When the government goes quiet, your company shouldn't
Gettyimages.com/ george tsartsianidis
During shutdowns and market turbulence, the companies that maintain visibility, communicate consistently, and invest in their people are the ones that emerge stronger, writes Matthew Klein, a marketing and communications professional with AFCEA NOVA.
Everyone has a plan until they're punched in the face.
That adage from Mike Tyson rings true for many federal employees and contractors lately—and for some, it's still ringing.
Under pressure, people tend to revert back to their training or their default plan. But shrinking in the face of adversity isn't a plan, it's a reaction.
For many executives, creating a plan of confidence in uncertain times can be daunting. There are high tides and low tides in the federal market, like in any industry.
The truth is simple: Ships are safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships were built for.
The organizations that thrive don't pull back—they lean in. During a government shutdown, confident leaders:
- Stay visible when others go quiet
- Communicate consistently
- Invest in their people
When a shutdown hits, the natural instinct is to retreat. Pipelines pause. Marketing slows. Messaging goes quiet. But silence isn't neutral—it's costly. The market notices when you disappear. Your employees notice. Your partners notice. And they assume instability or hesitation.
Your absence speaks louder than your presence. When a company skips a tradeshow or disappears from key conversations, the gap is noticed more than any post or update could achieve. Presence is a signal; absence is a story. Leaders who maintain consistent communication during uncertain times project stability and competence.
Earlier in my career, I joined an agency that had operated behind the scenes for years due to the nature of its work. That discretion eventually created a visibility gap. Congress even questioned whether the agency deserved funding because its mission wasn’t understood. I was brought in to bridge that gap, connect the mission to the right audiences, and help the agency communicate its impact effectively.
In an era of budget cuts, invisibility is a liability. If you're not known, you're not in the conversation. And if you're not in the conversation, you’re at risk of being cut.
The same applies to industry. Consistent communication starts with leadership showing up and joining the conversation. If executives stay silent, they cannot help steer their company’s narrative, provide transparency, or offer perspective when it’s needed most.
Visibility without purpose is noise. If your content isn’t reaching decision-makers or shaping conversations, it doesn’t matter how often you engage. And if you’re still using 2024’s LinkedIn playbook—focused on volume instead of value—you’re already behind. This applies to all distribution channels. One size does not fit all.
AI is not the answer for everything. To stand out, you will need unique, humanized perspectives that cut through the monochromatic messaging we see today. AI can accelerate content, but it can't automate the judgment, authenticity, and strategic thinking that build credibility.
Trust and relationships cannot be built with AI—either internally with your people or externally with your stakeholders and partners.
Investing in your people is equally critical. One of the best examples I’ve seen came from a former employer, a large federal integrator, that continued paying staff during the last shutdown. They fronted the money, put their people before profit, and it had long-term dividends in the form of loyalty.
It works in the same way you’d invest in the stock market. You buy when the market is down, and you see better returns in the long run. When you continue building while everyone else stops—when you keep putting yourself out there, building brand awareness, strengthening relationships—you position yourself to be top of mind. You put your head above the crowd while the masses retreat.
The question isn't whether you'll face disruption, it's how you'll respond: staying anchored in the harbor or steering your ship forward with confidence while others drift.
The leaders and companies who continue to communicate, connect, and invest during uncertain times don't just survive—they advance. Because when the government goes quiet, your company shouldn't. Confidence comes from taking action, even when the path isn’t clear. Those who choose to show up now will be the ones who come out ahead.