While it may sound extreme, one can’t help but admire the cool and unshakable composure of Tom Hardy’s character Harry Da Souza in MobLand. If you are familiar with the Paramount+ hit, you know Harry is the trusted, chief fixer and spokesperson for fictitious UK crime family, the Harrigans.

No angel himself, Harry is calm in the face of some pretty gritty danger and valued by the unconventional family for his measured judgement and decisive action under pressure. In many ways, he is what PR practitioners aspire to be: a trusted partner in delicate situations and a steady hand in crisis.

We may not represent eccentric crime bosses like Maeve and Conrad Harrigan, but as PR practitioners we must be the calm in the room when emotion takes over.

Like Harry, the best PR pros begin by listening, then thoughtfully assessing the situation and thinking strategically about how the incident or news will impact what comes next.

When considering a PR partner, look for an agency that exemplifies the best of Harry Da Souza’s communications skills. Excusing, for now, Harry’s criminal record and penchant for violence, consider an agency that shares Harry’s thinking on the following:

• Taking on an assignment, project or crisis. In Harry’s line of work, the pressure to respond immediately can be immense. It can be tempting to spit out a quick answer in a hasty attempt to diffuse a situation. With his signature calm, Harry takes the time to assess assignments, ask questions, verify what he needs to and consider the best approach—not necessarily the requested approach—before tackling an assignment. Good PR pros do the same. They will take the time to listen to a project request or crisis scenario, ask questions and strategically assess the situation from several angles before making recommendations.
• Navigating personalities. Just as each member of the Harrigan family has their eccentricities, companies and nonprofit organizations can have their own unique cast of characters. Harry ensures each family member is heard and feels valued. Effective PR pros strive to do the same, working to diffuse internal board or personnel issues before they meet the public eye, by listening and crafting thoughtful messaging for relevant parties to be delivered at the appropriate time.
• Uncovering the truth. The Harrigans may literally have skeletons in their closets—or deep beneath the pond of their bucolic Cotswold’s estate—but PR practitioners recognize clients can have their own “secrets.” The best PR pros will tactfully push for the truth from their clients, particularly in a crisis, even if it makes the situation uncomfortable. As Harry would probably tell you, it is easier to share the truth and allow time to prepare, manage and possibly head off a crisis, rather than face reporter questions for which you are unprepared—leading to a discreet call for clean-up.
• Diffusing the situation. Harry’s cool, unruffled but straight-business tone commands the attention of whomever he is addressing, whether it be the Harrigans, their enemies, or others. In a crisis, a PR pro’s demeanor can carry a room and exert a similar influence. A composed disposition, deliberate line of questioning and clear next steps can calm emotional clients to focus on a thoughtful, measured response.
• Pushing back. Though it has put his life and family in danger more than a few times, Harry is not afraid to challenge the ill-considered whims of the Harrigan patriarch or others. The best PR pros are not afraid to push back. Our true value is found when we serve as a partner rather than an order taker. Good PR pros will assess each project, crisis or other request against the client’s broader objectives and then determine a recommendation. They take the time to consider whether the proposed tactic will achieve the intended outcome and to propose alternatives if not.

Like Harry, we may advise on some bet-the-business risks. Fortunately, for us, the stakes are not quite the same.

Harry Da Souza has many of the attributes it takes to succeed in PR. He knows how to listen, bring down the temperature in a room, think beyond an immediate request to determine the best outcome for the client, push back when necessary and get his audience to listen to what he has to say. Just as Conrad Harrigan would be reluctant to “stick or twist” —stay with the current approach or change course—without Harry’s counsel, organizations should work with a PR agency they can trust to protect their reputation, raise visibility and build credibility.