How to Communicate in Times of Crisis

Communication is paramount for all organisations - particularly during times of crisis this becomes most evident. In a crisis, people are keen to absorb and listen to useful information that might help alleviate stress or navigate through the uncertainty. As an organisation, communicating with clients, partners and individuals involved regularly helps promote a sense of being united and recognising their needs to hear from you.

In the past months since the pandemic, the crisis has shifted many organisations in challenging ways. From budget cuts and layoffs to significant impacts to revenue streams and paused or remote workforces, this has been an immensely challenging time that will continue for a significant time we all look to rebound, when and if possible. The pandemic has laid bare the weak spots of many organisations and communities requiring we face the truths of the impact our choices have on and dependencies of others — from employees and suppliers to delivery personal and our neighbours — we are reminded that “my world is not your world.”

Therefore, reminding us (perhaps it even feels like a slap in the face) to ask and listen to better understand other’s point of view — that simple act can be the foundation to move ahead and growing stronger together.

For those organisations that have been able to continue working remotely, many have refocussed onto what we know best and on our existing clients. Within my team at Clinked, we’ve taken steps to ensure clients and partners are getting the support needed to continue using services and products. From phone calls and onboarding sessions to client knowledge webinars, this programme provided opportunities to listen and learn from others in a way unlike our past “in-person” world.

After listening and learning, many have been able to start knowledge sharing through webinars to provide resources often only available through closed door, expensive sessions or our own organisational’s AGMs for clients. The ability to absorb knowledge from experts has been remarkable and I want to share a few “new normal” events I was lucky to be part of these past months.

Clinked Client Webinars

The Clinked team started offering client webinars in April 2020 to get product knowledge into the hands of clients 2x per month in 30 minute “Zoom-inar” sessions. These were hosted across 3 different time zones, to include our clients in Asia, Europe and the Americas (thank you for joining us — it was great to catch up with you!).

These webinars have been immensely useful to engage with clients — especially in a time of crisis caused by COVID — and I highly recommend exploring them f you weren’t able to join or aren’t yet a client (we hope you will be soon!). Have a look at the Clinked YouTube channel to explore these sessions. I especially liked the one called How to Communicate Using Clinked where we shared 5 features that our clients and team reported found as the best ways to communicate with and support clients today.

Best Practices: Humour in Time of Crisis

Alongside hosting client webinar, I had the pleasure of joining as a guest speaker in webinars hosted by other organisations exploring best practices and strategies to communicate with clients.

Once such webinar was with Dr. Vanessa Marcie from Leading with Humour who ask me to join her fireside chat series to discuss “Humour in Time of Crisis.” In the series, Dr. Vanessa Marcie asks leaders in various industries to discuss the concept of humour during times of crisis. In particular, she seeks to explore how leaders use humour even in the face of uncertainty for better team and client relationships.

During the discussion, we discussed various elements of communication that I found paramount during these days of COVID. Three things that I have found to be particularly important for all discussions during crisis are:

1. Empathetic
2. Humanised
3. Authentic

Humour can be the carrier for these traits in any conversation — as well as a chance to change the mood to a lighter feel vs the heavy feeling created by the level of uncertainty in many businesses today. Humour allows one to be vulnerable and to bring their authentic self to the conversation with team members and clients — often, it acts as the catalyst to make people willing to have the necessary tough conversations and, given the work from home side of life, to bring the usual barriers down. This allows for deeper conversations on topics that may otherwise be abrupt & limited. Hence, laughter is always the best medicine!!

Learn more about this chat and future chat by following Leading With Humour on LinkedIn.

Best Practices: Crisis Communication with Simon Hall (Former BBC reporter)

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation…and five minutes to ruin it.” — Warren Buffet

It’s been remarkable to explore the talents in my “back garden” where I live in Cambridge, UK. Many of you may know Cambridge for being home of the University of Cambridge, punting adventures on the River Cam or the esteemed home of The Alan Turing Institute. Like many, shamefully I don’t always get to meet as many people around when we’re working in physical locations. Lockdowns have given me the opportunity to “meet” others from the comforts of home much to the thanks of webinars hosted by fantastic local organisations.

Cambridge Network is one that put on a tremendous series of knowledge based webinars — including one with Simon Hall, a former BBC Correspondent share on best practices around Coronavirus Crisis Communications.

Simon Hall transitions from being a BBC reporter to being a leading communication consultant in the UK. During the hour session, Simon shared best practices on how to manage crisis communications and insights to help keep you thinking in the moment and ahead.

The session shared tips on messaging, timing and regularity in the context of how to communicate during the current crisis. Notably, it takes a company 20–24 hours to communicate when a crisis has happened. You should prioritise participants, these should be your key customers and need to be reached out to through a variety of means (e.g. email, social, phone, intranet, video, website, client portal, press).

His top tips included:

1. Use a holding statement showing 1. Empathy, 2. Actions, 3. Realism
2. How long? Keep it short & simple
3. How to put it? Upbeat, short & funny
4. Cleaning up when all is over: Use the window of opportunity to say thank you for staying with us (a free month or something to say thank goodness it’s over!)

Interested to learn more? View Simon Hall’s profile at the University of Cambridge here & follow him on LinkedIn.

This past year has been a lesson for us all on communicating in crisis. The first person knowledge and the lessons shared by others will come in handy as we move ahead together.

Do you have any tips or insights to share? Please add in the comments here or send over a DM.