I was recently invited to be part of a panel discussion on the topics of crisis, change and communication with three other comms and coaching experts. The aim of this was to explore if the communication industry – and communicators – are really ready for what lies ahead. We had participants from across the globe for what felt like a really relevant and important chat for the unique time we find ourselves in now.
Ahead of the event, I spent time reflecting on some of the things I’ve seen and heard since March - how we’re all trying to move from a state of crisis to a position where we can start to make more structured changes.
But, with the waves of big changes we keep having to contend with, it’s just not clear when we’re going to move out of that crisis state. There’s still so much uncertainty around Covid-19, the looming spectre of Brexit, a significant election in the US as well as the very real impact of climate change, among others.
With all this mind, there were three things that kept coming back to me and which I shared in this session.
Pausing, look backward, move forward
I mentioned the usefulness of pausing where we can and thinking about what’s been done and what’s needed before we move on to the next thing, the next crisis. I’ve been sharing the benefit of this approach – this pausing, reflecting and looking back to see what we’ve learned and using that to move forward – with leaders recently. Much like the lessons learned approach used in projects, this can be hugely useful in helping us to capture the good stuff and keep going with some renewed energy.
Are we there yet?
I shared an example of something that will be very familiar to many parents – the “are we there yet?” question that my stepdaughters used to ask about five minutes after we’d set out on any car trip. This was a question that we used to be able to answer, as we had a vague idea of when we might get wherever ‘there’ is. And, we had a pretty good notion of what ‘yet’ represented on that journey.
This question has kept popping up in my head over the last few months as I keep trying to work out where ‘there’ is for me and for others I know. This is something we just can’t answer right now. We don’t know where ‘there’ is yet, never mind when we might get there.
This not knowing, this uncertainty when we face big changes, can be really uncomfortable and that’s not something we’re used to. But perhaps working out what the right question might be for us right now, might help. In a blog posted by one of the attendees after the event, he suggested asking, “Where are we now?” To me, that sounds like a good question for right now.
Looking after ourselves – and others
I am a massive advocate of looking after ourselves and others when we’re facing large-scale organisation change and this situation is no different. In a nutshell, we can’t look after others if we’re not taking care of ourselves (putting on our oxygen masks first).
I talked about the importance of talking and sharing with others and to keep doing that. I consider myself very lucky that I work across many different networks with a range of teams. This has been invaluable for me over the last few months. Sharing experiences, swapping ideas and even just saying “that’s exactly how I’m feeling”, has been a massive relief.
Communicators have repeatedly been in the spotlight over the last few months, supporting leaders and organisations in dealing with crises that just keep coming.
I believe this has fundamentally shifted their role to be more strategic and their real business value has become even clearer. But, to be ready for what lies ahead, I believe it’s so much more about looking after themselves and those around them to keep going. Technical capabilities are absolutely important but it’s going to be a tough time. That’s where I think the focus needs to be – and this applies equally to leaders and managers across the board as they face big changes too.
If you’d like a copy of the recording to hear the full discussion, drop me a line at jo@twistconsultants.co.uk
Thank you to my fellow panellists, Trudy Lewis and Chaya Mistry and to the organiser of the #crisischat event, Amanda Coleman.
Amanda is also author of Crisis Communication Strategies- How to Prepare in Advance, Respond Effectively and Recover in Full