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Ep 215: The Worst Headline Just Hit The New York Times. Now What? (with Seth Chalmer)

by Joan Garry

Seth Chalmer’s insights on crisis management will help you navigate today’s challenging social landscape as a nonprofit leader. This conversation gives tools to spark valuable conversations that can create clarity and confidence the next time your organization faces a hot-button topic and needs to respond.

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When is the best time to prepare for war? In a time of peace. 

Every nonprofit organization needs a crisis management strategy that clearly defines its stance on hot-button topics. Like…

~ What happened in your organization the day after Roe v. Wade was struck down? 

~ Or what conversations are happening in your organization about the Israel-Hamas war? 

~ Or would an LGBTQ organization put out a statement in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd?

These are just a few recent events that put a spotlight on why nonprofit leaders need to prepare for a crisis now. But, how can you prepare?

My guest on this episode, Seth Chalmer, sheds light on 3 key things leaders should think about before a crisis breaks out.

TUNE IN TO LEARN:

  • The Complexity of Public Statements. Seth made it clear that the question of whether to make a public statement isn’t as simple as “yes” or “no.” It’s about peeling back multiple layers—personal beliefs, interpersonal dynamics, and strategic considerations. If an organization is going to tackle thorny conversations, it needs to approach them with respect and empathy while being clear about what stance it will take.
  • Internal Clarity and Organizational Stance. Seth emphasized the importance of defining our organizational stance well before a crisis happens. Think of a stance as more than just an opinion; it should be an expression of the organization’s mission, values, and theory of change. By identifying our stance early, an organization is not caught off guard when controversy inevitably arises. 
  • Tolerance Range. Seth introduced the idea of the concept of tolerance range. How much disagreement can an organization accommodate on certain issues? Some organizations may choose a broad tolerance range, welcoming different views, while others may need a narrow range that aligns closely with mission-critical values. This requires thoughtful policy-making, defining what levels of dissent it can accept both internally and externally. 
  • Strategic Use of Silence. Remaining silent on an issue can be an intentional choice and, in some cases, the most powerful stance. Silence might signal neutrality, which can help some organizations maintain a broad, inclusive appeal. But this approach only works if it aligns with the organization’s values and mission. Not every issue requires a statement and silence can sometimes say more than words.

KEY QUOTES:

“We have to meet each other with charity in the tough conversation… and work on clarity.” (Seth Chalmer)

“I think many people in the world, and I would count myself among them, sometimes find that diversity of opinion is perhaps one of the more neglected forms of diversity.” (Seth Chalmer)

“Leaders of an organization… ought to know what our stances are on the big hot button things.” (Seth Chalmer)

ABOUT SETH CHALMER:

Seth Chalmer is Senior Director of Communications at Leading Edge, an organization improving leadership and organizational culture in the Jewish nonprofit sector. His professional journey has been a winding path including acting in a national tour of Sesame Street Live, helping people returning home from prison in New York City to find and keep employment, and more, but for the last 13 years, he has been working in communications in Jewish nonprofits. His writing has appeared in publications including The Los Angeles Times, Stanford Social Innovation Review, On Being, First Things, The Jewish Week, eJewish Philanthropy, and The Journal of Ecumenical Studies.

RESOURCES:

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