“Let’s wait and see if this becomes a problem before we respond.”
I’ve heard this line in a few crisis meetings.
And every single time, it’s the wrong call.
Because by the time you know it’s a problem, it’s already a bigger problem than it needed to be.
Here’s what actually happens when organisations “wait and see.”
- Hour one: A story appears. It’s small. Manageable. You decide to monitor it.
- Hour three: It’s been shared a few hundred times. Still not major. “Let’s see where this goes.”
- Hour six: A journalist has called. Someone in your team has said “no comment” because nobody briefed them on what to say.
- Hour twelve: The silence is now the story. Your competitors are being asked to comment on your situation.
- Day two: You finally issue a statement. It’s good. It’s measured. It’s completely irrelevant because everyone has already decided what this means.
The problem with “wait and see” is that it assumes doing nothing is neutral. It’s not.
Silence is a decision. And in a crisis, it’s usually the wrong one.
I’m not saying you need a full statement in hour one.
But you do need a position. And you need your people to know what it is before a journalist calls and puts them on the spot.
The organisations that manage crises well aren’t the ones with perfect statements.
They’re the ones who have a strategy, made a decision early and stuck to it.
“Wait and see” isn’t caution.
It’s just hoping it goes away.
It won’t.
Being proactive is the key to successful reputation management. If you want to move beyond a “wait and see” culture and develop a robust response plan, explore our crisis planning and preparation services.
