipation for it.

What Mulkey did: Contradicted her argument that the Post reporter may have tried to distract her from coaching a couple of days before the NCAA Tournament by trying to reach her for comment.

What Mulkey could have done: Talk to Babb months or years ago when he first contacted her about the story. She had multiple chances to speak on the record. Even two days before the first round of the tournament, talk to the man. If her team, the defending national champion, can’t live without her undivided attention for an hour, she has bigger problems.

You cannot complain that you didn’t have your say if you deny requests to talk to you.

What Mulkey did: Put her team, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament and the sport in a bad spot at a time their game is entitled to be enjoyed and celebrated. No one else should have to answer for her rants, but her uncivilized approach remains at the fore for everyone in her extended circle.

What Mulkey could have done: Respect that the NCAA Tournament and your team deserve the spotlight and talk about that. Not you.

What Mulkey did: Threatened the reporter and news outlet with lawsuits, called people names and made accusations about a story that again, hasn’t been published. That exposed her weakness, not the writer’s or news outlet’s.

What Mulkey could have done: Don’t threaten people who are doing their job. If Mulkey believed an upcoming story might be negative, she could work with her sports information director or outside PR counsel to write a brief comment as part of a crisis communication plan. She could tweak it to be more specific when the story comes out.

Scare tactics don’t work

If Mulkey intended to scare or intimidate the reporter or Washington Post by waving a bag of legal threats, she likely did the opposite. Blindly accuse people for something they’ve worked on for years and you probably empowered them.

** If you’re unsure how to respond to a request for or anticipate a story you don’t want to be told, let’s talk about it. There are more reasonable and respectful ways to do it.

In other words, don’t Mulkey around with your reputation.

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