Play to Win, Not Just to Survive

A Call for Boldness in Crisis Communications

If you’ve been in the public relations trenches long enough, you know that crisis communications is like walking a tightrope with a crowd below watching every wobble and sway. It’s tempting to lean towards caution, especially when facing heightened scrutiny. But here’s the problem: overly cautious crisis management often veers into “playing not to lose” territory. This approach is about defense, containment, and survival. It might work if your only goal is to get through the day’s news cycle, but it’s a recipe for long-term damage when it comes to reputation, trust, and brand integrity.

If you want to survive and thrive, you can’t just play to survive the moment — you have to play to win.

Playing to win means recalibrating your mindset. It’s about taking decisive action, not defaulting to the safe choice. It’s making a bold, strategic play that flips the narrative and positions your organization as resilient and transparent, even when the chips are down.

Yes, it’s a gamble. But one worth taking.

Why “Playing Not to Lose” Hurts Brands

The “play not to lose” approach is common in crisis communications because, well, it feels safer. There’s a sense of control, a…