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© 2025 Copyright, Jennifer R. Farmer

The PR Whisperer

Author, Crisis Communications Expert, Strategic Communications Advisor

Tag: media outreach

3 Tips for Making Good Decisions When in A Crisis

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A loved one called me recently and expressed upset with a decision I made. The person subtly told me why I should change my mind and used religion to make their point. My initial reaction was anger as I felt the person was using religion to manipulate me. As I discussed the situation with my coach, she reminded me of a very important filter that should be used to evaluate advice, especially when the stakes are high.

My coach encouraged me to consider whether the advice benefited the person who shared it? This was a question I hadn’t considered. I was caught up in emotion and focused solely on the words spoken and not on the reason the person was communicating the message in question. In this situation, the advice did in fact benefit the person who engaged me because it supported their comfort at the expense of my discomfort.

My coach then advised me to be careful of accepting advise from people who have something to gain from the advice they give. To be clear, “gain” could be as simple as you behaving in a way that makes the other person comfortable. Gain could also mean financial gain or a boost in status. ‘If a person wants you to do something that will enrich them in any way, you have to filter what they say,’ she said. This advice is sound and it is particularly useful when you are in a crisis situation and receiving input from many sources.

As you reflect on this insight, here are three other things you may want to consider when navigating a crisis:

  1. Are you being motivated by fear?

    When we are afraid, our nervous systems are activated and it becomes harder to make rational decisions. If you are led by fear, you will also feel compelled to act quickly or you may fail to assess all the choices before you. I heard a financial guru say that when people get scared, they get stupid and I couldn’t agree more. If the advice is intended to make you afraid, or if the situation triggers fear, tread carefully. Try to unpack why you are afraid and assess what will happen if your worst-case scenarios manifest, and more importantly, how’ll you’ll pivot and respond.

  2. Will the advice benefit your current and future self?

    There are things that feel good in the moment but will harm your future self. When evaluating feedback, maintain a long-range view of where you’re going and more importantly, how you’ll get there. All advice should be filtered from the lens of ‘will this help me in the long run?’

  3. Are you being encouraged to act quickly?

    If you are being encouraged or rushed to make a snap decision, be careful. You should have time to process all advice, and think about where you want to go and why. You should have time to consult your team. You should have time to sit with a decision. Very few things need to be decided in an hour or two, let alone a day or two. Slow the process in order to play out different scenarios and discern what to do.

Why is this important? Your reputation is like currency; you must manage it wisely. Your peace is invaluable. You must safeguard it. You may not always get a do-over, and that is why it is essential to strive to make good decisions today and always.

—

Jennifer R. Farmer, known as The PR Whisperer, is a crisis communications expert, podcast host, and small business owner.  In her spare time, she enjoys visiting volunteering and reviewing bakeries.

 

Avoid These Three Common PR Mistakes

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By Jennifer R. Farmer

If you are a public figure, you are likely to grant media interviews and respond to media inquiries. To boost your success and ensure a strong brand, avoid these common PR mistakes.

1. Getting Too Comfortable in Public Appearances or Media Interviews

One of the most common PR mistakes occurs when a leader gets too comfortable. When leaders no longer approach interviews or public appearances with the level of intentionality and care that they deserve, they are bound to make a mistake. This can happen when a person has extensive experience giving media interviews or public appearances, and therefore doesn’t believe they need to prepare. This can happen when a person knows a lot about the topic they are discussing; they can become over-reliant on their knowledge and fail to be diligent in preparation. When leaders get too comfortable, they may let their guard down, or be more playful than the current moment demands. When a leader gets too comfortable, they may say things that ordinarily they would not say. The antidote is to approach each interview or public event with precision and careful preparation. 

2. Going Off Script/Getting Off Message

You’ve seen this happen. A leader gets up to make a speech and before they get into the meat of their remarks, they may say, “I’m not going to use my written remarks,” or, “I’m going to go off script.” The crowd may get excited, believing that they are going to get an authentic version of the person before them. However, public relations staff, campaign managers and political consultants get scared because they know going off script is a recipe for disaster. When you give a speech, you’ve likely spent time thinking about what you want and need to say. When you plan your speech, you have likely do so from a place of calm. This allows the leader to think carefully about the main messages that must be conveyed. But when you scrap your remarks and “speak from the heart,” you could be moved by emotion and that’s not always a good thing. If the crowd is fired up, you may similarly get fired up and say something that may feel good in the moment, but will haunt you afterwards.

3. Speaking for Too Long

While it may be to an interviewer’s advantage to record a long interview with you, it is not always in a leader’s best interest to accept lengthy media interviews. Similarly, when you are giving public remarks, be mindful that you do not speak for too long. If you are giving a keynote speech, you may have a longer speech. But if you are solely offering remarks, keep those remarks tight and too the point. In an effort to take up space, some leaders will speak entirely too long. And in the multitude of words, there is always a chance that you may say something you should not say. If you can keep your remarks to 10-15 minutes, or 30 minutes in a key note, you stand a better chance of delivering focused and tight remarks.

For more tips, see this video on other PR mistakes.

Jennifer R. Farmer, known as The PR Whisperer, is a crisis communications expert, podcast host, and small business owner.  When she is not working, she enjoys visiting and reviewing bakeries.

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