There’s one question I’ve asked in dozens of boardrooms, training rooms and crisis management rooms over the years.
No matter the sector, the size of the organisation or the titles in the room – it always changes the energy.
I usually wait for the right moment. The conversation is flowing. People are confident. They think they’re prepared.
Then I ask it.
“What’s the one thing you’ve not told me that you hope no one ever finds out?”
It’s not about digging for secrets. It’s about surfacing risk. Because that’s usually where the real vulnerability lives and where the real comms work begins.
You cannot build a credible crisis comms strategy without being truly honest about what would do the real damage, if revealed.
That one question has shaped entire strategies. It has revealed gaps, rebuilt trust and prepared teams for headlines they never thought they’d face.
What’s the hardest question you’ve ever had to ask a client or a leader? I’d love to hear.
At Mangold Consultancy we help teams prepare for crisis situations through practical communication training. Get in touch to find out more