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Apr 17, 2020 · First, replace long words with short ones; the clearer and more concise you are, the higher chance you will have to get your message across. Use analogies; they act as mental shortcuts to...
Jun 18, 2020 · Communicate clearly, simply, frequently. A crisis limits people’s capacity to absorb information in the early days. Focus on keeping employees safe and healthy. To convey crucial information to employees, keep messages simple, to the point and actionable.
- Best Practices on What to Communicate in Crisis Situations
- Best Practices on When to Communicate in A Crisis
- Best Practices For The How of Communicating in A Crisis
Deliver essential information in a quick, clear, and transparent manner.
People are overwhelmed with the amount of information coming at them. They’re on the lookout for essential information that can help them get through this crisis, but they’re also under tremendous pressure at work and at home, and they don’t have time to digest it all. Focus on essential information and embrace brevity. Share what you know when you know it. Also, be honest — this is not the time to equivocate and fall back on corporate speak.
Share what you don’t know, in addition to what you do know.
No one has all the answers right now. But acting like you do will damage your credibility and your ability to connect with your people. Be honest and embrace the ambiguity of the situation, but also share what you’re able to. People will appreciate and resonate with honest, direct messaging.
Make it clear what people can look to for stability and guidance.
In a moment where it seems like everything is shifting and up for grabs, let others know what remains stable. Clarify and emphasize what’s bedrock and unchanging. For many organizations, this might include their vision, mission, and values. Helping employees see how difficult decisions are being made with the organization’s values as guideposts can reassure them that there’s a “method to the madness.” Reinforcing core commitments like “how we can make a positive impact” and “why we’re doing t...
Communicate broadly, repeatedly, and through multiple means.
To stand out above the noise, don’t just rely on one particular medium or platform. Remember the 3 R’s: review, repeat, and reinforce. If information is shared only once (or through one medium), you cannot be sure that everyone has received it — or if they did, that they understand it. Take the extra time to review information with your team, to repeat the information to help it sink in, and to reinforce the key points of your information with additional context or guidance. If in doubt, err...
Explain before questions and concerns are submitted, when possible.
During a crisis, people can be so overwhelmed with just getting through their lives that they may not have the capacity to reach out with questions and concerns. Taking the initiative to connect with your team and answer the questions they likely have will show them that you’re on the front line dealing with the crisis and that you’re willing to support them. Of course, you should also provide a space for your team members to share their concerns and ask questions that haven’t been answered.
Share with others after you’ve taken care of yourself.
This may sound selfish, but it’s extremely difficult to lead others if you’re not in a good place yourself. Take care of yourself, making time for your wellness, being kind to yourself through constructive self-talk, building awareness of distorted thought patterns and rumination, or just taking some time to be patient with how you’re feeling right now. If you can get yourself in a better place, you’ll be more able to help and lead others effectively.
Be human.
Embrace the full range of emotions you and others are experiencing right now, and be transparent about how the current challenges are impacting you. Demonstrating vulnerability can help generate trust between you and others, especially in a difficult situation. You can further improve your ability to connect by pausing before giving feedback on an employee’s performance to ask how they’re doing. A powerful question to ask your team is “What dominant emotion are you experiencing right now?”Thi...
Get eyeball to eyeball.
With all the technology currently available, there’s no excuse to not at least occasionally connect with your team on video. There’s a qualitative difference in the communication that occurs. You’ll not only be able to read emotions through facial expressions and body language, but you’ll also gain insights that will allow you to connect on a more personal level when you notice a pet or family member wandering by in the background. This is a key best practice for virtual teams and meetings.
Listen to understand.
Don’t start by trying to solve people’s problems right away. Take a wider lens. When you actively listen to your people, pay attention to the facts, feelings, and values they’re expressing. By starting with understanding, you can get the whole message and help others feel heard. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed — as a leader your job isn’t always to solve problems but sometimes to just sit back and listen. Also, be prepared to deal with conflict and negative emotions — people deal with cris...
- Be Transparent: Provide accurate and timely information to all stakeholders involved. Transparency builds trust and helps manage rumors or misinformation.
- Prioritize Safety: Communicate safety protocols, guidelines, and any necessary precautions to ensure the well-being of employees, customers, or the general public.
- Consistency in Messaging: Maintain consistency across different communication channels to avoid confusion and ensure a unified understanding of the situation.
- Empathy and Compassion: Show empathy and compassion in your communication, acknowledging the challenges and concerns of those affected by the crisis.
Feb 8, 2023 · In this exclusive piece, the author discusses political responsibility, protest and the power of words in times of crisis.
Oct 22, 2020 · Most people focus on, “Here’s what I want to get across,” but if you spend just a little extra time of thinking about how do you use certain words to help you get that information across, it can be incredibly powerful.
What's important in a crisis is to stay in control of communication. These five Cs of communication that can help when communicating bad news: Concerns: focus attention on the needs and concerns of the audience. Don't make the message focused on you or on damage control.
