Communicating in a crisis is like piecing together a puzzle without having the original image to reference.
This is why an emergency situation often isn’t fully understood until later—or sometimes never at all—and why so much misinformation occurs. No one person has the whole story, and each person sees only one slice of the event. Piece by piece, we attempt to create a narrative that makes sense.
COVID-19 is pushing us all to think and act more quickly than we’d normally like to—and often in the absence of full information. Some of our usual tools and processes may have to be adapted in the interest of timeliness.
Here are five principles to guide your COVID-19 communication strategy:
Update Frequently. If you don’t drive the message, others will. That’s why regular briefings are so important during intense, complex emergency situations. The severity of the situation should dictate frequency, but daily briefings aren’t uncommon—and in some cases, more are needed.
Be authentic. A personal message from your leader is better than many written ones. Put them on camera or have them speak in person whenever possible to reduce distance and infuse warmth. If you need to, replace the highly produced video message with simpler, faster, and more authentic formats. In some cases, creating a video with an iPhone may be the best way to facilitate immediacy and signal authenticity. Necessity should be your guide.
Be transparent. Admit what you don’t know and outline your plan of response. The public may forgive an honest mistake, but they will not tolerate being lied to.
Balance truth with hope. Convey the facts but also appeal to a higher ideal, a sense of community, or a noble purpose. Emulate the techniques used by great historical leaders who have rallied their citizens even in the darkest hours of human history.
Communicate the “why.” It can be tempting to explain the what and the how, without giving the why. While it may be obvious to you, don’t assume it is for your audience. Adding the why brings context and allows for deeper buy-in because it connects behaviors to reasons that make sense.
In a crisis, you may need to shortcut some of your usual communication processes in lieu of timely, accurate, personalized information. In fast-moving situations, clarity and timeliness may need to trump polish and sophistication.