How to Lead Through Chaos by Saying Less — and Saying It Clearly

Displaying confidence on the heels of an organizational or public relations crisis is a contributing factor to recovery, but what is most critical to effectively guiding your team through headwinds is providing clear direction, goals and information.

In doing so, you eliminate confusion and ensure successful outcomes and clearer blue skies ahead.

Be transparent when laying out the facts

When speaking to your team about a business crisis, be honest and straightforward. Share what you know and what you don’t know. Let them know the plan for handling the crisis, and if there are still unknowns because you are waiting for the facts to unfold, tell your staff. “I don’t know” is a valid response while actively pursuing your investigation.

Explain the plan in as much detail as possible so everyone is clear about the next steps and understands that the business is taking the crisis seriously. If you know of any potential fallout, let your team know without causing panic. While you don’t want your people to be caught off guard by the potential impact a crisis could have on them, you also don’t want them to unnecessarily fear the worst.

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Communicate clearly

The most effective leaders don’t overcomplicate their messaging. Be specific, direct and concise when communicating with your team and the public. Be ready to answer questions and keep your responses equally as clear so you don’t cause confusion.

Speak to your audience, show empathy

When talking to your team, understand where they are coming from, their viewpoint and concerns, and show empathy. Put ego aside and show compassion. The crisis is not about how it affects you personally but how it impacts everyone throughout the organization. Also, recognizing your team’s worries and walking in their shoes helps you formulate what to say and how to say it so they clearly understand the situation.

The same applies when communicating with the public or the media. You want to demonstrate that you understand the crisis’s impact and potential ripple effects. This understanding will guide your messaging.

Silence can be deadly

If you’re leaning toward staying quiet or under the radar during a crisis, know that such action could exacerbate an already rocky situation. People will begin filling in the blanks, coming up with their own stories in lieu of yours, which will only amplify the negatives and cause more pushback from stakeholders. On social media, it’s easy for people to spin stories over and over until everyone believes something that isn’t based on fact.

Get out in front of the crisis as soon as you can with the truth in hand, even if it’s uncomfortable. Empower your team to get out in front of a crisis quickly to control the narrative.

Don’t deflect, take accountability

When a crisis occurs, and a leader takes responsibility rather than shifting blame or making excuses, you will find a more understanding audience — from your team, your customers and the public at large.

People make mistakes, companies falter. If you own up to it and offer solutions, you’re demonstrating integrity and will earn respect and be better able to get back on track than if you deflect and attempt to protect your image and that of the company at the expense of the truth.

For example, when Southwest canceled 16,000 flights in 2022 over the holiday season during a winter storm, it wasn’t just the weather that caused millions of travelers to be stranded. The airline’s outdated scheduling technology and operational breakdowns were primarily responsible for the cancellations. CEO Bob Jordan apologized publicly, took responsibility and committed to investing more than $1 billion to upgrade Southwest’s technology and expand staff.

Reassure but don’t overpromise

Taking accountability reassures your team, customers, vendors and other stakeholders that you have the situation under control. You’ve acknowledged the problem and offered a plan to address it. But don’t make promises or absolute statements that are hard to meet, may sound inauthentic and come back to bite you down the road. As they say, it’s better to overdeliver.

Remain cool and collected

When giving a press conference, doing an interview with a publication or a news outlet, or speaking with staff, don’t lose your cool. You may get questions you don’t like or statements that are way off. Be respectful, answer questions honestly and continue to remain professional. An effective leader takes the high ground even when pushed to the limits.

Make sure you’re prepared

Just like anything else you do as a leader, make sure you do your homework during a crisis. Understand your intention and purpose as well as the tone you want to create. Talk with a confidant about what you plan on saying and how you intend to convey your message — whether it’s verbally, in an email or in a press release. Don’t get too bogged down; instead, keep the mission front and center to help guide you through the crisis.

In times of a crisis, be the leader you are, rise above the chatter and remain committed to communicating with clarity and purpose.

Displaying confidence on the heels of an organizational or public relations crisis is a contributing factor to recovery, but what is most critical to effectively guiding your team through headwinds is providing clear direction, goals and information.

In doing so, you eliminate confusion and ensure successful outcomes and clearer blue skies ahead.