Faster. Messier. Tougher.: Crisis Communication Strategies in an Era of Populism, AI, and Distrust

5 Star Review

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Editorial Book Review:

By Walter Miller

There’s something almost uncomfortable about how directly Faster. Messier. Tougher.: Crisis Communication Strategies in an Era of Populism, AI, and Distrust looks at the world we’re in. It doesn’t pretend things are manageable in the old sense. It starts from the idea that control is mostly gone, and what’s left is how you respond when everything starts moving at once. That shift alone gives the book its edge.

Reading it feels a bit like being pulled into the middle of a situation you’d rather observe from a distance. There’s a constant sense of pressure, not from dramatic storytelling, but from how recognizable the scenarios feel. You can see how quickly things spiral, how easily a message gets twisted or outrun. It creates a kind of mental alertness. You’re not just absorbing ideas, you’re thinking through how you’d react if it were happening to you.

The book keeps circling trust, but not in an abstract way. It treats trust as something fragile and already strained before a crisis even begins. There’s also a strong thread around speed and distortion, how information moves faster than understanding, and how that gap creates confusion people rush to fill. That dynamic doesn’t belong only to organizations. It mirrors how people process news, conflict, and uncertainty in everyday life.

Bradley Akubuiro writes with a sense of control over chaos, which sounds contradictory but works here. The structure feels intentional without pretending things are neat. Ideas build on each other in a way that reflects the subject itself, layered, sometimes messy, but never random. The language stays clear, even when the concepts get heavier, and that clarity keeps the book grounded.

By the end, it doesn’t feel like you’ve been given a formula to follow. It feels more like you’ve been shown the limits of formulas altogether. What stays with you is the sense that communication isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how prepared you are when saying the right thing might not be enough. It’s worth reading if you want to understand what it really means to navigate a moment when everything is already in motion.

About The Author

Bradley Akubuiro

Bradley Akubuiro is a Partner at Bully Pulpit International and author of Faster, Messier, Tougher: Crisis Communication in an Era of Populism, AI, and Distrust. Previously Chief Spokesperson and head of media relations for Boeing during the 737 MAX crisis, he has led communications teams for Fortune 50 companies and advised leaders from major sports league commissioners to heads of state. He teaches at Northwestern University's Medill School where he also serves on the school's board of advisers.