To speak or not to speak: the art of opinion timing

By Arthur Instone, Financial Services

This blog explores the delicate balance leaders must strike between expressing opinions and choosing strategic silence. It highlights strategies for timing opinions, crafting impactful messages, and ensuring relevance, providing practical tips for standing out in today’s media landscape.

In today’s opinion-saturated world, silence is harder and harder to come by. Whether it’s a corporate CEO, a politician or your next-door neighbor, it can feel like everyone has an opinion on everything. But is weighing in on every single issue really necessary – or helpful?

Recent comments from Tony’s Chocolonely CEO, Douglas Lamont, have sparked an important conversation about whether business leaders need to have an opinion on every major issue happening in the world. Speaking to the Financial Times, Lamont suggests that CEOs should “stay in their lane”, noting that offering opinions on everything can distract from their core role.

Lamont’s comments raise a critical question for leaders and brands alike: When is the right time to have an opinion, and when is it better to stay silent? In today’s media-saturated environment, the answers lie in strategy, timing, and relevance.

When is the right time to speak up?

Once you stake your claim in a debate, there’s no taking it back—your opinion is out there for good. That’s why deciding when to speak up requires thoughtful consideration.

There is no such thing as a right or wrong opinion. But, in the eyes of journalists, there is certainly such a thing as a good and bad opinion.

Journalists are inundated with commentary, meaning the bar to be included in their articles is extremely high. Timing and relevance are everything, and the quotes that journalists choose to include are those that meet three key criteria.

Original – Journalists aren’t looking for recycled thoughts or conventional wisdom; they want a fresh perspective or a challenge to the status quo. Ask yourself: What are you saying that others aren’t? A unique angle not only grabs attention but also positions you as a thought leader.

Punchy – In a world of short attention spans, clarity and brevity are your best tools. A compelling opinion grabs attention in its opening line and leaves little room for ambiguity.

Evidence-backed – Data, case studies, or real-world examples lend credibility to your argument. Journalists are far more likely to take your opinion seriously if it is grounded in concrete evidence or proof-points, and will help your insights become a valuable contribution to the conversation.

The value of strategic silence

In today’s 24/7 news cycle and social media-driven world, the pressure to stay visible can tempt CEOs and brands to voice opinions on every topic—but this often does more harm than good.

Your PR strategy is like an elite athlete’s training regimen—designed for peak performance but balanced with strategic rest. Just as athletes know they can’t sprint every day without risking burnout or injury, your PR efforts can’t always be in overdrive.

Flooding the conversation risks media fatigue, and if you’re speaking just to stay visible, you’re more likely to be ignored. A constant stream of opinions on unrelated topics can come across as self-serving, making your contributions seem less thoughtful. This means it will become harder for your voice to stand out when it does truly matter.

Instead, strategic silence is often the smarter approach. By focusing on issues that align with your values, expertise, and audience interests, you ensure that when you do speak, people will listen.

How to find the right balance

Crafting and sharing impactful opinions requires more than just having something to say, it’s about ensuring your voice is heard, respected, and remembered. Following the below four steps will help your opinions hold real value:

Step 1: Find your angle – Identify where your expertise or values intersect with what’s currently relevant to your audience and the wider media landscape. Finding this sweet spot will ensure that your opinions feel timely and relevant.

Step 2: Clarity is key – You should be able to summarise your argument in one sentence. Avoid jargon or overly complex language. Particularly when it comes to technical or niche topics, the best opinions are those that a non-expert can understand.

Step 3: Choose the right platform – Not every opinion needs to be national headline news. Sometimes, it is better to be quoted in a targeted, highly relevant trade publication than a national news outlet. Consider whether social media, such as a LinkedIn post or YouTube video, might in fact be more appropriate. Match your message to the medium.

Step 4: Play the long game – Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your brand credibility. Establishing a reputation as a thought leader or trusted voice in your industry requires consistent effort over time. Businesses that jump from topic to topic without a clear strategy may attract media attention, but they struggle to build lasting recognition. True remembrance requires a steady drumbeat of material on issues that audiences will gradually come to expect your opinion on.

Having an opinion is important—but knowing when to share it, who to, and on what platform is what builds trust, generates headlines and drives meaningful conversations.

Aspectus has been supporting clients on this journey for decades. Our media specialists, many of whom are former journalists themselves, understand the delicate balancing act between speaking up and staying silent. We help brands align their messages with their core values, craft fresh perspectives, and target the right audiences to ensure every opinion is remembered for the right reasons.

Get in touch here if you’d like to find out more how Aspectus can support you on this journey.

Key Takeaways:

Q1: Why is timing important when expressing opinions?
A1: Timing ensures opinions are relevant and attention-grabbingl. Speaking too soon or too late can dilute their value or relevance.

Q2: What makes an opinion impactful?
A2: An impactful opinion aligns with core values, adds fresh insight, and addresses audience concerns, making it meaningful and credible.

Q3: Why is strategic silence important?
A3: Silence prevents media fatigue and maintains credibility by ensuring opinions are shared only when they truly add value to the conversation.