To Speak or Not to Speak: Crisis, Trust and Reputation in the Statement Era

In this episode of PR Explored, host Michelle Garrett, a PR consultant, author, and writer, welcomes Crystal Borde, a vice president at Vanguard Communications and past president of PRSA’s National Capital Chapter, about her PRSA ICON session on crisis communications. Borde explains how social media has accelerated crises and misinformation, and describes the post-2020 “statement era,” when organizations felt pressure to issue public statements on external events, now complicated by polarization and increased risk. She outlines preparation steps like creating a crisis communications plan, defining a response team, and using holding statements, emphasizing that “silence is a statement” and can erode trust. Borde offers four decision questions—mission/values alignment, stakeholder impact, credibility, and ability to back words with action—and stresses authenticity, clarity, and collaboration with legal. Examples include Disney’s mismatch between statements and employee experience, Cornell’s perceived insufficient stakeholder communication, and World Central Kitchen’s transparent response after volunteer deaths. They preview her ICON talk in Orlando. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:59 Crystal Borde Background 04:22 Why Crisis Comms Changed 06:47 Defining Statement Era 10:48 Prep and Stay in Lane 14:59 Four Questions Framework 19:05 Silence as Strategy 26:32 Cornell Case Study 30:59 Answering Sensitive Questions 33:03 Confidentiality Boundaries 33:48 Silence Sends Signals 34:28 Buying Time With Reporters 35:52 Holding Statement Basics 38:05 Authentic Statement Framework 40:24 Legal and Comms Alignment 41:35 Clarity Honesty and Testing 45:22 Keepers of the Why 48:00 Crisis Severity Scale 49:04 World Central Kitchen Case 53:57 Fear Versus Strategy 56:17 Build and Practice Playbooks 59:56 Strategic Plan as Foundation 01:00:49 Conference Wrap Up Show notes: Crystal Borde on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalborde PRSA ICON registration (use code MICHELLE10 to save 10%): https://www.prsa.org/conferences-and-awards/icon-2026 Follow the host:  Website: www.michellegarrett.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prstrategist/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PRisUs X/Twitter: https://x.com/PRisUs Threads: https://www.threads.com/@prwritergal Michelle's book - B2B PR That Gets Results - is available now Book a no-obligation call to talk about your needs here.  About the host: Michelle Garrett is a B2B PR consultant, media relations consultant, writer and author of B2B PR That Gets Results, an Amazon Best Seller. She helps companies create content, earn media coverage, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Michelle’s articles have been featured by Entrepreneur, Content Marketing Institute, Muck Rack, and Ragan’s PR Daily, among others. She’s a frequent speaker and podcast guest on public relations and content. Michelle has been repeatedly ranked among the top ten most influential PR professionals.