Beyond the headlines: five wishes for communicators in an uncertain world

“Business-as-usual is no longer adequate for the challenges of the 21st century.”

Professor Colin Mayer, University of Oxford, World Economic Forum 

This was meant to be a year-in-review blog. The holidays are a time to cozy up by the fire, look back at the headlines and make sense of what’s changing in the fresh, snowy canvas of a new year.

Not this time. When I tried to pin down the story, it slipped away. Another day, another crisis. Sentiments shifted by the hour—sometimes, in opposite directions at once.

The narrative became a moving target. With headlines crashing like 70-foot waves, anything I write would be as fleeting as seafoam. So, what’s the point of saying anything at all?

Well. I like to finish what I start, so I decided to have another go at this blog—but with a different twist. Yesterday’s news is no news, even in the quietest of times. And when the world is anything but business as usual, why get stuck on the headlines? Instead, I’ll take a peek beyond them—at what’s out there and how we, communicators, can adapt.

Let’s cut to the chase. The word “force” bothers me the most—in all its forms: military, economic or trade. Its growing presence signals a deepening rift in the power paradigm. Force is the opposite of trust in a rule-based society.

This isn’t just a quake in the system—it’s a tectonic shift in our fundamental assumptions about the world. Maybe society isn’t rule-based anymore, after all!

But what is it then? That’s the million-dollar question. No one knows what’s on the other side. Some call it a new international order. We don’t have the words for it yet. It’s terra incognita. The great unknown on just about every level.

The world is now as warm as it was 125,000 years ago. What does that mean, and what comes next?

Last year’s global technology outage – triggered by a faulty software update – exposed the fragility of the planet’s digital infrastructure. We are more interconnected – and more divided – than ever. The international systems built after World War II to manage shared risks are weakening by the day. Meanwhile, the threat—or use—of force is increasingly normalized as the default response to our differences.

You’d hope the pendulum might settle somewhere in the middle. Nope. It swings all the way to the extremes—until they collide with brutal force.

Language swings, too. From DEI (or EDI) to wokeness. From ESG to just business.

Words are a delicate instrument of sense-making.

And that’s where communicators hold power in a world where so much feels beyond our control. We can use our craft in different ways—spinning damaged goods into something more palatable or going beyond optics to help people make sense of the unknown.

Which brings me to five wishes for communicators navigating the new terrain:

1.       Find the right words.

Words shape how we understand the world—and how we map out the unknown. The right words unite, lift, include and open possibilities. The wrong ones divide, hurt, limit and distort. Framing shapes outcomes. Certain structures—like “either/or”— escalate polarization, turning discussions into confrontations: “You’re either with us or against us.” A simple shift to “A and B” can reframe the conversation to bridge rather than deepen divides — for example, economy AND values.

2.       Bridge divides.

Wouldn’t world peace be wonderful? Sadly, history teaches us that conflict isn’t going away. If anything, we’re seeing more political and cultural divides—within and across borders. That doesn’t mean we can’t build bridges wherever we can. Individuals, organizations and countries can—and should—come together to tackle shared challenges, from climate change and global conflicts to digital disruption and emerging outbreaks. No one can go it alone. Communicators have the superpower to break down barriers, open dialogues and create space for diverse perspectives and solutions.

3.       Build resilience.

The only certainty is change—fast, relentless and disruptive. Geopolitical power is shifting. Technology is racing ahead of our ability to adapt. Old value models are collapsing, giving way to new ones. Above all, our worldviews and mental frameworks are unraveling—rewiring in real time. As we step into uncharted territory, we carry the baggage of past experiences and assumptions that may no longer serve us. In this landscape, change intelligence and crisis resilience aren’t just nice-to-have skills—they are critical competencies for all communicators and leaders navigating uncertainty.

4.       Create meaning.

In times of disruption, communicators help make sense of change. Stories are how we interpret our experiences, integrate new knowledge and pass wisdom across generations. They define how we see ourselves and the world around us, connect with others, overcome adversity and move forward. In other words, stories create meaning — something even the smartest AI can’t replicate. Communicators can craft narratives that anchor identities, connect past and future, and turn the stress of uncertainty into the excitement of possibility.

5.       Shape positive narratives.

We are exhausted by the doom and gloom—and craving hope. The world may feel stuck in a paradigm of force, but the pendulum will swing back toward trust. As societies navigate massive shifts and immense pressures, anxiety and stress are palpable. The narratives we create —including the stories we tell ourselves—will define how we emerge from this moment. They can either hold us back or push us to rethink what’s possible. As communicators, we have a choice: What stories do we want to tell? What future do we want to help create?

At their core, positive narratives are about people. They help us feel valued, included and safe. They build trust, solve real problems, and offer reassurance in chaotic times. Most importantly, they remind us that progress is within reach. In a world changing at breakneck speed, we need stories that do more than just echo the turbulence—they should ground us and help us rise above the chaos.

I’ll end with my favorite line from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: “Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it’s not the end.” The year is just beginning—and I look forward to what’s ahead.

Natalia Smalyuk is an award-winning advisor specializing in strategic communication, crisis resilience and stakeholder engagement. She leads NBAU, a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certified communication consultancy. What is NBAU? Not Business as Usual. Why NBAU? Because there is no such thing as business as usual for leaders who think ahead and see a landscape of opportunity — and risk — across the unchartered global space. NBAU supports organizations in building resilience before, during and after adverse events with a unique crisis planning and training model that broadens the understanding of crises and enables positive action in an uncertain world.