- Avoiding the temptation to speculate. It is very tempting to suggest that the resolution of the crisis will arrive through external means and will arrive relatively quickly. It is even more tempting to cite an expert or two already making such optimistic predictions. However, your audience is also probably hearing from other numerous “experts” predicting exactly the opposite outcome. Speculating about it will damage your credibility. Instead, you should focus on the variables you control. I see a lot of messages that try to forecast when the virus infections will subside. Unfortunately, we are not qualified to do that (none of our clients are physicians) and the speculation is unfair to our clients.
- Focusing on your determined actions. Your communication should not focus on the probabilistic (what might happen) but on the deterministic (what you will be doing). Churchill did not speculate on whether the Nazis would attempt an invasion of Great Britain. He fully acknowledged the possibility and then focused on what the British could do about it—fight on the beaches and the landing grounds.
- Preparing for difficult times ahead. The first communications about a crisis usually occur in the onset, which means realistically there are a lot of hard times ahead. Good communication during a crisis will help you acknowledge and prepare for the hardships that follow. If you avoid talking about possible future deterioration, it damages your credibility.
- Managing the frequency of your outreach. If you communicate too much, it looks like a panic response. While proactive contacts help your relevance and credibility, if there are no new important events and you have no new decisions to announce, simply saying “We are still watching this” may detract from rather than enhance your relationship with your constituencies.
- Validating or invalidating other voices. Your team and your clients are hearing a cacophony of voices at this point about the crisis. One of the best things you can do as a leader is point out which are the credible sources of information and which are the voices that should be ignored. Statements such as “we continue to follow the advice of …” can be very instrumental in guiding your clients and team and also explaining your decisions.
- Acting rather than reacting. Reactions are defensive in nature and present you as someone who does not have control or insight into the situation. Your message needs to focus on actions, rather than reactions to statements or events.
- Defining the ultimate victory. A crisis is a threat but not a defeat. It is up to you as a leader to remind your team and your clients about the ultimate victory. Good communication will remind everyone what that looks like and why it is still relevant and important. This will also put all of your subsequent actions in context.
In times of crisis, human beings seek the guidance of a leader. Leadership is needed the most when the times are the worst and hope is difficult to come by. Accepting the responsibility and providing skillful guidance allows professionals to earn the trust and respect of their clients.
Philip Palaveev is the CEO of the Ensemble Practice LLC. He’s an industry consultant, author of the books G2: Building the Next Generation and The Ensemble Practice and the lead faculty member for the G2 Institute.