Crisis Communication Gaps: What CEOs Aren't Saying

Every comms professional knows the playbook. A crisis hits, you move fast. Holding statement, talking points, media plan, stakeholder map. You do it well because you've trained for it. You bring the plan to the CEO expecting alignment and instead you get a polite nod and silence. Not pushback. Not disagreement. Just silence. And that silence is worse than any argument because it means the CEO has already stopped listening. Not because your plan was bad, but because it was solving a problem they weren't thinking about.This is the gap that quietly erodes the comms function's credibility in organizations everywhere. Communicators are passionate people. That passion is their greatest asset, until it becomes a bias that pulls them toward issues that feel urgent but aren't connected to the core business. And when that happens enough times, the CEO doesn't fire you. They just stop inviting you into the room. Listen For3:09 How Do CEOs vs. Comms Leaders Actually Respond to Global Crises?4:26 When Should You Speak—and When Are You Giving an Issue Oxygen?6:28 Do PR Professionals Need Financial and Data Literacy to Be Strategic?11:44 Why Is Reporting Not Enough? And What Does Real Analysis Look Like?15:13 Can AI Truly Make Your Communications Strategy More Effective?Guest: Johna Burke, CEO and Global Managing Director, AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication)Email | Website | LinkedIn DougSubstack | Website | LinkedInFarzanaSubstack | Website | LinkedIn Are you a brand with a podcast that needs support? Book a meeting with Doug Downs to talk about it.Apply to be a guest on the podcastConnect with usLinkedIn | X | Instagram | You Tube | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | PinterestSend us a note about this episode. We'll reply and thank you on a future episodeSupport the show