Judy Smith, 'Scandal' Muse, Shares 10 Tips For Preventing Crises At Work

Our work dramas may never escalate to the heights that they do on ABC's new series "Scandal." On the first episode alone protagonist Olivia Pope, played by actress Kerry Washington, tackled a double White House affair and the murder of a young Washingtonian believed to have been killed by her decorated military boyfriend.

But real-life crisis manager, and the inspiration for Pope's character, Judy Smith, knows that crises run the gamut. While her boutique crisis management firm, Smith and Company, has worked behind the scenes helping calm the international hysteria over the SARS pandemic; advising Kobe Bryant and Michael Vick during their run-ins with the law; and shaping the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's reputation following the 9/11 attacks, Smith is well versed on dealing with everyday dilemmas, too.

"I like to believe in the good in people. But we're all going to screw up from time to time," Smith told Washingtonian magazine last month, describing her biggest takeaway about human nature from her encounters with people at some of their lowest points in life.

In her book, Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities Into Your Biggest Assets, Smith pinpoints seven character traits that she says give rise to those screw-ups, and can send even the best of us spinning into turmoil and disgrace -- ego, denial, fear, ambition, accommodation, patience and indulgence.

"All these attributes can be blessings as well as curses; they’re positive when you manage them well but they create problems when you don't," she says. "The role they provide can keep you moving forward in your career and life but if they’re out of control they can cause you to crash and burn."

Here, Smith kicks off a series with The Huffington Post, offering her best advice on how to turn a crisis into an opportunity and how to avoid getting into trouble in the first place.

10 TIPS FOR PREVENTING CRISES AT WORK

1. Talk about the elephant in the room. If there is a problem don't act like there isn't one. The sooner you deal with it the better. Always assume that if you've made a mistake or have been involved with something that could prove problematic for either the company or the person you work for, that it will in time come to light. For the most part it's better to be proactive than passive in these situations. Take the reins and try to protect yourself.
2. Brainstorm a conflict. When you brainstorm a conflict it allows everyone to talk about the problem in an objective way. Don't make it personal. The goal is to have the problem owned by the group.
3. Focus on what you do and do it well. Don't spend your time focused or worried about your competition. It's about your work not someone else's.
4. Think about what you can give vs. what you can get. Your strength is your attitude, commitment, and competency. Your uniqueness and effectiveness in this area act as your strongest register of worth.
5. Think more as a team and less as an individual. This will prove to be more efficient and will get you positive notice by your superiors.
6. Establish and maintain good working relationships with co-workers. You don't have to be friends but you do have to be friendly.
7. Make sure you are clear about the expectations your boss has for you.
8. If you make a mistake at work address it as soon as possible -- don't hide it.
9. Write stuff down. Protect yourself by always having a record of what transpired or was said in any situation that might be considered sensitive.
10. Stay calm and do not overreact. Instead, determine what strategies you can use to address the problem and then take action. Although you might be worried about the consequences don't give into reacting rashly to that fear. It will often prove to be more damaging.

Personal crisis about to erupt? Reputation in need of repair? Email us your dilemma and get Judy's take on how to handle it. You can also follow her on Twitter (@JudySmith_) or "Like" her on Facebook for more information on managing personal and professional crisis situations.

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Comments

[Mary Rothschild]

08:33 PM on 04/12/2012

Unfortunately, I knew Judy Smith when she worked at NBC (something she usually fails to mention). Hopefully, she has gotten better at "fixing" things as her tenure at NBC was a diaster. She was given a position of power, for which she was woefully unqualified, all in the name of politics. Thank you Bob Wright. Who wrote the book for her?

[Wendy Penn]

11:36 PM on 04/26/2012

lol WOW Someone sounds bitter.

[Mary Rothschild]

06:21 PM on 04/27/2012

OH Wendy! You should have worked!

[Tim Day]

04:33 PM on 04/09/2012

The best way to avoid problems is to just not work and live off the state

[psandysdad]

09:17 AM on 04/09/2012

The advice is good, but it all assumes you are not working for a dysfunctional company.

[whdlsn]

09:59 AM on 04/09/2012

Yes! and many do work for a dysfunctional company.

[tz1030]

05:28 PM on 04/09/2012

Companies are like people - they are all dysfuntional in some way. Tou just have to try to make the best of what you have to work with.

[Razorsharp1234]

07:39 AM on 04/09/2012

No. 5 is a bit problematic, because each and everyone is out there for it's own good, the teamplayer motto does not work anymore in our times. Sorry, It's dinosaur. Now it's me, me and me.

[Cuyahoga]

06:47 AM on 04/09/2012

And for heaven's sake, do not get old. I have a very successful 40 year history of employment as an admin asst. I've won company awards for excellence. The week of my 60th birthday last year, I was "let go" (he called it a layoff) and immediately replaced by a beautiful 26 yr old woman with flowing blond hair. I don't begrudge her - I was young and attractive once, and and good at my job. I saw a lawyer who specializes in discrimination and he determined I did not have enough hard evidence to file a claim.

So again - do not age. And watch your back.

[Alvin Milton]

01:05 PM on 04/13/2012

I feel for you. Question, was the 40 year tenure spent as an admin asst?

[JohnnyAce Okeke]

01:47 PM on 04/08/2012

One of the dumbest shows ever to come to television. ABC fails again. {{-_-}}

[tunderwo1]

10:37 AM on 04/08/2012

Excellent advice.