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The Coldplay kiss cam incident in July 2025 was a great example of what can happen when a CEO is inadvertently caught in the line of fire for behaviour that is misaligned with company values. Leadership scandals can attract huge and intense public attention, and organisations need to prepare for such time as one of their senior leaders behaves badly.
In this episode of ‘What Just Happened?’, hosts Tamara Littleton and Kate Hartley are joined by crisis communications expert Abby Mangold to discuss how CEOs are often placed on pedestals as symbols of organisational values, making their fall from grace feel personal and emotionally charged. Scandals become modern morality tales, amplified by social media, where judgement, memes and commentary unfold in real time.
The episode highlights why predicting specific behaviour is impossible, and why organisations should instead prepare for the impact of leadership misconduct. Scenario planning, clear governance, and agreed decision-making processes are essential to avoid hesitation that can worsen reputational damage. Speed matters in a crisis, but panic does not; establishing the truth and clearly separating individual behaviour from organisational values is critical.
A full transcript of today’s show is available to read here.
