Faster. Messier. Tougher. : Crisis Management Strategies in an Era of Populism, AI, and Distrust

This book reveals the frameworks that separate companies that survive from those that don't. You'll learn to identify the handful of stakeholders whose opinions actually matter, build trust that protects you when disaster strikes, leverage AI without losing authenticity, and design organizations where communications drives strategy rather than supporting it.

The crisis playbook you learned is obsolete. Worse—it's dangerous. What worked five years ago now accelerates disaster. In a world where silence equals guilt, every statement becomes political, and misinformation travels faster than truth, corporate leaders need an entirely new approach to protecting their organizations. Bradley Akubuiro served as Boeing’s chief spokesperson during the 737 MAX crisis and has counseled companies facing everything from DEI backlash to viral boycotts. His counterintuitive insight: authenticity beats perfection and sometimes it’s better to double down than to back off. This book reveals the frameworks that separate companies that survive from those that don't. You'll learn to identify the handful of stakeholders whose opinions actually matter, build trust that protects you when disaster strikes, leverage AI without losing authenticity, and design organizations where communications drives strategy rather than supporting it. For CEOs, communications leaders, and anyone responsible for organizational reputation, this is your field guide to thriving in an era where corporate communications and crisis communications have become the same thing. The world has become faster, messier, and tougher. This book shows you how to master it.