Five Mistakes New PIOs Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Stepping into the role of a Public Information Officer is unlike stepping into any other communications position. The environment is fast, unpredictable, and unforgiving. Unlike corporate PR or marketing, the stakes aren’t about brand perception — they’re about public safety, trust, and sometimes life or death. It’s no surprise that many new PIOs, even with strong backgrounds in writing or media relations, stumble when the pressure is on.

The truth is, mistakes will happen. But there are patterns. Over the years, certain pitfalls show up again and again. The good news is that every one of them can be avoided with foresight and preparation. Here are five of the most common mistakes new PIOs make — and what you can do differently.

Mistake 1: Waiting for all the details before communicating

When a crisis breaks, most communicators want to be precise. They don’t want to say something that later turns out to be wrong. That instinct is understandable — but it can also paralyze you. Communities interpret silence as either incompetence or indifference, neither of which builds trust.

During the early days of COVID, many agencies hesitated to post until they were certain about data or restrictions. The problem was that people were already filling the silence with speculation. In today’s environment, even a 30-minute delay feels like a void.

How to avoid it: Build a cadence for updates in advance. Commit to posting at regular intervals, even if the update is, “We are still gathering information — here’s what we know now, and here’s when we’ll update again.” People don’t expect you to have all the answers instantly. They do expect you to show up.

Mistake 2: Over-promising in the moment

When pressure is high and reporters or community members are demanding answers, it’s tempting to offer reassurance in the form of promises. “The road will be open in an hour.” “Power will be back by morning.” “We’ll have a full statement later today.”

The danger is obvious: if those promises don’t materialize, your credibility is gone. One broken promise is remembered longer than ten accurate updates.

How to avoid it: Stick to confirmed facts. Use conditional phrasing when estimates are needed: “Crews are working toward reopening within the next two hours, but we’ll confirm before then.” This shows confidence without committing to outcomes outside your control.

Mistake 3: Using jargon that confuses more than it clarifies

PIOs are often surrounded by operational leaders who speak in codes, acronyms, and shorthand. It’s natural to adopt that language — but it’s disastrous when pushed out to the public. Phrases like “Level 3 activation,” “Phase B response,” or even “shelter in place” can mean wildly different things to different audiences.

A wildfire evacuation in the western U.S. demonstrated this problem vividly. One county used “mandatory” while another used “Level 3,” leaving residents unsure of what to do. The result was delayed evacuations and frustrated communities.

How to avoid it: Translate everything into plain language. Test it against a simple question: would my neighbor, with no background in emergency management, understand this? If not, rewrite it. Plain language is not dumbing it down — it’s making it accessible.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to align with partner agencies

Crisis rarely respects jurisdictional lines. A wildfire, mass casualty crash, or even a political protest can quickly involve multiple departments, cities, or counties. If each agency is communicating independently, the community is left trying to reconcile conflicting information.

Think of the last major weather event you saw covered in the news. Did every agency use the same evacuation map? Were curfews announced the same way? In many cases, the answer is no. That inconsistency undermines confidence in the entire response.

How to avoid it: Build relationships with partner PIOs now, not when the crisis hits. Run joint drills. Create a simple system for checking messages before release. And if a Joint Information Center is activated, support it — even if it means giving up a little autonomy. Consistency across agencies is more valuable than individuality during a crisis.

Mistake 5: Neglecting self-care in the rush to serve

New PIOs often try to prove themselves by doing it all: answering media calls at midnight, writing every social post, running live briefings, and monitoring every rumor. They run on caffeine, adrenaline, and guilt until exhaustion makes mistakes inevitable.

This isn’t just a personal problem — it’s an operational risk. Exhausted communicators miss details, post errors, and snap under pressure. In one large-scale incident I worked with, the PIO had been awake for 36 hours straight. A single misphrased line in a briefing created panic in the community, undoing hours of careful work.

How to avoid it: Build rotations into your plan. Advocate for backup, whether from trained staff, partner agencies, or even a regional mutual aid system for communicators. Schedule breaks the same way you’d schedule press conferences. Remember: you can’t serve your agency or your community if you’re running on empty.

Why this matters now

None of these mistakes are new, but they are magnified in 2025. The stakes are higher, the speed of information is faster, and the tolerance for error is smaller. Communities expect more from communicators — and when we fail to meet that expectation, the damage lingers.

That’s why I rewrote The Frontline Communicator. The second edition isn’t theory; it’s a practical handbook for avoiding these mistakes and building resilience in your role. From misinformation playbooks to drills that include communications, the goal is the same: equipping PIOs with tools that work when the pressure is highest.

Want to go deeper? Members get free access to all live trainings (non-members pay $59 each) plus unlimited access to every on-demand course.