ROI Forum hosted by Nextracker: Leading Through Crisis
June 12, 2025
As communication leaders, we’re often the first people called when a crisis strikes — and the ones tasked with bringing order to chaos. From leadership transitions and natural disasters to workplace safety issues and reputational risks, the pressures placed on communication are intense, and it’s only growing.
Our latest ROI Forum, held at Nextracker’s headquarters in Fremont, CA, gathered senior communication and HR leaders from Fortune 500 companies to share ideas and exchange best practices and insights. Companies in attendance included Chegg, Driscoll’s, Franklin Templeton, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Robert Half, and Seagate.
Shedding Light on the Issues
Nextracker specializes in solar tracking hardware and software, enabling solar panels to follow the sun’s movement and optimize energy production. We met in their newly renovated offices, which overlook one of their many solar fields.
It was a bright setting for this forum’s sober topic of crisis communications. We started the day by inviting everyone to share what potential crises keep them up at night. We heard concerns about everything from natural disasters and geopolitical disruptions to company leaks and cybersecurity attacks.
Following this, our Forum host, Traci Look, Global Internal Communications Lead at Nextracker, shared numerous insights about her experience as the first internal communications employee at the company. She built the function from the ground up, launching their first intranet (built using Simpplr) and first newsletter, interviewing employees from around the world and, of course, helping to set the company’s crisis playbook.
Building Trust out of Trouble
We then launched into a group discussion on how internal communication leaders can build trust during a crisis. ROI’s Emery Lees led the conversation by sharing the reality that, in today’s connected world, crises can emerge and escalate within minutes, and they seem to be coming at a quicker and more consistent pace than ever before.
As communicators, we’re well positioned to help organizations prepare in advance and lead with empathy during a crisis. Emery described the five Cs of crisis communication:
- Concern: When a crisis arises, humans respond better to communication that is empathetic and caring than to typical corporate speak.
- Commitment: Crisis management means committing to improve a difficult situation and assuring your audience you will see your efforts through to a resolution.
- Competency: Whether it’s health and safety or company reputation, make sure your audience knows you will have the skills and experience to handle the situation.
- Clarity: When in the middle of a crisis, there is no room for assumptions or guesses. Messages need to be crystal clear about what is happening, why and what is going to be done about it.
- Confidence: Having a plan in advance helps give you confidence in your messaging. Communicating with conviction instead of flip-flopping is critical to building and maintaining trust.
Following Emery’s presentation, we dove into a broader discussion around trust. We examined how a crisis doesn’t only test trust, but builds it in the ways we show up, communicate and lead under pressure. Participants shared the strategies they use to prepare for the unknown and reflected on how moments of uncertainty often reveal the strength of an organization’s internal culture.
To close out the day, Traci and the Nextracker team outfitted the participants with hard hats and gave us a behind-the-scenes look at their headquarters, including their solar field, vegetable garden and dedicated yoga space. The energy (pun intended) remained high as we wrapped up a day of meaningful connection, insight and practical takeaways.
ROI Forums
The ROI Forums, which started in 2007, are events designed for senior communication and HR leaders who work in Fortune 500-level companies. These in-person events are hosted at client campuses and provide an opportunity for attendees to share best practices, exchange ideas, and discuss issues, trends and emerging needs.
In addition to the ROI Forums, we host events exclusively for ROI Partner Group members, including summits, lunches and coffee chats. Learn more.
Contributors:
Linda Pederson
Senior Vice President
Linda is a seasoned communications professional with two decades of experience in internal and external communications, media relations, crisis management, and more. She excels in crafting clear and effective communication strategies, helping leaders simplify their message and engage both employees and stakeholders.
