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Tim Gilman, the head of external communications at Oshkosh Corporation, is set to lead a high-level workshop at the upcoming PR Daily Conference in Brooklyn, New York, where he will unveil a strategic framework for crisis management designed for the modern era. As the landscape of public relations shifts under the weight of generative artificial intelligence and the hyper-accelerated news cycle, Gilman’s approach—rooted in a philosophy he calls the "Mount Everest Mindset"—emphasizes the critical balance between technological adaptation and foundational human judgment. Gilman, who joined Oshkosh Corporation in 2023, brings over 25 years of experience spanning the public sector, global corporate brands, and top-tier agencies. His career has seen him manage the reputations of organizations ranging from Toyota and Los Angeles County to iconic brands such as Carhartt, Nissan, and Michelin. At Oshkosh, a leader in the design and manufacture of purpose-built vehicles and equipment, Gilman is responsible for earned media strategy, executive visibility, and navigating the high-stakes world of industrial and defense-related communications.
The PR Daily Conference, scheduled for June 3-5, will serve as a gathering point for industry leaders from organizations such as Audible, Dove, Yahoo, and TIME. Gilman’s session arrives at a pivotal moment for the profession. According to recent industry reports, nearly 60% of corporate communications leaders cite AI-generated misinformation as a top-three threat to their organization’s reputation in the coming year. Gilman’s framework addresses this directly, teaching teams how to build faster, smarter response strategies that integrate machine intelligence without sacrificing the authenticity that defines successful crisis recovery.
The Evolution of Crisis Communications: From Reactive to Proactive
The history of crisis communications has traditionally been defined by the "Golden Hour"—the window of time an organization has to respond to an incident before public perception hardens. However, in the 2020s, that window has shrunk to mere minutes. The chronology of Gilman’s career mirrors the evolution of the field itself. Starting in the late 1990s, PR professionals dealt primarily with print deadlines and evening news broadcasts. By the time Gilman was leading efforts for Toyota and Mazda, the rise of social media had already begun to demand real-time engagement. Today, at Oshkosh, the challenge is even more complex: navigating global supply chain issues, geopolitical shifts, and the looming threat of deepfake technology.
Gilman argues that the fundamental energizer of the work remains the same: the ability to witness real-life impact. For Gilman, genuine public relations is not a pursuit of vanity metrics or simple media impressions. Instead, it is a mechanism for establishing trust and allowing an organization to connect with stakeholders during transformative moments. Whether an organization is driving a business transformation or overcoming a sudden reputational hit, the goal is to foster an emotional connection that survives the crisis.
The Mount Everest Mindset: Preparation as a Defensive Shield
One of the central pillars of Gilman’s philosophy is a story he shares during media training sessions regarding an expedition team preparing to climb Mount Everest. To ensure survival in the "Death Zone"—altitudes above 8,000 meters where oxygen is insufficient to sustain human life—the climbers practiced their routines until they became instinctual. While still at sea level, the team leader would randomly shout "Pick axe!" and every team member was required to instantly reach for the tool. This exercise was designed to build muscle memory so that when the team reached 20,000 feet, exhausted and oxygen-deprived, they would respond automatically rather than reacting emotionally.
Gilman applies this "Mount Everest Mindset" to corporate communications. "When you are in the middle of a crisis, you don’t need to figure things out on the spot," Gilman explains. "You need the plan, the tools, and the response to be automatic." Organizations that successfully navigate high-pressure moments are those that have spent months, if not years, simulating scenarios, building response protocols, and aligning their internal teams. This level of preparedness allows leaders to maintain clarity and confidence when the stakes are at their highest, transforming a potential disaster into a managed event.
Authenticity and the Economics of Trust
A significant portion of Gilman’s upcoming workshop focuses on the mechanics of rebuilding trust after a reputational hit. In an era where "spin" is easily detected and widely criticized, Gilman posits that authenticity is the only viable path to restoration. Industry data supports this: the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer indicates that 63% of consumers will buy from or advocate for brands that they perceive as being honest and transparent, even if those brands have made mistakes in the past.
Gilman observes that audiences possess a "highly tuned radar" for dishonesty. When organizations attempt to sugar-coat bad news, pass the blame, or manipulate facts, they often inflict more damage on their brand than the initial crisis itself. The brands that recover most quickly are those that accept the facts, demonstrate accountability, and match their statements with tangible actions. "It is better to address reality than try to cope with the situation by means of manipulation," Gilman notes. This transparency often results in deeper loyalty from employees and customers, as the organization has proven its integrity under fire.
The AI Frontier: Navigating the Shrinking Window of Truth
The advent of AI-generated content represents perhaps the most significant shift in reputational risk in a generation. Gilman highlights that the speed at which deepfakes and fabricated posts can travel is unprecedented. A single convincing video can impact a company’s stock price or erode employee trust within minutes, often before the official communications team is even aware of the content’s existence.
The challenge for modern leaders is the "shrinking window of truth." In the past, a company might have hours to verify facts. Today, public reaction is often immediate and emotional, occurring long before the truth is established. Gilman advises that organizations must move beyond traditional crisis plans and implement active monitoring for AI-generated threats. This includes establishing protocols for the rapid authentication of official voices. In this new landscape, reputation management is less about controlling a narrative and more about having built a "reservoir of trust" in advance, ensuring that when a falsehood appears, stakeholders are inclined to believe the company’s eventual correction.
Leadership and the Parenting Parallel
In a move toward the human element of leadership, Gilman credits his role as a father of three for shaping his professional communication style. Parenting, he argues, is a masterclass in audience segmentation. While one child may require a direct and logical approach, another may need sensitivity and patience. The teenage years, in particular, teach a leader how to handle situations where a clear and polite message is met with resistance or indifference.
This personal context has a direct application in the boardroom. Effective communication is not about how the sender wants to deliver the message; it is about how the receiver will perceive it. Whether dealing with high-level executives, journalists, or internal staff, Gilman emphasizes that the best leaders adapt their delivery to the specific needs and perspectives of their audience. This adaptability is what builds the long-term relationships necessary for high-performing teams.
The Broader Impact: Networking as a Professional Survival Strategy
Finally, Gilman addresses a common oversight among rising PR professionals: the undervaluation of professional networking. In high-pressure roles, communications can often feel like a solitary endeavor. However, Gilman asserts that the PR community is a vital support system. Having a network of peers who understand the unique stresses of the job provides not only strategic advantages—such as knowing the right contact at a news outlet—but also emotional support.
"Networking isn’t really about collecting contacts," Gilman says. "It’s about building genuine relationships and sharing experiences." As the industry prepares for the PR Daily Conference in June, the focus remains on this collaborative spirit. By sharing frameworks, such as the Mount Everest Mindset, and discussing the ethical implications of AI, leaders like Gilman aim to elevate the entire profession, ensuring that when the next crisis hits, the industry is prepared to respond with clarity, integrity, and speed.
The upcoming conference in Brooklyn will serve as a critical forum for these discussions, bringing together the brightest minds in communications to tackle the challenges of a world where technology moves fast, but the need for human trust remains constant. Registration for the event is currently open, offering practitioners the opportunity to learn from Gilman’s decades of experience and the collective wisdom of the world’s leading brands.
