It always starts the same way: “We didn’t think it would happen to us.”
Then it does. The headlines hit. Your staff go quiet – unsure of what they can say. Clients start calling – or worse, walking. And leadership is left scrambling, piecing together a response while the world watches.

Leadership is left scrambling, piecing together a response while the world watches.

By the time most organisations act, it’s already too late to prepare. The damage is done. The trust is broken. The narrative is out of your hands.

Here’s the thing:


Crisis communication isn’t just about how you respond. It’s about how well you plan to respond before anything happens. That’s where the real prevention happens.

If you haven’t started planning for a crisis, don’t wait until your hand is forced.

Start now with these three foundational steps:

Step 1: Audit Your Risks


Every organisation has blind spots. Your job is to find them – before the public does.

Make a brutally honest list of everything that could go wrong. Think beyond the obvious.

  • Product failures
  • Executive misconduct
  • Workplace harassment claims
  • Cyberattacks
  • Environmental issues
  • Customer data leaks
  • Negative social media backlash

This is not a time to be optimistic. It’s a time to be honest. Ask the hard questions:

  • Where are we vulnerable?
  • Who would be impacted?
  • How would we be perceived?

The more comprehensive your risk audit, the more proactive your strategy can be. Because you can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge.

Step 2: Build Your Message Frameworks


When the pressure hits, people don’t rise to the occasion – they fall back on their training. That includes your communication.

You need message templates – now. Not when you’re under fire. Here’s how to start:

   • Identify your key audiences: staff, customers, media, stakeholders, community.
   • Draft 2–3 core messages for each. These should:
        • Acknowledge the issue
        • Outline what you're doing about it
        • Reinforce your values

These aren’t finished statements – they’re flexible frameworks you can tailor when something actually happens. Think of them as a “message first aid kit”: the tools you grab in an emergency, before panic takes over.

And don’t forget your tone. In a crisis, how you say something matters just as much as what you say.

Step 3: Train the Messengers


The right words delivered poorly? That’s a disaster in the making.

Your messaging is only as strong as the person delivering it. And yet, one of the biggest gaps in most organisations? Assuming senior leaders automatically know how to handle the heat.

They don’t.

Media training isn’t optional – it’s essential. Your spokespeople need to:

   • Stay calm under pressure
   • Navigate tough questions
   • Stick to key messages
   • Avoid defensive or off-brand language

And this goes beyond the C-suite. Anyone who might speak publicly – including frontline managers and department heads – should be trained to handle tough conversations with clarity and confidence.

The worst time to test someone’s communication skills is in the middle of a crisis. Train them now, while the stakes are low.

Wrap-up: Start Now – Not Later


Let’s be clear, you can’t prevent every crisis. But you can absolutely prevent making it worse.

And that’s what crisis communication is all about; limiting damage, preserving trust, and showing leadership when it matters most.

If you haven’t started planning, this is your moment. Audit your risks. Build your message frameworks. Train your spokespeople.

The clock doesn’t start when you’re ready. It starts the second something goes wrong.

Get ahead of it, or get buried by it. Start here – get in touch.