Leading Through the Minnesota Crisis: The Power of Community and the CCO Perspective

When federal enforcement recently intensified in Minnesota, Page and Page Up members connected around a shared need to navigate the fallout of civil unrest and heightened enforcement. In private discussions, senior communicators from across retail, higher ed and logistics stepped away from talking points to honestly share the weight of leading through this crisis.

These conversations revealed a common blueprint for leading with care and clarity while balancing stakeholder expectations against the pressure of public signaling. Below is a look at how these leaders are moving their organizations forward while the national spotlight is fixed on their backyard.

The Appetizer vs. The Main Course: Navigating Public Stances

A major milestone in this crisis was a joint letter signed by more than 60 Minnesota CEOs calling for de-escalation. While some external critics felt the language was too cautious, the consensus among those on the front lines was that the letter served as a vital appetizer. It was a clear signal that the business community viewed the situation as a systemic risk to the region's economic and social health.

• Safety in Numbers: In a highly polarized environment, a joint letter provides a sense of cover. It allows risk-averse organizations to acknowledge the crisis without becoming a solitary target for political retaliation.

• The Power of Presence: Many participants found the coalition-building itself to be the most remarkable part of the effort. Securing signatures from over 60 leaders in highly regulated industries was a significant feat of collective action.
  
• The Shift to Employee Reality: There was strong agreement that a letter is a stance, but it is not a strategy. The main course of the response must be the follow-on actions. This includes protocols, safety measures, and toolkits that protect the workforce without inviting unnecessary scrutiny.

Participants found themselves asking: Do their organizations have the necessary pathways and guidelines already embedded in their crisis plans to evaluate and sign a public letter?

Protecting the Heart of the Business: Employee Safety and Workforce Continuity

This crisis has moved beyond reputation and into the realm of daily operations. From drops in foot traffic to the presence of unmarked vehicles in parking lots, the pulse of the situation is felt most acutely by frontline workers.

• Manager Empowerment: Many organizations are moving away from broad corporate statements and instead focusing on giving managers specific guidance. This helps them provide direct, tangible help to their employees.
  
• Reframing the Narrative: To lower the political temperature, some communicators are shifting internal language away from political terms and toward operational ones like business continuity, workforce availability, and public safety.
  
• Information as Security: Providing daily updates and maintaining a protest calendar for on-the-ground visibility has been met with gratitude. Employees value having information centralized in a space that feels safe and objective.
  

Support for your people: We’ve gathered some practical tips from legal and communications experts to help your team prepare in the event of an on-site ICE visit.

The Emotional Weight of Leading Through Crisis

Behind every strategic maneuver is a very real human cost. Communicators in these sessions described feeling anxious, exhausted, and overwhelmed as they try to balance the needs of diverse and often conflicting groups.

• The Veto in the Room: Decision-making has become more complex. While Communications and HR often lead the internal meetings, Legal and Regulatory leads frequently drive the final decisions on public stances due to the evolving legal risks of 2026.
• A Safe Space for the Unfiltered: Perhaps the most valuable takeaway was the power of a judgment-free community. In a role where you are often holding the bag for both internal and external frustrations, having a group of peers to talk to anonymously is essential for personal resilience.

Prioritize your own resilience: Watch the Page session Running Into the Storm on maintaining well-being and empathy during times of relentless change.

Looking Ahead: Building the Decision Tree

As the crisis evolves, these leaders are looking toward the next step. The Minnesota experience is now serving as a grim template for other markets to develop their own decision trees before a flashpoint occurs.

When the storm hits, the ability to navigate it depends entirely on the quality of the boat. That means the strength of your stakeholder relationships, the clarity of your organizational values, and the support of your professional community.

Sources to Help You Go Deeper

• The External Context: Read the Axios report on the Minnesota CEOs' call for calm and the original open letter.
• Finding Balance: Explore Paul Argenti’s framework for standing up for your values while navigating volatile conversations. 
• The Mental Health Imperative: Explore the Page Davos 2025 takeaways on why mental health is a strategic CCO priority.
• CCOs and Complexity: Download the Beyond Communication report for research on how CCOs are leading through fragmented landscapes.
• Foundational Guidance: Revisit the Page Principles that guide calm and patient leadership during a crisis.