There are PR missteps, and then there are those full-on “Did we just share confidential information globally via group chat?” events.
Regardless of the severity level, we’ve likely all had a cringe-worthy communications moment (or two). One where you accidentally added the wrong person to an email or text thread, sent a message before you had a chance to double check content, or relied on a software system that it turns out has a glitch. Oops! But it happens. We’re human, right? And technology isn’t perfect either.
A recent big oops involved The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, when Goldberg was inadvertently included on a highly sensitive national security discussion on an unsecured channel—revealing the kind of information typically reserved for those with top secret clearances, not press credentials. Cue panic, denial, and another wallop of national news whiplash.
Discussing an upcoming U.S. military strike is an extreme case. But the PR failure here worth exploring warrants more than just a shoulder shrug—it’s a clear example of how taking the time before the oops avoids the oops in the first place. And what you do after? That matters too.
Let’s take a closer look at a few similar situations.
1. Stripe: Don't Even Try to Duck the Diss
Nothing says “we value you” quite like using a cartoon duck to communicate you’re no longer needed at a company—sent to your personal (not even employee) email.
In January, Stripe accidentally attached a PDF of a whimsical yellow duckling, labeled “US-Non-California Duck” to 300 employees being let go. How exactly the duck waddled its way into the email isn’t fully clear, but Stripe did confirm to Business Insider the image wasn’t intended to be there. So, at the very least, the duck wasn’t some awkward attempt to lighten the news or lessen the pain of being dumped from payroll. But worsening the situation, incorrect termination dates also were included.
The reaction? Rage, rancor, and a PR race to resolve the matter.
To its credit, Stripe quickly pulled the messaging and issued an apology. Chief People Office Rob McIntosh sent a memo shortly after the incident, saying:
“Some impacted [employees] received a notification error to their personal email accounts. I apologize for the error and any confusion it caused. Corrected and full notifications have since been sent to all impacted [employees].”
And Stripe knows better. A 2022 round of layoffs saw Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison express caring contrition in advance. That earlier message was commended for its candor and vulnerability, using verbiage including, “We’re very sorry to be taking this step, and John and I are fully responsible for the decisions leading up to it.”
So, layoffs are hard, but there’s a right way and a very wrong way. Stripe gives us examples of both, but the bare minimum involves double checking the message for cartoon content, accurate information, and recipient addresses before sending a duck to get someone’s goose.
2. L.A. County: Don't Press the Midnight Panic Button
Also in January, Los Angeles County residents were experiencing a series of devastating wildfires—14 major fires erupted between Jan. 7 and Jan. 31. And as the Kenneth Hill fire in the West Hills neighborhood ignited on Jan. 9, an erroneous evacuation text went out to millions of people nowhere near the relevant region.
Arriving with a loud buzz, the message read in part: “An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area.”
Officials were quick to send a message on the mistake.
But then, only this time in the wee hours of the morning on Jan. 10, several millions were shaken from sleep by another accidental alert.
Kevin McGowan, director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, quickly took ownership and shared efforts to unravel what happened, saying:
“I can’t express enough how sorry I am for this experience. First, I want to clarify this is not human-driven. No one is sitting at a desk right now initiating emergency alerts. We have every technical specialist working to resolve this issue and find out the root cause.”
Genasys, responsible for the county’s alert technology, claimed it wasn’t “able to replicate this error.” The company also said it “has added safeguards into the software to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
But at least part of the problem was how quickly Los Angeles County shuffled systems for its notifications. Allegedly only waiting three weeks (according to metadata from archived alerts) before it implemented Genasys last December, the speedily deployed system was put to an extreme test only weeks later. Very little debugging was done before or after the switch, raising questions about troubleshooting and training.
Given the life-and-death nature of communications like these, McGowan also shared, “I implore everyone to not disable the message on your phone. This is extremely frustrating and painful and scary, but these alert tools have saved lives during this emergency.”
This underlines just how important it was for the software to work correctly and for there to be confidence in the communications.
2. A North Dakota Mayor: Don't Make an Explicit Misstep with an Explicit Message
When will professionals—particularly politicians in the public eye—learn that posting naughty pics never pays off?
In yet another incident from January, Minot Mayor Tom Ross was having a serious conversation with City Attorney Stefanie Stalheim concerning a police officer’s suicide. Mere minutes later? He shared a shot with Stalheim of himself starring in a sexual scenario.
Ross first tried to get Stalheim to just forget about it. He said it was a “sexy” message meant for his girlfriend, created and sent during a lunch break from home. The girlfriend’s name supposedly started with a “C,” putting her close to “City Attorney” in Ross’ contacts.
In April, Ross resigned. But the real issue wasn’t the misfire—or not only the misfire anyway. It was the massive lapse in leadership. Stalheim, Ross’ direct report, was in the middle of a performance review cycle and felt torn about coming forward. That unbalanced power dynamic turned a bad blunder into a profound ethical violation.
Ross had time to take responsibility and apologize unequivocally. But instead, he shot for silence and secrecy—fueling a narrative of misconduct and misuse of power, making the mistake all the worse.
The takeaway? Whatever the platform—email, texts, or a software system—unforced errors that stem from a failure to do the tiniest bit of due diligence can ruin a career or company. And how you respond afterward absolutely matters and redefines your reputation.
Mistakes happen—even mortifying ones. But it takes seconds to double check, and failing that, the difference between a simple slip-up and a scandal is how you respond. So:
- Don’t gaslight.
- Don’t deflect.
- Don’t hope no one notices (they will).
Own it. Fast. Publicly. Honestly. That’s how reputations are saved — and sometimes, even strengthened. And for the love of communications, don’t use Signal to orchestrate an overseas operation.
Until next time!
Aaron Blank
President and CEO
Fearey