When Communication is Needed Most

As is always the case on a Sunday in October, football was very much in the air and on the air waves. One particular game went into overtime as the two teams - Washington Redskins and Green By Packers - were tied at the end of regulation play. Much to the delight of the home crowd, the Redskins ended up winning in overtime. It was a real nail biter. Across town, a nail biter of another kind occurred. A young woman in her early 30s was being treated in a local hospital after suffering a mild stroke. Doctors diagnosed a blood clot over one part of her brain that probably triggered the stroke. She is also experiencing some bleeding over another part of her brain.

These kind of unexpected twists and turns happen all the time in life. Some bring cheer and some do not. Some are changes we hope for and some are ones we dread. But all create communication challenges that cry for timely and accurate information, effective ways to share that information, and sensitivity in how that information is shared. In many ways, unexpected occurrences - good and bad - best illustrate why communication is so vital to all of us. Similarly, they also present communicators with their most important challenge. When the unexpected happens, the one thing people seek and want the most is information. And they want it immediately, not later in the day or the day after. This is when the communicator must take charge.

Information is the primary lifeline that enables people to maintain their equilibrium. It helps them cope, establish perspective and provides them with guidance on how best to proceed following an unexpected turn of events. Without it people are without a compass. It is as if they are in a dark room with no help as to where a light switch might be or how to find their way out. The communicator, in essence, is that light switch. This person is able to provide publics with invaluable assistance in helping them turn the unexpected into a tangible road map. Take that Redskin-Packer football game. I never thought it would end in a tie. But communication helped me remain optimistic when it did. And the same holds true for my friend still in the hospital. Not only do I feel upbeat about her chances for a full recovery - as a result of the information provided me - but I also have a much better sense of what I can do to help her get better.