Barack Obama speaks at the Obama Foundation Summit on October 29, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama addressed a group of mayors organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies on Thursday, telling the group that “the biggest mistake any us can make in these situations is to misinform."

“Speak the truth. Speak it clearly. Speak it with compassion. Speak it with empathy for what folks are going through,” Obama said, according to a press release on the virtual meeting.

Obama also pushed the mayors to bring in as many smart advisers and experts as possible.

“The more smart people you have around you, and the less embarrassed you are to ask questions, the better your response is going to be,” Obama said.

This is the fourth virtual meeting Bloomberg’s group has held with mayors. Two of the previous meetings have featured speeches by Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.