What CEOs Ask in a Crisis: Five Lessons From the First 90 Minutes

Tim Brown, CEO of Candid Communications and a 43-year crisis communications advisor trusted by CEOs, boards, and leadership teams, has outlined the five questions senior leaders ask most frequently in the opening phase of a crisis. Drawing on decades of experience protecting organisational reputation during high-stakes situations, Brown's framework centres on a fundamental principle: the first job in a crisis is not speed — it is control. His system, detailed in "From Chaos to Confidence: The Crisis Communications System & Playbook for Leaders," equips executives to take command of the narrative before the story takes them.

1. What Do I Need to Do in the First 90 Minutes?

Many leaders instinctively reach for a statement the moment a crisis breaks. Brown says that instinct can be dangerous. Before any public communication is issued, the priority is assembling a small, tightly defined crisis micro-response team — not a broad committee, but a group with clear roles, including someone monitoring how the situation is developing externally in real time.

"The first 90 minutes are about answering hard questions quickly. Who has the facts? Who approves the message? Who speaks? Who stays silent? Who is watching the public narrative? If those answers are unclear, the organisation is already losing control."

— Tim Brown, CEO, Candid Communications

2. Why Are the First 90 Minutes So Dangerous?

A crisis creates a vacuum. If the organisation does not fill that vacuum with timely, credible information, others will — employees, reporters, customers, regulators, competitors, and anonymous social media accounts can all shape the first version of the story before the facts are established. Brown describes the correct posture as disciplined speed rather than reckless speed, and recommends a holding statement as the first controlled communication when facts are still developing. A strong holding statement acknowledges the situation, signals it is being taken seriously, confirms that facts are being verified, and commits to providing updates — without speculating or promising outcomes that cannot yet be controlled.

3. What Should a CEO Say Before All the Facts Are Known?

Brown's answer is direct: say what you know, say what you are doing, and say what comes next. Do not guess, do not minimise, do not promise outcomes you cannot control, and do not declare an issue isolated before the evidence supports it. The strongest early crisis statements are short, human, factual, and controlled — while the weakest sound defensive, vague, or legalistic. Brown is clear that "no comment" is rarely neutral and almost always benefits critics rather than the organisation.

4. Who Should Speak for the Organisation?

One person should speak publicly. Everyone else should stay aligned internally. Depending on the nature of the crisis, the right first voice may come from legal, operations, safety, cybersecurity, or HR — but there must be a single approved spokesperson. Internal lockdown matters equally, because uncontrolled internal chatter can become external evidence. Brown recommends giving all employees a simple, immediate script directing all external questions to the designated spokesperson while updates are being verified. The CEO does not always need to be the public face, but must own the response and ensure the organisation speaks with one voice.

5. What Is the Biggest Mistake CEOs Make in the First 90 Minutes?

Brown says leaders frequently confuse activity with control — joining too many calls, waiting for perfect information, allowing legal review to freeze the response, or rushing out a statement that later needs correcting. The disciplined alternative is structured and sequential: assemble the micro-response team, lock down internal communications, verify facts, draft a holding statement, assign one spokesperson, route every message through a single approval funnel, and monitor key audiences in real time.

"The CEO's job in the first 90 minutes is not to solve the entire crisis. It is to stop the story from getting away from the organisation before the facts, the message, and the leadership response are aligned."

— Tim Brown, CEO, Candid Communications

What Senior Leaders Say

Tom Mars of Mars Law Firm, who has worked with Brown on high-profile sports clients, describes him as one of the country's leading crisis communications specialists. "Tim Brown is one of the nation's elite crisis communications consultants," Mars said. "His strategic insight was indispensable when we navigated complex issues for high-profile sports clients. Tim possesses a rare ability to instil absolute confidence while delivering clear, effective strategies under immense pressure."

Kevin Guest, Chairman and CEO of USANA Health Sciences, has relied on Brown's guidance across decades of leadership at a global, publicly traded company. "He is exceptional in steering us through the maze of brand messaging when it deals with media and our key audiences," Guest said. Former Questar Corporation Chairman and CEO Ron Jibson added: "Tim Brown's crisis communications expertise is, without question, the best in the business. Tim's strategic approach empowered us to control the narrative and prepare our team for plausible media encounters, ensuring our story would be told accurately."

For leaders, the lesson is clear: in a crisis, the first 90 minutes can protect or destroy reputations and careers. For more insights from Tim Brown, visit candidcom.com or access the full playbook at crisis.candidcom.com/playbook.