In everyday life most of us have been in a crisis or two where there has been some BS. Some crises are larger and more important than others for example: my girlfriend/boyfriend cheated on me vs. Penn State firing their coach because he held a secret from everyone for so long.
The point I am trying to make is that BS is more damaging than lies. This was my favorite piece of advice in Katie Paine's, 'Measure What Matters'. If you lie about something eventually the truth will come out even if you are not the one telling the truth. Your girlfriend/boyfriend will eventually find out you cheated on them. Paterno eventually told the truth years later but still lost his job because he lied for so many years.
If something ever happens to you or your company that is not a good situation: TELL THE TRUTH. The truth is so much better than letting people find out from someone else or worse: the press. This can damage the relationship you have with stakeholders, your customers and even your personal relationships. Katie Paine, I must say, I'm not BS'ing Ch. 13 Threats to Your Reputation and How to Measure a Crisis taught me a ton about ethics.
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