“Some ideas don’t travel well across borders,” says Richard Brown, Global Head of Communications at Hitachi Astemo. “You can’t just bring them in a suitcase.” In this Resilience Unfiltered Coffee Chat, recorded over tea in a traditional Japanese house in Toyama Prefecture, we dive into the nuances of leading global communications. You’ll read about the complexities of managing international teams, navigating crises and balancing diverse expectations across cultures, regions and time zones.

“Resilience is a mindset,” says Ivan Franko Homes CEO Olya Vovnysh in this Resilience Unfiltered Coffee Chat. Drawing on stories from elders in their 90s and 100s, Olya reflects on what anchors us in hard times: don’t give up, stay the course and zoom out to see what really matters. When you sit with someone who’s lived through war and loss, she says, you gain perspective – and a kind of strength that carries you forward.

How do we prepare for – and find meaning in – the unthinkable? This post honours the legacy of Dr. Ian Mitroff, one of the world’s most influential systems thinkers and crisis scholars. It is a reflection on three themes central to his work: systems thinking as a core resilience skill, the role of sense-making in times of crisis, and early signal detection as the most effective form of crisis management.

In a crisis, there is no take two. his article explores how crisis training turns high-stakes trial by fire into structured, low-risk learning. It follows a deliberate arc of familiarization, practice, and rehearsal – helping communicators and leaders build the confidence and capability to fail safely and adapt quickly before the pressure hits. Because the first time in the hot seat should be in a training room—not under the glare of live cameras.

How can organizations stay true to their values when navigating high-stakes situations amid rising activism, widespread misinformation, and shrinking newsrooms? In this Resilience Unfiltered Coffee Chat, crisis strategist and educator Dr. Matt Tidwell explores the connection between values, crisis resilience and media readiness—and why so many crisis plans sit on a shelf, untested and outdated. He also shares insights on proactive media training and crisis preparedness as a continuous, evolving process.

The world is changing faster than we can process. Geopolitical shifts, digital disruption and deep societal divides are reshaping reality in ways we don’t yet have the language for. In this blog, I take a step beyond the headlines to explore what’s ahead—and how communicators can make sense of it all. In times of crisis and transformation, what we say—and how we say it—matters more than ever. This blog offers five "wishes" for communicators navigating uncertainty in 2025, from the power of words to the importance of resilience.

In this Resilience Unfiltered Coffee Chat, veteran issues management strategist Anne Marie Aikins explores how organizations can navigate media relationships during both “good and really, really bad times” amid rapid media change. She stresses the importance of proactive reputation management in mitigating risks and offers advice to help spokespeople boost their confidence and build trust as strategic advisors to their leadership teams.

Spokespeople navigating high-stakes media interviews must be equipped to address hidden challenges that could escalate into larger issues if unaddressed. These 'whales' beneath the surface are complex problems that require strategic management. For those facing unexpected questions or difficult media moments, this blog provides actionable tips to navigate challenges and steer interviews toward safer waters.

In this Resilience Unfiltered Series coffee chat, DEI communications expert Kim Clark joins Natalia Smalyuk to discuss the difficult reality of layoffs and urge leaders to consider alternatives. Kim argues layoffs should be a last resort, sharing strategies for minimizing their impact, exploring options and offering insights on how communicators can play a crucial role in navigating decisions. The Resilience Unfiltered Series encourages open dialogue on tough issues to build understanding and resilience in times of crises and change.

This coffee-break Q&A with Alexander Rau, a partner leading KPMG’s Technology Risk Consulting Advisory Practice, is about what organizations should watch out for in the changing landscape of cyber risk, from the rise of third-party attacks to the challenges posed by zero-day vulnerabilities to AI-driven threats. The chat is packed with tips on how companies can enhance their cyber crisis resilience before, during and after adverse events.  

Strategic planning and crisis planning are often seen as separate processes. They don't have to be. Boards can enhance organizational resilience balancing oversight and foresight, integrating strategic planning and crisis planning, and using scenarios to plan ahead. When an organization makes a strategic choice, it must do the homework on its vulnerabilities, working through the issues before they become bigger problems in early detection, prevention, mitigation and proactive crisis management programs. Shifting from asking “What are the odds?” to “What’s important?” and “What if?” boards get in front of the question: “How come you didn’t see this coming?”

Today’s crisis cascades show the complexity of communication in global and national disasters where stakeholder expectations shift extremely quickly. Many of today’s scenarios, from regional wars to economic shocks to severe weather events, are not in the traditional playbooks. The article talks about proactive, strategic, systemic crisis management in uncertain times – and how communicators can bring value as reputation coaches before, during and after adverse events.

In this coffee Q&A with Dr. Ian Mitroff, we talk about Systems Thinking as a core principle of preparedness in a complex, highly interconnected world. Dr. Mitroff is credited as one of the founders of the modern discipline of Proactive Crisis Management.

Each year has a story. During the holidays, I thought back about 2023, a cup of coffee in my hand and a golden pup at my feet. This blog is my take on the news and headlines of the last year, as well as any clues they might hold about risk and trust in 2024.

Helio Fred Garcia is a professor in the New York University’s Stern School of Business and Columbia University’s graduate school of engineering, head of a New York-based consulting firm, counsellor and author. In this Q&A, we chat about the power of patterns when stakes are high.

Conversations are not just a way of sharing information. Activating neural pathways, they trigger physical and emotional changes that may shape relationship and performance outcomes. What can go wrong, and how do we get it right? The article focuses on the biochemical dynamics of conversations to build trust.

Christal P. Austin is a PR advisor, international speaker and Director (Ag.) of the Public Affairs Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information in Barbados. In this Q&A, I am delighted to share Christal’s thoughts on disaster management.

Super-intelligent AI systems are here. It’s only human to feel like “deer in the headlights” attempting to pause or ban the unknown. In hindsight though, technology breakthroughs teach us that kicking the can comes with its own risk. Going faster on learning is a better option than slowing down on innovation.

Dr. Ian Mitroff and I first met after I read his book “Why some companies emerge stronger and better from a crisis: 7 essential lessons for surviving disaster.” Every time we have virtual coffee I take copious notes. I thought others might benefit from hearing Dr. Mitroff’s thoughts, too, and so came the idea of this Q&A.