When a Communication Strategy Becomes a Communication Problem

I've spent 61 days documenting what I see as a fundamental communication failure at Nextdoor.

At this point, it's no longer one unanswered request.

Look at the pattern I've experienced:

Nirav Tolia blocked me on LinkedIn.

Comments are routinely turned off on Nextdoor's LinkedIn posts.

I've sent direct emails to Jacob Chavis, Nirav Tolia, Sarah Leary, Communications, and Investor Relations, but have not received a substantive response to my request.

And now there's another example involving Sarah Leary.

I had been commenting on an older X post she reposted about a Massachusetts community—if I remember correctly, Beacon Hill—preparing for significant snowfall and other neighborhood happenings.

The post eventually accumulated approximately 180 comments.

I'd estimate at least 75% were mine, documenting my ongoing Nextdoor experience.

Then the post disappeared.

To be clear: I don't know why it was deleted or whether my comments had anything to do with the decision.

But it got me thinking.

Yes, there may have been steam coming from my ears. 💨

If Nextdoor had an effective communication strategy for handling critical feedback, would any of this be happening?

That's when I started thinking about Kelsey Grady, Executive Vice President of Communications at Nextdoor.

I looked at the typical responsibilities associated with an executive communications role. At that level, we're talking about responsibility for an organization's internal and external messaging, brand reputation, public relations, crisis response, and advising executive leadership on communication strategy.

Which raises some fascinating questions.

Is ignoring my emails an intentional communications strategy?

Was blocking me on LinkedIn part of a strategy?

Is routinely disabling comments part of it?

Did anyone advise Sarah to remove that X post?

Or are executives individually deciding how—or whether—to engage?

I don't know.

I'm deliberately asking rather than pretending I know what happens inside Nextdoor.

But that's precisely why communication matters.

A coordinated communications strategy shouldn't leave outsiders spending 61 days trying to determine whether there even is a strategy.

And ultimately, responsibility travels upward.

Kelsey Grady may oversee Communications, but Nirav Tolia is CEO.

The buck eventually stops there.

One of the most important responsibilities of executive communications is crisis management.

Now, I'm certainly not suggesting one small shareholder asking for a study constitutes a corporate crisis.

But something that could have been resolved with a simple email has now generated 61 consecutive days of public commentary about Nextdoor's leadership, moderation, culture, investor relations, verification, business strategy and communication.

That's the part I find remarkable.

My grade for handling this particular situation?

Crisis Management: F.

Not because Nextdoor hasn't given me the answer I want.

Because after 61 days, Nextdoor still hasn't given me an answer.

Perhaps the most useful question isn't "Why does this shareholder keep posting?"

Maybe it's:

"How did we allow a simple request to become a 61-day public case study in communication?"

I'd genuinely like to hear Kelsey Grady's perspective on that one.

Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I'd love to hear your perspective.