Reputation matters—now more than ever. Public opinion in the wake of the financial meltdown has revealed the public’s abiding mistrust of corporations and the executives who run them. Scrutiny from the Internet and 24-hour cable TV offers companies no place to hide; so they must proactively seek the confidence of their shareholders and the public. In today’s economy, reputation is a prime factor in a corporation’s bottom line.Via its groundbreaking Seven Strategies of Reputation Leadership, Crisis of Character offers a fail-proof way for executives to immunize themselves and their companies against the breakdowns that can happen to even the most prominent organizations. Using real-life examples (from Merck and Citigroup to Hewlett-Packard and Coca-Cola), Crisis of Character presents concrete ways executives can shape the internal corporate culture to support their business interests. This book’s many stories vividly illustrate how corporate strategy must shift to deal effectively with globalization and the new environmental and human rights standards that come with it. Crisis of Character offers invaluable advice to anyone who operates in the public sphere—and who understands that reputation is the key to survival.     "Well-reasoned and well-written. Firestein shows that the context of reputation can change with ferocious speed and unpredictability. He demonstrates how even exceptional companies and managers have been staggered by failing to anticipate change and react effectively."— Hans Morris, President of Visa, Inc.   “Don’t be blindsided when you do business in new communities and in these changing times. Peter Firestein offers compelling strategies and examples of how to keep and improve your and your company’s reputation one day at a time. A good reputation creates trust, so invest in processes, people and in your company culture to be a responsible global citizen.” — Blythe McGarvie, author of Shaking the Globe   “Brilliant. A compelling case that the success of companies is deeply rooted in their character, culture and values.  Firestein’s seven strategies of reputation leadership offer a path for corporate executives and boards to build strong, stable and sustainable business enterprises and avoid the risks and character flaws that destroyed so many companies during the financial crisis.”— John C. Wilcox, Chairman of Sodali and former Head of Corporate Governance at TIAA-CREF Peter Firestein is a consultant specializing in reputation risk management in both public and financial arenas. Since 2002, he has helmed Global Strategic Communications, Inc., counseling the CEOs and senior managers of a variety of global corporations. He has been a managing director at Thomson Financial and served as global financial communications advisor to the government of Brazil in the privatization of its national telecommunications network. For more information, see www.peterfirestein.com.