--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So many companies today, when first…" description: "\"So many companies today, when first confronted by a crisis, go into a bunker mentality. They either say, \"No comment,\" or they lie as a knee-jerk react..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/steven-fink-37682_believe_so-many-companies-today-when-first-confr_260528.jpg" --- # So many companies today, when first confronted by a… ![“So many companies today, when first confronted by a crisis, go into a bunker mentality. They either say, "No comment," or they lie as a knee-jerk reaction. Neither of these sins, I believe, is generally committed on purpose. Rather, companies often panic when first confronted with a crisis and…” quote by Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/steven-fink-37682_believe_so-many-companies-today-when-first-confr_260528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/steven-fink-37682_believe_so-many-companies-today-when-first-confr_260528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/steven-fink-37682_believe_so-many-companies-today-when-first-confr_260528.jpg) > “So many companies today, when first confronted by a crisis, go into a bunker mentality. They either say, "No comment," or they lie as a knee-jerk reaction. Neither of these sins, I believe, is generally committed on purpose. Rather, companies often panic when first confronted with a crisis and either say nothing, which looks like they're covering something up, or they speak what they wish was the truth.” [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Companies often react to crises with silence or false statements, driven by panic rather than intent. **In simple terms:** Crisis responses can be defensive and unplanned. Key Takeaway Encourage proactive, honest communication. Themes crisis management communication corporate behavior transparency Mood cautious reflective Type advisory analytical When to use this quote - public relations emergencies - leadership training - media strategy Key Concepts panic response reputation risk ethical decision making Questions to Reflect On - What protocols can prevent knee‑jerk reactions? - How can companies build trust during crises? A Different Perspective Silence can worsen damage if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Bunker Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bunker-mentality-888616/) [Comment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comment/) [Committed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed/) [Companies Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies-panic-2569989/) [Confronted Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confronted-crisis-2569992/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Crisis Bunker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis-bunker-2569990/) [Crisis Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis-say-2569991/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentality/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [If mass media, social isolation in the suburbs, alienating workplaces and long car commutes create a bunker mentality, the Internet does the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-steffen/if-mass-media-social-isolation-in-the-suburbs-alienating-workplaces/) [Alex Steffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-steffen/) > [“Are you having a midlife crisis?” “You’ll be having an end of life crisis if you say that again,” he threatened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-castle/are-you-having-a-midlife-crisis-you-ll-be-having-an-end-of-life/) [Nicole Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-castle/) > [I think a lot of the best ideas come from the grassroots; I'm someone who does not like a bunker mentality and does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-de-blasio/i-think-a-lot-of-the-best-ideas-come-from-the-grassroots-i-m-someone/) [Bill de Blasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-de-blasio/) > [I'm someone who does not like a bunker mentality and does not like groupthink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-de-blasio/i-m-someone-who-does-not-like-a-bunker-mentality-and-does-not-like/) [Bill de Blasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-de-blasio/) > [The Internet has made some phenomenal breakthroughs that are still only poorly understood in terms of changing people's ideas of us and them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-steffen/the-internet-has-made-some-phenomenal-breakthroughs-that-are-still/) [Alex Steffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-steffen/) > [“But when something like Angelina's murder happens," the doctor told him (Decker), "it's human nature to assume a bunker mentality. Let's shore up our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/but-when-something-like-angelina-s-murder-happens-the-doctor-told-him/) [Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/) > [I want to be in a winning mentality organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-schroder/i-want-to-be-in-a-winning-mentality-organization/) [Dennis Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-schroder/) > [“The evolution of human mentality has put us all in vitro now, behind the glass wall of our own ingenuity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/the-evolution-of-human-mentality-has-put-us-all-in-vitro-now-behind/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [“It's just that I take riddling seriously. I was taught that the ability to solve them indicates a sane and rational mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-s-just-that-i-take-riddling-seriously-i-was-taught-that-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When a new idea comes our way, we must put it on our mental scales and weigh it carefully before deciding its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/when-a-new-idea-comes-our-way-we-must-put-it-on-our-mental-scales-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [California is a place in which a boom mentality and a sense of Chekhovian loss meet in uneasy suspension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/california-is-a-place-in-which-a-boom-mentality-and-a-sense-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Nothing more guarantees the erosion of character than getting something for nothing. In the liberal welfare state, one develops an entitlement mentality. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/nothing-more-guarantees-the-erosion-of-character-than-getting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) ## More by Steven Fink > [Unfortunately, today's colleges and universities, and especially our business schools, do not offer pragmatic crisis management teachings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/unfortunately-today-s-colleges-and-universities-and-especially-our/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [I often say that good crisis management is good decision-making under stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/i-often-say-that-good-crisis-management-is-good-decision-making-under/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [Mistakes are good provided you learn from them, and correct them promptly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/mistakes-are-good-provided-you-learn-from-them-and-correct-them/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [Too often, business schools teach academic crisis management theory, if that, but given the diverse and unique nature of crises, all the theory in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/too-often-business-schools-teach-academic-crisis-management-theory-if/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [A moderate amount of stress - not too much, not too little - generally means you understand the problem and are psychologically stoked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/a-moderate-amount-of-stress-not-too-much-not-too-little-generally/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [When I wrote my first book, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable, it was endorsed by the American Management Association, and consequently was read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/when-i-wrote-my-first-book-crisis-management-planning-for-the/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [Too often, clients want us to give them a one-size-fits-all crisis management plan from off the shelf. Some of our competitors do this because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/too-often-clients-want-us-to-give-them-a-one-size-fits-all-crisis/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [I never assign blame in a crisis. There is no benefit to doing so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/i-never-assign-blame-in-a-crisis-there-is-no-benefit-to-doing-so/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [In my experience, the public will forgive mistakes, provided they are acknowledged promptly and a remedial course of action is articulated. Lawyers often get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/in-my-experience-the-public-will-forgive-mistakes-provided-they-are/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [Social media has dramatically changed the playing field in terms of crisis communications - and any company that does not effectively use social media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/social-media-has-dramatically-changed-the-playing-field-in-terms-of/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) > [Companies that do not actively practice, study, and plan for crisis communications - as well, of course, crisis management - are doomed to fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-fink/companies-that-do-not-actively-practice-study-and-plan-for-crisis/) [Steven Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) [Explore all 12 Steven Fink quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-fink/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So many companies today, when first confronted by a crisis, go into a bunker mentality. They either say, \"No comment,\" or they lie as a knee-jerk reaction. Neither of these sins, I believe, is generally committed on purpose. 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