Silence as a Strategy.

July 27, 2026

A few years ago, when I was working on behalf of the public sector, contract negotiations between a prominent New Jersey municipality and their police department deteriorated. This wasn’t surprising; the chief of police and the mayor were often at odds, though they usually kept their disagreements behind closed doors. It never poured out or materialized in the public arena.

As you might imagine, this time was different. When the negotiations had fallen through, there was a period of time where neither party was interested in a solution. Tensions were so high, then, that the town’s Chief of Police decided to take an unprecedented step; he hired a mobile advertising truck to drive around town all day, everyday, and broadcast allegations against the mayor.

The administration was blindsided by the chief’s decision and began preparing to, as one aide told me, “go to war for the town.” Now, as my company was contracted by the town, I was the advisor to the mayor’s office. I was filled in by aides to the context and lead-up, and asked that I prepare a media campaign. I obliged. I drafted statements, press releases, a Q&A for their website, a social media blitz, even gathering information from the town’s attorney to prepare for a gnarly public fight.

A few days later and, once everything was complete and the town approved of my finalized strategy, I offered them some clean advice; it was my belief that the truck was a scare tactic far more than a declaration. I told them that, although this was an unforeseeable escalation in to the public arena, I believed this was the chief’s only card. I felt that way because, although we were a week removed from the negotiations falling apart and several days in to the truck stunt, there had been no further escalation. There was no crop duster flying banners or spelling ‘shenanigans’ in the sky above town.

If the police chief really wanted these negotiations to be decided in the court of public opinion, he’d attempt to poke the bear again. Since he hadn’t, I was willing to bet he’d come home sooner than we worried. Therefore, I advised the town to sit on the campaign. For a day; two if they can. My goal was never to avoid the issue. It was to avoid giving the instigators what they wanted.

The town agreed to table it. We sat on the campaign, waiting to see if the police department would escalate further. After 2 days of no public messaging from the town or the police department on the dispute, the police chief returned to the negotiation table. When the aide told me, she asked what the mayor should say about the truck.

“Nothing,” I told her. “If it’s not part of the contract, then it’s not part of the negotiation.”

I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly in public affairs, crisis communications, and executive advising. Organizations often mistake visibility for strength. In reality, restraint can be the stronger strategic choice.

If the town hadn’t held steady. If they released that campaign, the battle for public opinion would have been brutal. It likely would have reached statewide news as a “NJ Mayor, Police Chief Exchange Blows in Heated Public Battle.” A battle that would’ve surely pit administrator against police officer, neighbor against neighbor, received untold airtime and opinions from other mayors, police departments, legislators, and more. This fight would’ve been gone on for weeks and, perhaps, months as both sides rallied supporters. And for what? Realistically, what would have come from such a fight? Other than the fire department getting a good laugh, these cultural clashes seldom yield a result that satisfies everyone.

Ultimately, back in our reality, an agreement was made without threat of strike or tax hikes. The mayor’s credibility remained intact, the police department received the funding and equipment they needed, and not a single public statement was ever released.

 

It’s often taught that communications is solely about crafting the exact right message, or timing that message perfectly, or targeting it to these specific people at this specific time who voted in this particular way.

Not every attack deserves a response. Sometimes, responding validates the premise and rewards the tactic. It can change the subject entirely, and unintentionally. 

Communication starts before a single word is written, said, or shared. And, far more often than we realize, communication is just as much about what’s said aloud as it is what’s never said at all.

– Max