Communicate in a Crisis by Kate Hartley Summary
Overview of Communicate in a Crisis
When crises explode online, Kate Hartley's essential guide reveals how to navigate outrage and misinformation in the digital age. PR Week's go-to resource teaches empathy-driven strategies that transformed crisis management. In a world where reputation collapses with one tweet, can your brand survive?
Similar books to Communicate in a Crisis
Feel the book through the author's voice
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Key takeaways
The New Threat Landscape
Let's start by understanding the changing nature of crises in our digital age. Social media has fundamentally altered how information spreads and how quickly public opinion can turn against a brand. A single tweet or Facebook post can snowball into a full-blown PR disaster within hours. Take the case of United Airlines in 2017. When video footage of a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight went viral, the company's initial response only fueled public outrage. Their clinical, legalistic statement failed to show empathy and made the situation far worse. This incident highlights how critical it is to respond quickly, but more importantly, to respond with genuine empathy and understanding. The rise of fake news and misinformation presents another major challenge. False stories can spread like wildfire online, and brands must be prepared to counter them swiftly and effectively. We've seen numerous examples of companies caught flat-footed by viral hoaxes or deliberate disinformation campaigns.
Understanding Consumer Behavior
Differentiating Issues from Crises
Building a Crisis-Ready Culture
The Power of Empathy
Harnessing Technology and Data
Executing Under Pressure
The Long Road to Recovery
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Communicate in a Crisis Summary in 9 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Communicate in a Crisis into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 9 Insights from Communicate in a Crisis in a Nutshell
Distill Communicate in a Crisis into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Communicate in a Crisis Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the Communicate in a Crisis summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.