PR Pros Are Equipped to Adapt

As PR professionals, sometimes we create change. At other times, we struggle to adapt to it. Years like 2020 and 2025 have shown that change can happen suddenly and make our work particularly challenging.

Last year was an incredible time of change. It seemed like, daily, I read at least three headlines that I couldn’t believe were published. It has been a “never have I ever” time in PR, but I’ve leaned on the principles of the craft to guide me through even the most unexpected of situations. 

We are in the people business, and people often don’t like change they didn’t plan for. If “unprecedented” was the 2020 buzzword, then “uncertainty” seemed to be the word and cultural vibe of 2025. What should we plan for in 2026?

In times of significant instability, we must rely on the fundamentals of our field that we can trust. Embracing our ability to adapt and encouraging those around us to find their way forward — however different it may be — can be our map through 2026.

As communicators, there are three ways we can approach change: 

1. We can create change, or cause change to happen. (A proactive strategy and the best of outcomes.)
2. We can work with change and move with the current. (An adaptive strategy that can help.)
3. We can be eliminated by change. (The worst reactive strategy and outcome.)

Denying change is happening, or has happened, won’t make things different or better. We should be especially attuned to predicting change, inspiring positive change, and guiding our clients and organizations through adapting to change of all kinds. Times of change are hardest on organizations and professionals who can’t or won’t adapt.  

Adapt in the New Year

This year, let’s advise organizations and clients to be more resilient through adaptation. While we can adjust our “how” of operations, services and messaging, remain steadfast to your mission and values — the “why.”

Be clear and compassionate about what people may lose or gain due to change, and try to minimize the hardships they could endure in the process. It’s times like these that uniting across organizations, departments, and across all types of groups is essential.

Consistency in our message, addressing timely issues, and working to encourage productive, positive sentiment and understanding are vital components of building and maintaining trust. Sharing a kind word, deed and warmth during uncertain times will go a long way. 

Pandemic lessons to use

Remember what we learned during the COVID pandemic about navigating tough times, and repurpose those lessons: 

• Being cool-headed, inspiring PR advisers who unify stakeholders and offer hope and productive direction helped then and will help now. 
• Double down on what is working for your organization, and remain open to novel, resourceful approaches others may offer.
• Remind communities that we are “stronger together,” and offer stopgap support or services in real-time  
• As organizations adapt, keep stakeholders informed, communicate strategically and listen to feedback to iterate and solve unintended problems. 
• Find a way to make things work.
• Keep employees feeling valued.
• Ask for help when you need it, give help when you can offer it.
• Share an encouraging word, a resource, time, talent and treasure with equipment or resources you don’t need, and redirect supporters to help others when possible.
• If you’re part of a nonprofit, then remind leadership that funders and supporters dislike redundancy. Partnering with other organizations that provide complementary support would be appreciated by supporters and those you serve. Coming together across the nonprofit community to cover a spectrum of care can be seen as a best practice and shouldn’t only happen during hard seasons. 

Together, we can navigate any storm when we prioritize people first and adapt our strategies with the long game in mind.