Apologizing when blameless incentivizes attacks, whereas holding firm builds strategic deterrence
Lulu Cheng Meservey · How To Build A Cult | Lulu Cheng Meservey · Sep 16, 2025 · at 1:15:58
Communications strategist Lulu Cheng Meservey discusses game theory and crisis communication strategies for executives facing public pressure.
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“If your apology and your subsequent contrition and attempt to make amends is not correlated with whether you did anything wrong, then of course everybody should come after you all the time because it's a lottery ticket, right? Just come after you and then maybe they'll get a payout. Maybe they'll get something out of you. Everybody should try. Right? That's the incentives that you're setting up. Whereas if you Are the type of person to take accountability if you did something wrong, and never accept responsibility if you didn't do something wrong, and you stay true to your principles, there will be some pain in the beginning, but you do that a few times, and it sets up a very strong deterrent.”
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