When a crisis hits, the first hours matter most.
The pressure to say something — anything — is immediate. So is the pressure to say nothing at all. Both instincts can make things worse.
What leaders need in those first hours isn’t a script. It’s a clear head, a trusted advisor and a plan that starts with the right decision, not the right talking point.
True North works with leaders and organizations before, during and after a crisis, providing the kind of hands-on, judgment-driven counsel that comes from having been inside real situations.
We work on both retainer and project engagements. Reach out and we’ll figure out what fits.
When to call True North
- Something is gaining attention, and you’re not sure what it means or how serious it is
- A situation is already unfolding, and you need experienced support immediately
- Leadership wants to respond, but the risks aren’t fully clear
- A past issue escalated faster than expected, and you want to be better prepared
- You have a sensitive announcement to make and need to get the messaging right
- You want a trusted external perspective before the next challenge finds you
In a crisis, bad communication moves faster than good information. That’s where True North steps in.
Before a crisis
How you communicate before a crisis shapes whether it escalates or resolves. True North helps organizations get ahead of situations by developing strategy, shaping messages and building the credibility that makes the hardest conversations easier.
This work includes:
- Communications audit and readiness assessment
- Crisis communications plan development
- Message and talking point development
- Sensitive announcement strategy and drafting
- Media and spokesperson preparation
During a crisis
When a situation is unfolding and every word matters, you need someone who has been in similar rooms before making difficult judgment calls. True North provides real-time support that helps leaders make sound decisions, respond with discipline and communicate in ways that hold up under scrutiny in the moment and once the dust has settled.
This work includes:
- Real-time advice
- Message and statement development
- Holding statements and rapid response materials
- Media strategy and spokesperson support
- Multi-agency and stakeholder coordination
- Joint information center support
After a crisis
The work doesn’t end when the incident does. How you communicate in the aftermath shapes how your organization is remembered and how prepared you’ll be for next time.
This work includes:
- Post-incident communications review
- Trust and reputation recovery
- Stakeholder and community engagement strategy
- Lessons learned and plan updates
How we work
Who we help
Law enforcement organizations
Fire service
Emergency management
Government agencies and leadership teams
Health care organizations
Nonprofits and mission-driven organizations
Educational institutions
Private sector organizations with significant public accountability
You need more than messaging. You need judgment built from being in the room when the stakes were real.
Here for the moments you can’t afford to get wrong.
If you’re in a crisis right now, don’t wait. If you’re not — let’s talk before you are.