What do you really mean?

Clear communication is vital to all crisis response as well as the management of risks. It appears that some businesses and organisations are forgetting this key principle to dealing with issues and challenging situations. Two recent examples came with Gatwick Airport cancelling a number of flights but claiming things were ‘business as usual’. For most onlookers clearly reducing flights is not a normal situation. In the second the emergency testing of energy supplies had conflicting messages from those involved.

The annual test was said to be ‘normal’ procedures to check preparedness ahead of winter. The message was that there was no need to panic and people should continue to use energy as normal. However within the same article there was detail of how a new system is being considered that rewards people for not using energy at peak times. My question at the end of the article was which is it – normal operation or time to put plans in place to secure energy supplies?

Mixed messages are one of the ways that a crisis response can be undermined. If people cannot understand the situation and what they need to do then you are impacting on everything else that takes place. Whatever the crisis is conflict only serves to damage trust and confidence in a response. It is why I talk a lot during training about the importance of a holistic approach to communication, and of ensuring there are strong internal and stakeholder communication in place.

Ensuring that there is a level of consensus about the situation that has occurred is a foundation for communication. Even if there is a disagreement about the form that the response will take it needs to start with a shared narrative. When the language is confusing then people are more likely to be concerned, worried or even panic. And with the challenging narrative about energy prices there is a background of fear being created that can be easily fed by mixed messages.

I have three simple things to remember when developing communication at a time of pressure or crisis.

1. Be honest about the situation as it is and don’t try to reassure when there is no foundation for it.
2. Have a clear message about what is happening and what people need to know and do.
3. Share the message you have with stakeholders and ensure there is a synergy with what others are saying.