This post is part two of a two-part blog series on leading through uncertainty and pressure with clear, confident communication. Read part one here.
We’re not in a predictable world anymore.
The norms that once governed leadership communication, sometimes things as basic as decency or decorum, are shifting. Political leaders say things that would have been disqualifying a decade ago and public trust in institutions is fragile. Audiences are distracted, distressed, and operating with less patience and more skepticism.
So, what does it look like to lead communication in this kind of landscape?
In my previous piece, I reflected on some pivotal moments in my career. Times when I helped leaders navigate high-stakes crises with clarity and calm. But the truth is, pressure is no longer confined to the “crisis communications” playbook.
Today, ambiguity and complexity are part of the job for any leader which means that communicating with integrity is harder, and more important, than ever. The question is, how do you lead when things feel volatile?
The answer is simpler than you may think: You come back to the basics.
Years ago, and still currently, I worked with a brilliant researcher named Dr. Vincent Covello, a leading expert in risk and crisis communication. One of the most enduring lessons I took from him was about memory and stress.
A relaxed person can typically absorb and recall up to seven pieces of information. But when stressed, that number typically drops to three. If they’re in acute distress, like when they are afraid, confused, or anxious, it can drop even further to one.
If you’re communicating to a team that is feeling the strain (and most people these days are), you can’t treat it like business as usual. You have to simplify, prioritize, and deliver messages in a way that makes them easy to hear and hard to forget.
That’s where a principle called 27–9–3 comes in. It’s a rule of thumb I’ve used for years:
If you can’t summarize your message this way, you haven’t clarified your thinking enough yet.
An ever-changing landscape leaves us with an even greater need for discipline, clarity and intention. The world may be unpredictable, but the fundamentals of strong communication are constant. When the noise gets louder, the core principles matter even more.
At The Humphrey Group, we teach that leadership begins with communication. Every conversation is a leadership moment. Whether we’re coaching presence, feedback, or mindset, we consistently emphasize these truths that should underpin every strong communicator.
While not every moment is a “crisis” in the traditional sense, more and more leaders are operating in fast-moving, high-stakes, emotionally charged situations.
In high-pressure moments, I come back to a core set of principles that have guided me through boardroom negotiations, media briefings, and difficult conversations alike:
Acknowledge what people are experiencing before offering direction. Empathy is not about solving someone’s problem for them, it’s about recognizing their emotional reality.
At The Humphrey Group, we emphasize audience-centered communication; the idea that effective leadership begins with understanding and responding to your audience’s needs before moving into action.
2. Know your audience
This hinges on the same audience-centred principle. Tailor your message to what your listeners need to hear and understand. Ask yourself what they care about, what’s at stake for them. It’s your job to figure out what they need from you in this moment. That understanding should guide your message, your tone, and your approach.
People don’t remember as much as they normally would when they are in high pressure situations. If they remember anything at all, it’s how you made them feel. Be direct. Be specific. Don’t clutter the message. Use the 27-9-3 method.
If something’s gone wrong, own it. In crisis, the instinct to spin can be strong, but modern audiences are savvy. It’s 2025. People have just about seen it all.
Sure, there are moments when a strategic message can help soften the blow, but the cost of getting it wrong is high. At The Humphrey Group, we teach that credibility is built in the way leaders show up consistently.
Don’t try to protect your image at the expense of the truth. At the end of the day, showing up with accountability and integrity will strengthen your leadership.
5. Beware of negatives
There is a cognitive stickiness to negative framing that can unwittingly undo whatever message you are trying to spread. When you repeat a negative, even if it’s a denial, people tend to remember the negative.
There’s a reason that Nixon saying “I’m not a crook” didn’t work. Everyone just remembers the word crook. When you repeat a negative, it reinforces that word in the audience’s mind.
Leaders need to frame their messages affirmatively. Don’t deny what you aren’t, clarify what you are. Anchor your message in what you do stand for.
Speaking in absolutes (“never,” “always,” etc.), may sound confident in the moment, but it could set yourself up to be undermined in future. If or when reality changes, as it often does, those absolute statements may come back to haunt you.
Leaders gain more trust by acknowledging uncertainty and showing that they’re making the best decisions with the information they have. Why not leave yourself some room?
And the last one is, always be respectful. Even if someone is yelling at you. Even if the situation’s charged. Keep your tone measured. Don’t go low. Your professionalism is what earns you credibility (especially when the other person has lost theirs).
These principles are far from tricks or spin. They’re simply a baseline for credible, values-driven communication.
In moments of stress or unpredictability, presence doesn’t just happen. You must prepare.
That doesn’t mean writing a script. It means clarifying your intention. At THG, we talk a lot about intentional communication. This is the idea that leadership begins not when you speak, but when you think. What outcome are you trying to create? What tone do you need to strike?
When I was preparing a client for a globally broadcast press conference in the wake of 9/11, we didn’t rehearse sound bites. We clarified what mattered. Then we anchored every decision – what to say, how to say it, and what to leave out – in that clarity.
You don’t need a media moment to put that into practice. A one-on-one meeting, performance conversation, or all-staff email can all benefit from the same level of discipline.
When things feel uncertain, it’s tempting to retreat into the weeds. But in moments of high stress, people need context. They need to understand what matters and what comes next. Don't get pulled into the moment and forget the mission.
In crisis, it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole of the issue at hand, especially if you’re getting heat from media or a vocal stakeholder group. But the role of a communicator is to zoom out. What does the organization want to be known for? What’s the long game?
This is where purposeful leadership communication matters most. At The Humphrey Group, we define it as communicating with intention, clarity, and alignment to your values… Never does this matter more than when you are under pressure.
It’s not just about responding to the loudest voice in the room; it’s about reinforcing your purpose in every message.
You don’t need to be a PR pro to lead like a communicator, even in times of crisis. You just need to embrace the mindset that leadership and communication are inseparable.
In an unpredictable world, the leaders who rise above the noise aren’t necessarily the loudest or the most reactive. They’re the ones who stay grounded in values, guided by purpose, and committed to clarity.
Want to build your skills for leading through uncertainty?
Through our leadership communication training, we equip leaders with the skills to connect, inspire, and lead with purpose — in high-pressure situations and everyday conversations alike.