July 23, 2025
The first half of 2025 has been marked by sweeping uncertainty and disruption across all industries and sectors. Organizations are trying to adapt rapidly – all while advancing their strategic priorities. Our recent Brainfood webinar, “Navigating the Unexpected: Aligning Teams and Stakeholders,” explored the art and science of managing change. We welcomed three panelists with extensive corporate communications experience:
- Jennifer Beeman, Director of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations for Metallus
- Amy McGahan, Director of Corporate and Strategic Communications at CBIZ
- Peter Rea, CEO of Better Humans, Better Performance
If you missed hearing our panelists’ actionable insights, below is a summary of what they shared.
- Uncertainty Isn’t New – But Our Response Can Be
Navigating change isn’t new for humans. Generations have experienced depressions, world wars, pandemics and technology disruptions. We may not always know what the next big change will be, but we can master how we respond to uncertainty.
Rea urged attendees to train for uncertainty instead of resisting change. Practice reframing a situation, he advised, and focusing on what you can control. Rea likened the idea to how NASA trains for the unexpected. When under pressure, NASA teams default to the skills they’ve developed as a result of their training.
Organizations that prepare for disruption with clear protocols, ongoing education and real-time communication channels are more likely to remain steady under pressure.
- Build Agile Communications Systems with Effective Tools
“Move fast, communicate faster” is the mantra when organizations experience unexpected change. As tariff announcements poured in earlier this year, Beeman’s team knew that the organization’s sales team needed up-to-date information, which sometimes changed by the hour. They relied on channels that could meaningfully and quickly communicate information and used push alerts to send their sales folks real-time notifications about changes.
This approach met people where they were, whether that was on mobile, in meetings or through regular updates. Beeman’s team had already invested in the internal platforms and tools for rapid response and was able to use them strategically to align the organization.
- Make Strong Relationships Your Secret Weapon
Our panelists recommended establishing solid relationships with key stakeholders early on to build trust and rapport. These relationships are beneficial when change is needed and to help anticipate what changes may lie ahead.
At CBIZ, McGahan oversees the company’s Speaker’s Bureau, a group of about 30 professionals who are influencers in their respective industries. Not only has she established rapport with them to understand how different CBIZ customers are responding to economic trends, but she has also forged relationships with the company’s IT department, HR and other areas of the business to stay ahead of business needs.
Beeman meets weekly with business heads to anticipate communications needs, instead of responding when messaging is needed. She also taps into her network of industry and employee associations and stays attuned to current events and key topics so she can better anticipate what may come next.
- Lean on Culture and Character
Rea shared that in his work, he’s learned that character is the backbone of navigating crisis. He urged leaders to ask themselves, “Who do I want to be as a human, independent of my circumstances?” Once a person can answer that question, Rea’s advice is to cultivate the virtues you’d like to possess so that you can be a strong leader and help teams navigate pivotal moments.
McGahan said that all messaging her communications team develops relates back to the strategic objectives of the organization. CBIZ’s acquisition of Marcum, a large professional services provider, advanced the company from the 11th largest accounting services provider in the U.S. to the seventh largest. To adjust to the new culture, her team refreshed the company’s messaging map and distributed it to key spokespeople to maintain clarity and consistency in messaging around the company’s priorities.
The key takeaway: A shared cultural framework and strong values help teams align, pivot faster and work more effectively when plans change.
- Be Thoughtfully Transparent
When navigating change, transparency matters – but you don’t have to share everything with everyone. Each panelist stressed the need for purposeful, thoughtful messaging that fits the needs of each audience.
Beeman said her team determines what messaging to communicate with various groups by thinking about the precedent it sets. McGahan said she feels that certain levels of transparency are owed to certain constituents. However, if your organization doesn’t have an answer, sometimes the most transparent messaging is “I don’t know” to avoid speculation or overpromising.
Whether you’re guiding a company through a rebrand, integrating a major acquisition or navigating global trade shifts, the overarching message from our Brainfood session is clear: Prepare now, communicate clearly and lead with character.
Looking to build your communications playbook to prepare for what’s next? Let’s connect and find out how our team can help!
