Hearts & Minds: How to discard a favourite that no longer fits

Hearts & Minds is a daily blog and topical take on corporate reputation from Sodali & Co's UK Strategic Communications team. 

Manchester United have dropped the legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson as an ambassador for the club. At the BBC, they’re scrapping their long-running news interview show HARDtalk.

Two very different institutions; in their own way, both loved; each inspiring howls of protest when the news broke. How does a CEO communicate the sacking of a favourite?

Manchester United chose to say nothing on the record. However, ‘sources’ pointed to a cost-cutting drive by the new part-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The BBC left it to the Corporation’s head of news to issue a longish statement about having to make savings but also adding some editorial staff and programming.

Neither was perfect. United’s seemed odd, given Ferguson’s list of achievements. Strange, too, allowing for the predictable, visceral reaction of the fans and ex-players. The BBC was typically managerial, trying to say, ‘on the one hand and on the other’ and attempting to strike a positive note amid the negative.

The truth is there is not a foolproof, guaranteed safe approach to such an event. However the move is dressed up, it is bound to provoke upset. United’s was met by a sea of disapproving comment across the media and social media. Likewise, the BBC announcement saw one of the programme’s best-known, long-serving presenters register his feelings on X, sparking support.

There are though, some steps that can soften the hostility. Pay tribute, show affection, but not too much. If you say a lot about their record, you are in danger of sugarcoating. They were great, but financial pressures mean that you must let them go. The media, people, understand that – they also have constraints in their lives and they too must make difficult choices.

Don’t get down into the reeds of discussing why it had to be them. That only invites you saying something critical, that you may regret. So, avoid, implying they were past their sell-by date or they’d long ceased to provide value for money.

Stick to the unvarnished and simple. You must save cash where you can and unfortunately, that means them.

Don’t backtrack. It might be tempting to reconsider. That only makes you appear weak. No one is fooled – it’s clear you want them gone, so it’s only a matter of when. Get it over with. There will be a storm, but it shouldn’t last – you might be surprised as to how quickly it blows over.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.