Judy Smith

Smart people are no different than anyone else. Sometimes they exercise bad judgment, like we all do.

My experience at the White House was invaluable.

When you're at the center of the universe, you have to think quickly and size up a situation instantly because, whether you like it or not, you're going to be on the news the next day.

Above all else, protect your brand. If you or your company doesn't live up to your brand's promise, own up to your error.

Reputations can be built, attacked, and destroyed on social media. It's a huge game-changer - instantaneously emboldening adversaries and shortening the ride for any corporate or personal brand.

If your response to a problem or scandal isn't genuine, followers will sense it. And remember, by saying nothing, you're saying something.

Most of the time, you think the problem is not as big as it is - because it says something negative about you or your company or your leadership. Face the reality: The facts are not as you want them to be.

Protect yourself by always having a record of what transpired or was said in any situation that might be considered sensitive.

Make sure you are clear about the expectations your boss has for you.

Establish and maintain good working relationships with co-workers. You don't have to be friends, but you do have to be friendly.

If you make a mistake at work, address it as soon as possible - don't hide it.

When clients are involved in a crisis, we often start at the end. When this is over, where do you want to end up? What's your endgame? We try to start from that and work ourselves back.

We all make mistakes, and sometimes the difference that we forget is that the people we read about in the paper and on the Internet and see on TV, behind that is, at its core, a mistake.

The same qualities that we all have that are good can lead us to bad things or lead us into a crisis if we don't try to balance them.

I think that scandal and intrigue and all of those sort of things that occur behind closed doors - whether it's on the Hill or in the White House - people all find intriguing.

I've always been interested in image and reputation management. Because really, when you think about it, it is an old phrase, but all we have is our word and our good name.

'Scandal' is soooo Hollywood. It's not me.

Look at the facts as they truly are, not as you want them to be.

I charge by the hour, or I am on a retainer. We try to work with the client.

If I'm really telling someone what's coming ahead of them, then I'm going to say it, and I'm going to own those words.

Social media, for me, is just a thorn in my side. It's painful. For us in crisis, it has totally changed the way we do business. It's a big, big game changer.

I think there are some things that just cannot be fixed.

You do your work, and you do the best you can. That's what my parents taught me, and I think what they were saying was, 'If you do a good job, other things may come your way.' That's really been the way my career has unfolded throughout the years.

I remember having lunch with a friend who worked at the White House. I'd just graduated from law school but kept telling my friend what they needed to do and weren't doing right about the Iran-Contra affair. The next day, I got a call from the White House, offering me a job.

Problems arise when we go through life relying too much or too little on particular traits, which, in turn, can lead to a crisis.

My law degree has always been incredibly helpful.

Crisis is not a nine-to-five job... Crisis happens when you least expect it.

At the end of the day, I play to win, and otherwise, I wouldn't be good at my job.

When you're working in crisis situations, people have a tendency - particularly the media - to stake out your house.

I love what I do, and to be able to see a show that is inspired by my life's work is exciting because it exposes people to what a crisis manager does.

The ambition and focus that propel you to success can also be your downfall.

So many people apologize because they feel like they have to - that it's the appropriate thing to do, that it may help them down the road. But people can tell whether you're sincere.

Allegations become facts, and facts become truth in the eyes of the public, whether they are true or not.

I definitely never had an affair with the president.

There's always an opportunity with crisis. Just as it forces an individual to look inside himself, it forces a company to reexamine its policies and practices.

Rightfully given near-deity status in the early days of industrial America, the J.P. Morgans, Rockefellers, Carnegies, and Vanderbilts of the world not only ran our country, they were also revered - and often despised - as larger-than-life personalities who could perform feats mere mortals could only dream of.

When times are good, a CEO should remain poised and composed. When times are difficult, a CEO should remain poised and composed.

While it may be tempting to bask fully in the glory of success, remember: When a CEO takes too much credit for the good, they will receive far too much criticism for the bad.

A crisis, by its very nature, is a negative event.

Unless you work in HR, it's not your responsibility to necessarily police and monitor workplace conversation.

Sometimes people honestly don't realize the magnitude of their words and have no idea that boundaries have been crossed.

Workplace romances - or even the illusion of a workplace romance - can carry many ramifications and consequences.

Oftentimes, rumors burn white hot only to fizzle as fast as they ignited.

While you are searching for a job, it is a good idea to be on your best behavior.

You don't want to appear as if you are not a team player, but at the same time, you don't want to be taken advantage of.

It can be a real blow to our egos when we feel as if our hard-earned degrees don't matter as much as our ability to get the morning coffee orders right.

It's good to have a healthy ego because that pushes you to succeed. But when you cross a line, and your views are not balanced, that's when you get into trouble.

I like to believe in the good in people. But we're all going to screw up from time to time. It just happens. It really is how our best growth occurs.

Whatever the issue is or problem is, you have to own it, and you have to face into it. If not, it will just really get worse, and it will get compounded.

I think, sometimes when we face problems and issues in our life, we have a tendency to really deny that a problem exists. Or sometimes we say, oh, it'll go away, or we can handle it. It's - you know, don't worry. I've got it covered. And a lot of times, that's not the case.