Communication skills & good hygiene just became two of the world's most important assets
Whether you’re working from home already or sensibly hitting the hand sani at every turn, traditional ways of working just went on hold while we all tackle coronavirus together.
It will pass. But until it does, here are some communication insights to smooth your way.
Let’s start with a Jeffism:
‘What we need to do is always lean into the future; when the world changes around you and when it changes against you – what used to be a tailwind is now a headwind – you have to lean into that and figure out what to do because complaining isn’t a strategy.’
– Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
Coronavirus might be on your ‘whine and cheese’ list tonight but don’t let it stay there long.
Here are four well-established crisis-communication strategies to consider when writing/talking to your people about coronavirus issues:
1. Be proactive
Sitting on your hands is a bad idea. The bigger the vacuum, the more rumour and mistruth festers. Be on the front foot about what’s happening, what you know so far, what you’ve decided so far. And be transparent about what you don’t know yet, and decisions you’re yet to make.
A good example of this was Qantas’ email this morning, proactively countering mistruths about flying and coronavirus:
2. Be clear
‘Cognitive load’ in messaging is much greater when people are scared or anxious.
So take great pains to be extra clear and concise. Clearly communicate changes you’re making, and why.
Use natural, everyday language, free of jargon.
Use pronouns (I, we, you) and talk as if to one, not many,
e.g. say, ‘… you might find …’
instead of ‘… you all might find …’
and definitely not, ‘… staff might find …’
President Trump was anything but clear yesterday when announcing the US’s EU travel ban applied to cargo as well as people, when it was only meant to be people. Incorrect details sowed more confusion and mistrust.
3. Be empathic
Stand in their shoes. If you were them, how would you be feeling about the decision you’ve made?
It’s as simple as showing you understand and care.
Don’t just talk facts. Get in sync with their feelings about those facts.
4. Be positive
Looking back over the ‘bad’ events of my life – and I’ll bet yours, as well – many of them were the catalyst to something great. For example, a business downturn after the GFC spurred us to start developing Credosity as a low-cost way of helping people write better at work.
Without the downturn, it might never have happened.
So rather than soak in what’s happening, focus people on the upsides. Silver linings are usually there, and can be significant. Don’t gloss over the bad; just frame it the right way.
WARNING: Do this carefully and subtly or you’ll come across as a spin doctor.
Got to work from home for a while? One silver lining could be the commuting time you’ll save: Just 30 mins each way adds up to five hours a week. How could you use it profitably? Get fit? Spend time with family? Get smarter? (Try our online learning options.)
How we can help
Rather than cut back on training, this is a golden opportunity to leapfrog your competitors and upskill your people even more.
Things could be back to normal in just a few months, and the pent-up demand will need everyone rowing as hard as they can!
1. Online and virtual training
Don’t lose momentum: our range of online courses can keep your people learning. We can also run any of our sessions as virtual training rooms (we’ve been doing this successfully for years). Dial in, skill up.
2. Help with your critical communications
If you’re prepping a piece of communication and need a second set of eyes, we can help. When we founded the business in 2004, we were working copywriters. If we’re unavailable, we have a large network of writers who can also help.
3. Coaching
We frequently run one-on-one or small-group virtual coaching sessions for executives such as high-potentials, sharpening their communication skills.
4. Free software in your browser: Credosity
Many business leaders rely on Credosity to help them with coach their people to write better. Often they won’t review important communication unless the writer has first run it through Credosity.
Interesting times. If I can help you navigate any of these options, please get in touch.
Stay cool (at least less than 38 degrees C),
THE WORK-FROM-HOME PRODUCTIVITY SECRET OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXPERIENCED FREELANCER
Here’s the one thing that will rock your productivity when working from home (no, not more coffee)
How can you keep your people productive and accountable when they’re all working from home? Here’s Seth Godin’s take. It’s as simple, and hard, as this one thing.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
The leader’s playbook
John F. Kennedy famously said in a 1959 speech that the word ‘crisis’ in Chinese has two brush strokes. One represents the word ‘danger’; the other ‘opportunity’. And the crisis itself isn’t the only thing to consider …
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We were lucky enough to catch the Elizabeth Gilbert event with Business Chicks this week. She had a radical and simple idea that’s ironically more applicable than ever right now: More than anything, we need to RELAX. (Even if someone just took the last pack of loo paper.)
‘The most powerful person in any situation is the most relaxed person in the room.’
Are you that person?
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