Communicating Well in a Crisis

"Coronavirus" is very much the talk of the town these days. And rightfully so. It is spreading and leaderships throughout much of the world are working to stop it in its tracks. A big part of this effort is coming up with an antidote for it. At present, we are being told that may not happen for as much as another year. That is not good, of course, but at least scientists are working on it. In the meantime, as I see it, three basic questions remain on the table: What should we all do? What steps are being taken to contend with this mounting crisis? and Exactly how serious is this virus?

As I write this, officials have put forth responses to these questions but not nearly in ways that seem to adequately quell the growing concerns of the masses. One of the great enemies of any crisis situation is misinformation. The more misinformation that is spread or allowed to fester the more intense it makes the initial problem. This is why credibility is essential in such situations as this. It is also why it is vital for key information to be communicated by persons who are viewed as being trustworthy, knowledgeable and caring. Any doubts listeners may have in the integrity of the sender of information, then the risk of having whatever information they are sharing compromised increases greatly. 

Here in the United States, our primary sources of information have a credibility problem. Up till now, their track record when it comes to honesty about a wide range of issues has been spotty at best. Consequently, at this time when we so desperately want to believe what they say, it is difficult. What can they do? What can we do? The administration needs to speak with one voice. That "voice" needs to speak with compassion, authority and with the best interests of the general public in-mind. No time for pettiness. Whether leadership can do this remains to be seen. If not, then a difficult challenge is going to be made even more so. If they can, then truly hearing what they are saying will be made all the easier.