I had to look up a new word this week: ‘milquetoast’. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it describes something timid, meek or unassertive.

The word came up in a conversation about an open letter signed by more than 60 Minnesota-based CEOs, released through the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. The letter called for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions.” Reactions on my feed were mixed: for some, the statement felt overly cautious — milquetoast; for others, it was a sensible, non-partisan response to a complex moment.

As geopolitical tensions rise alongside political polarisation and social issues, what should organisations do when being asked to speak up? And how should IC respond when being asked by leaders whether you should be ‘saying something’ to employees?

This isn’t about internal communications taking decisions about when to speak and when to stay silent. I believe that responsibility lies firmly with leadership. Our role is to advise, provide perspective, and help ensure any decision is considered, defensible and rooted in organisational context.

Check you genuinely understand the issue

Global events are often complex, fast-moving and reported through partial, emotive or conflicting narratives. Before offering advice, take time to confirm you understand what’s happening. Go beyond the headlines. Separate facts from opinion. Use your listening channels to understand how your people are experiencing the issue and what concerns are surfacing. Without this foundation, you should not be advising.

So what should you do when asked to advise? There’s no single playbook for responding to world events, and no perfect answer that fits every organisation or situation, but here are my five tips to help guide you:

• Ask whether this issue has anything to do with the business. Before advising leaders to speak, consider whether the issue is material to your operations, locations or supply chain, or whether it is impacting people’s safety, wellbeing or ability to work. Then ask a crucial follow-on question: why do we need to say anything? If speaking up would genuinely help employees navigate the moment, clarify expectations or provide reassurance, it may be worth considering. But if a statement would simply add noise or offer commentary without practical value, saying nothing might be the more responsible choice.
• Align with external statements. Internal communicators should not be asked to provide this advice in isolation. If the organisation is saying — or planning to say — something externally, internal messages must join up. Early alignment with external comms, corporate affairs and legal avoids mixed signals.
• Anchor your advice firmly in organisational context. What’s appropriate for one organisation may be inappropriate for another, even within the same sector. Resist the temptation to follow competitors. The most credible decisions are those aligned with your purpose, values, operating environment and track record.
• Use scenario planning to anticipate questions and constraints. Explore how different messages might land. Consider how employees with different lived experiences may react, how any message might be interpreted externally, and what legal, regulatory or operational constraints apply.
• Make wellbeing and support visible alongside any acknowledgement. Employees aren’t expecting their organisation to take positions on every global event; they want to feel seen, safe and supported. Research consistently shows that what employees value most is support for wellbeing. Sometimes the most meaningful response isn’t a corporate statement at all, but space — a manager check-in, wellbeing resources, flexibility to step away, or simply permission to talk.

A final thought

I wrote last week about the Edelman Trust Barometer and the continued rise of “my employer” as one of the most trusted institutions. With that trust comes higher expectations.

But being trusted does not mean organisations need to have a point of view on every world event. The responsibility isn’t to add commentary to an already noisy environment; it’s to demonstrate judgement, care and consistency.