When Every Word Counts: Inside High-Stakes Crisis Comms - A conversation with Tassilo Stave-Lins

In this episode of the Crisis Designer Podcast, we speak with Tassilo Stave-Lins, Associate Director at FGS Global, about how crisis communication works behind the scenes when pressure, speed and scrutiny collide.

Tassilo explains what it means to prepare organisations for critical moments, from running crisis simulations and media training to managing live incidents across complex stakeholder landscapes. Drawing on his experience with FTSE 100 and DAX companies, he shows how storytelling, clarity and timing shape the outcome of a crisis long before the operational response is complete.

Across the conversation we look at why clear communication matters more than ever in the age of social media, how to design simulations that feel real without overwhelming participants, and the role of personas, uncertainty and red herrings in good scenario design. Tassilo talks about building muscle memory for leadership and comms teams, what makes a debrief meaningful, and how to turn insights from an exercise into concrete improvements rather than a forgotten report.

If you work in crisis management, strategic communication or resilience planning, this episode offers practical ideas you can apply immediately.