Mastering Mayhem

This is part 2/2 in a series about crisis management. Part 1 is available here.

The Power of Crisis Communications

Over the course of my career, I’ve been called upon to provide crisis communications services for clients during natural disasters and widespread power outages. I’ve learned that in these moments, what starts as “crisis communications” quickly evolves into “crisis management.” This shift happens because in a true crisis, communication becomes the backbone of every operational decision. Whether you’re restoring power after a massive outage or coordinating emergency response teams during a hurricane, everything hinges on how well you communicate. Here’s what I’ve come to understand about how communications drive operations during a crisis:

Clarity Is Key to Avoiding Chaos

When disaster strikes, teams are operating under pressure, with little room for error. The natural instinct can be to send out information as quickly as possible, but without clarity, that’s a recipe for confusion. In one instance, during a massive power outage that spanned multiple states, I witnessed how miscommunications between the control center and field teams led to significant delays in restoring service. That experience drilled home the point: information must be clear, concise, and actionable. Every word matters when teams on the ground are relying on instructions to solve critical issues. A well-structured message, sent at the right time, can make the difference between a smooth response and total chaos.

Internal Communications Sets the Stage for External Success

Often, crisis communications is thought of in terms of public relations—managing the media, issuing public statements, or addressing customer concerns. But the internal communication system is just as vital, if not more so. The speed at which a utility can restore power or a city can reopen after a natural disaster is directly tied to how well internal teams are aligned. This includes everything from field crews to executives. During a severe winter storm in New England, it became apparent that we were not just managing public expectations but guiding our own teams through the steps necessary to restore service safely and effectively.

One of the lessons I’ve learned is that if your internal communications system is disjointed, no amount of PR can make up for it. By contrast, when internal teams are well-informed, coordinated, and empowered with clear instructions, it becomes far easier to deliver reassuring, accurate external messages.

Communication as a Real-Time Feedback Loop

A crisis is fluid, and information changes by the minute. Communications during these times must be more than a one-way broadcast of updates. It has to be a real-time feedback loop where information is being shared across teams, evaluated, and adjusted based on on-the-ground realities. During a major outage, we set up a system where field operators fed real-time data back to command centers, which in turn allowed executives to adjust public messaging in real-time. This loop prevented mixed messages and allowed us to keep the public informed with the most accurate and up-to-date information.

The feedback loop isn’t just about pushing updates out—it’s about ensuring that teams on the front lines have access to the information they need as conditions evolve. When communication lines are open, leaders can make better operational decisions, and the public benefits from quicker, more effective crisis response.

Empathy and Transparency Create Trust

During any crisis, public trust becomes one of the most valuable resources a company or agency can have. Without it, no amount of operational success will matter. I’ve seen organizations weather storms far better than others simply because they established a foundation of trust with the public through empathetic and transparent communication.

In one instance, when a utility company was facing backlash over prolonged outages, it was the decision to be upfront with customers about the difficulties we were facing that shifted the narrative. We explained what we were doing, the challenges we were encountering, and when the public could realistically expect service to return. By being honest and empathetic, we turned what could have been a major reputational crisis into an opportunity to build stronger community relations.

Communication Drives Coordination

Finally, crisis management is inherently about coordination—between departments, agencies, or even across state lines—and communication is the only way to keep those gears turning smoothly. A hurricane response that I was part of required coordinating utility crews from multiple states, emergency responders, and even the National Guard. Without clear, consistent communication, the response would have been delayed and chaotic.

In these situations, the person or team managing communications is not just passing along information—they are actively coordinating the operational response. This becomes especially important in scenarios where external teams or contractors are brought in to help. The ability to integrate them into the existing communications framework ensures they can operate seamlessly, preventing unnecessary delays and confusion.

Conclusion: Communications Is the Operational Lifeblood in a Crisis

What I’ve learned through these experiences is that communication is far more than just a tool for managing public perception—it is the operational lifeblood of any crisis response. When done well, it enables efficient action, builds public trust, and ensures that teams can focus on the work at hand. In a crisis, communications doesn’t just support operations; it is the operation. And once you understand that, you can use it to drive real success in even the most challenging of situations.

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