Monday morning started with the Prime Minister back at work and making a decisive statement that the lockdown measures will continue for the moment. I am not going to get into political commentary but one thing is clear now may not be the time to move ahead but it is the time to be planning what a move ahead may look like.
I blogged last week about the potential for new models of communication being required to support the changing world and nature of business. The more I have been considering what these may be and how they may work, the more I am sure the way we have traditionally worked will not survive in the future. In doing that thinking it became clear that one of the biggest challenges is the personal impact that the crisis is having.
There are few crises where you would be experiencing it directly as well as advising about the best ways of communicating it. In more normal times if you had a personal involvement in a crisis then you would be protected so that you could deal with the personal first. No-one is able to do that in dealing with Covid-19 because in some way we are all affected. We all know someone who has been ill and I am sure as time goes on we will all know someone who has sadly died because of this virus.
Communicators have to be able to step out of all the fear, uncertainty and concern that is circulating around the virus and what it means for the future. They have to be able to see clearly and as objectively as possible so they can adequately advise businesses and organisations. This is not easy and is an added pressure at a time of intense pressure already.
Both the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) have introduced mentoring and support schemes to help people. It is important that people working in PR and communications take advantage of these schemes so that they can be fit and supported for the challenges ahead.
There is no getting away from the problems communicators face in helping to map the future when it is so uncertain for them, their families and friends and the business itself. If there is one piece of advice it is to have a strong support network around you and then keep calm and carry on. Try to put the thoughts swirling around in your head to one side to grasp a moment of clarity to help businesses move forward.
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