CEO Melissa Davis is widely quoted in an article in the Institute of Directors (IoD) Director Magazine, discussing crisis management.
Misinformation now travels faster than facts, creating real risks for brands and leaders. As Melissa explains, organisations can no longer rely on silence or hope supporters will correct the record for them. Leaders must be ready to respond with speed, clarity and nuance.
Melissa warns against knee-jerk denials, noting that “The Streisand effect is real.” A loud rebuttal can amplify a story further. Instead, she advises leaders to acknowledge what’s true, correct what isn’t and “redirect focus to what you’re doing about it. Audiences reward transparency, not spin.”
Leadership is vital here, says Melissa:
“In these moments, leadership visibility is everything. Silence can look like evasion, but reactive defensiveness erodes confidence just as quickly. Senior partners and executives need to be prepared to step forward – not only to correct the record, but to remind clients and stakeholders what the firm stands for. The best-prepared organisations rehearse this long before a crisis hits, so that their first response reflects calm authority, not panic.”
Preparedness, she stresses, is everything. Many organisations plan for cyberattacks or product recalls, but not for misinformation campaigns. “Fake news travels faster than due diligence,” she says. Without rehearsed roles, messaging and tone, brands lose precious time they can’t regain.
Trust built in advance is a company’s strongest defence. Brands with clear values, consistent behaviour and visible leadership weather storms more effectively. In a crisis, consistency across every channel is essential. Melissa’s rule for the critical first hour: bring together comms, legal and leadership, agree the facts, issue a holding line quickly, and ensure internal alignment. “Silence and fragmentation are what make fake news viral.”
Thank you to the author of the article, Morag Cuddeford-Jones, marketing journalist and editor of the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s magazine, Catalyst.
Read the coverage (pp 64 – 67)
