315. How to Handle Crisis in the Workplace, with Andrew Blotky, Facebook's first Director of Global Internal Communications

Welcome to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. How do you steady your team and maintain trust when everything around you is chaotic? This week, we are joined by Andrew Blotky, an executive coach, author, and the founder of Azure Leadership Group. Andrew has managed internal communications at global scales, building Facebook’s first global employee communications function during a period of intense growth and scrutiny, and leading HR communications at Johnson & Johnson. In this episode, Andrew shares practical wisdom on leading with integrity through periods of change, crisis, and uncertainty. Moving past standard PR templates, he dives deep into the human side of leadership, discussing how authenticity, self-reflection, and mindfulness can help you stay grounded when you are under fire. 💡 Key Takeaways From This Episode The First 24 Hours: Why speaking early—even without all the answers—is critical to preventing people from creating their own negative narratives. Honesty vs. Oversharing: Navigating the boundaries of what you can say, what you can't, and how to admit uncertainty without losing your credibility. The Power of Pre-Work: Why the best crisis management happens long before the crisis hits by grounding your organisation in true core values. Compassion in Commercial Decisions: Dealing with the fallout of modern workplace challenges, like mass layoffs and the anxiety surrounding generative AI. Level 2 Listening: How to move out of a reactive "fight-or-flight" state and practice deep, curious listening to understand what your team truly needs. 👤 About the Guest Guest Name: Andrew Blotky Job Title: Executive Coach, Founder/CEO Organisation: Azure Leadership Group Website: https://www.azureleadership.com LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewblotky/ Instagram: @blotblot Andrew’s Book: Honestly Speaking: How the Way We Communicate Transforms Leadership, Love, and Life Get the book here: https://www.azureleadership.com/honestlyspeaking 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com 🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.