In bad times, executives aren’t likely to perform better than they do in good times.
“A crisis is not the time to train your CEO on everything that they’re bad at,” said Elizabeth Cook, a senior partner at public relations firm FleishmanHillard, during a learning module hosted on Ragan Training.
If anything, Cook noted, the CEO is likely at their worst when the business is struggling, reporters are calling and consumer trust is sinking. Demanding that they speak with the press while dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety has the potential to make a bad situation even worse.
“The executive under pressure is not the same executive you work with every day,” Cook added.
During Cook’s session, she outlined three lines of questioning PR pros should consider when determining the best way to navigate a crisis.
- Who will the CEO turn to for help? Forming a relationship with the CEO’s most trusted sources can help them guide what happens next. Although indirect, this line of communication remains open while the CEO is making rapid decisions with support from their inner circle. “How we carry recommendations forward through those people and have them as allies is really important if we’re trying to influence an executive under pressure,” said Cook.
- What is the CEO focused on? Getting aligned on the core issue and outlook for resolving it will help shape what happens next. If the CEO wants to address a specific aspect of the wider crisis, that gives PR pros their priority. If the executive wants it solved before the end of the month, that provides a sense of urgency. “All of those things are going to influence how they feel about when they speak, what they say and where they go,” said Cook.
- What is the CEO’s current mental state? What’s their typical comfort zone? How do they perform under pressure? Are they more concerned about their personal legacy or the future of the business? Getting a grasp on issues like these will help PR pros know if the executive is ready to appear on camera and answer questions from the media. Again, Cook stressed the importance of remembering the following during a crisis: “This is the executive I’m working with today, not necessarily the one I wish I was working for.”
Watch the full session, titled “The Spokesperson of 2026: Preparing Voices to Lead in the Age of Crisis,” on Ragan Training.
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