Being Ready Before It Hits

Katherine Maiorana

If there’s one truth that reveals itself again and again in high-stakes communications, it’s this: An organizational crisis is a certainty. Whether it’s a cybersecurity incident, a leadership controversy, a viral employee moment, or a sudden operational failure, every organization will eventually face something that tests credibility and trust.

And when it happens, you’re likely to be judged more on how you respond than what went wrong.

Consider Delta Air Lines’ massive operational meltdown in 2024. A corrupted IT update cascaded into thousands of canceled flights, stranded passengers, global disruption and reputational damage unfolding in real time on social platforms. The technical failure mattered, but what defined the crisis—and mattered more—was how swiftly, clearly and confidently Delta communicated, took responsibility, supported affected customers and demonstrated leadership under intense pressure.

Working alongside the team at Sachs Media, I’ve seen this lesson play out repeatedly. The organizations that emerge stronger aren’t the ones who scramble in the moment; they’re the ones who decided long before a crisis hit that preparedness was non-negotiable. They built the structure to respond. They planned. They practiced. They understood that in today’s world, crisis communications isn’t a reaction; it’s a strategic advantage.

Yet many organizations still treat crisis planning as something to “get to when we have time.” Some genuinely believe they’ll improvise their way through. But the gap between incident and public judgment has collapsed to near zero. Employees won’t wait. Reporters won’t wait. The Internet won’t wait. And if your organization doesn’t respond quickly and credibly, the narrative will move forward without you.

There’s enormous pressure today to say something immediately. Silence can feel like indifference. But reacting recklessly can deepen harm and permanently damage trust.

The organizations that fare best prepare so thoroughly in advance that responding fast doesn’t feel reactive. It feels steady. Disciplined. Grounded.

Preparation is what makes speed possible.

Preparation defines decision-makers, clarifying who speaks publicly. It establishes how information moves internally when normal operations are disrupted. It builds message frameworks and runs crisis simulations. It ensures leaders understand what to say and how to lead under pressure.

Speed transforms from risk into strength. Leaders can step forward with clarity and compassion. Organizations can acknowledge reality, explain what they know and don’t yet know, outline actions underway and keep people at the center of the response. Instead of reacting defensively, they communicate with honesty, humanity and authority.

The strongest responses share essential traits: they’re timely, truthful, transparent and deeply human. They avoid jargon and performative apologies. They resist cold, legalistic detachment. They put people first, including those harmed, those worried and those watching to see whether the organization truly lives its values.

When those qualities are missing, even manageable crises can become defining failures. We’ve all seen organizations wait too long, sound dismissive, or prioritize self-protection over accountability. But we’ve also seen organizations face extremely difficult situations and emerge with credibility intact. Not because the crisis was easy, but because their response reflected responsibility, competence and care.

Modern crisis communications isn’t about putting out fires; it’s about building resilience. It’s about equipping leaders with the clarity and confidence to respond with urgency and integrity, even when emotions run high and stakes are enormous.

Crisis is inevitable. Organizations that prepare now are protecting their mission, people and their ability to lead forward when it matters most.

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Katherine Maiorana is Senior Vice President at Sachs Media.