Communication Techniques During and After a Crisis

Abstract:

A key to effective leadership in a crisis is ensuring all stakeholders are confident in your ability to maintain control during uncertain times. Communication — both internal and external — is critical to building trust that will extend far beyond the conclusion of the actual crisis, creating a system of transparency and building loyalty.

It is important to note that while communication is critical during an organizational crisis, the recommendations and guidance offered here are relevant regardless of the organization or the circumstances. Exceptional leaders are effective communicators who create an environment that fosters stability and support in good times and in bad.

Leaders should also recognize that their feelings come through in their communications. Those who do not have a level of emotional intelligence can undermine their communication with subliminal or nonverbal messages. Alternatively, some leaders are highly compassionate and avoid saying what needs to be said for fear of upsetting someone. Both instances are equally dangerous to an organization.

Therefore, leaders must practice effective communication strategies in their day-to-day interactions rather than waiting for a crisis situation when their communication may not achieve the desired results.

During times of crisis, leaders must ensure they are confident and direct, while still maintaining a level of compassion and empathy for their staff, peers, and patients. In the following sections, we outline the critical requirements of effective communication.

Ensure the Message Is Clear

One of the most frustrating results of poor communication is the feeling that the recipient is even more confused or concerned after the message is delivered. Again, whether in crisis or not, people look to the leaders for advice and insight, and it is critical to impart a sense of confidence in the message you are relaying.

When the message is difficult to deliver, leaders may skirt the truth or answer questions with vague responses. While nonspecific responses may be more comfortable to deliver, the lack of clarity may cause more pain in the long-term. Don’t be dishonest when you don’t know the answer to a question; admit that you don’t have enough information to speak to the point, but provide reassurance that you will seek the information requested.

For example, consider the way leaders responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the initial months, one of the most oft-expressed complaints was that information and recommendations changed rapidly. While this is true, the primary issue was that recommendations and information were based on an incomplete set of facts. It would have been best to admit the lack of solid information while being positive and forthright about the recommendations that did come from verifiable data (even if those data changed later).

Overall, whatever is said must be communicated with authority, ensuring no misunderstanding or vagueness. It may be best to draft a few talking points before an important or sensitive meeting, ensuring you hit each issue before the conclusion of the session and holding yourself to those truths.

Infuse Humanity

While being direct is important, it is equally critical to ensure you approach a crisis with humanity — specifically, consideration and compassion for others, and especially those you lead. It is easy as a leader to look at the “big picture” versus the day-to-day at your organization, creating a disconnect between your decisions and how they affect your employees.

While it is your role to lead the organization, when you recognize that it may result in some personal sacrifices and/or losses and show kindness, those affected will accept the message in a more favorable light. We can relate this to a provider’s bedside manner. It is how the provider delivers difficult news that makes them stand out and builds rapport.

If your natural inclination is not to lead with empathy, consider practicing these strategies:

Listen first, speak second. Allow your employees time to voice their concerns and frustrations. Respond to their points; do not merely gloss over them in a rush to deliver your message. Take notes as they are speaking and address their points directly through your future messaging and decision making.
Be vulnerable and personal. Address how the crisis is affecting you personally, ensuring you first address your inherent biases and potential privilege. Be mindful that others may suffer more loss than you do; be humble about your circumstances. This approach will create a personal connection and a space for them to respond in kind.
Allow your body language to help convey the message. Leaders can create a more open dialogue by changing the way they are sitting, for example. Move out from behind your desk and speak with your audience, not to them, at their level. Remove all distractions and give them undivided attention. Lean in when listening and display your emotions on your face. These mannerisms may seem simple, but they will be more impactful than your words.
Ask how you can help. We often are so focused on the message we are trying to deliver that we miss opportunities to drive value back into the organization. Responses to asking employees “What can we be doing better to support you?” may open your eyes to easy “wins” or areas that you might be overlooking from a higher level. But be careful not to promise something you cannot deliver.

Allowing compassion to infuse your dialogue can significantly improve how you are perceived. Ensure you impart understanding from the top down, creating a culture of empathy and support throughout the organization.

Build Trust

Trust is critical for success in a crisis; thus, you must begin building it now. Ensure you are consistently approaching leadership decisions in the best way to instill trust. This will create a foundation for your employees to be faithful and supportive, even when the situation seems ominous.

One of the most significant healthcare leadership issues is the lack of transparency between administration and staff, including providers. To discourage the attitude that leaders make decisions behind closed doors and rarely provide the full story, allow your organization’s employees into the decision-making process. Keep them informed of developing situations and allow for input from all ranks. Provide the background for decisions and ensure that there is a rationale behind them.

Adopt a semi open-door policy. While a fully open-door system may not be reasonable or even beneficial, set times that staff members know they can meet with you and discuss their concerns; ensure this time remains protected on your calendar. Coordinating ongoing operations in your organization enables you to quickly mitigate issues as they arise versus addressing them when they become a large-scale problem.

Maintain confidentiality at all costs as you work discreetly to address employees’ concerns. If you believe individual employees are not taking advantage of the access policy, set a one-on-one meeting with them to encourage feedback. Additionally, if you think certain employees are taking advantage, work with other leaders to find ways to address their issues and preemptively set times to meet with them.

A common complaint from employees across all industries is that there is a lot of discussion about problems, but they are rarely followed up on and addressed effectively. This is prevalent in healthcare, where providers often protest the number of meetings they must attend without seeing any real change.

While it is impossible to tackle all issues that arise in these sessions, any action items agreed upon must be swiftly executed. Nothing demoralizes employees more than having made their grievances known but never seeing any leadership response.

One of the quickest ways to build trust is to tackle negative issues head-on. While there are specific confidentiality issues and public relations considerations, rumors spread quickly in an organization and leadership should remain in front of these issues. Address what can be addressed and assure your organization that you are aware and in control. This action will set a precedent that you are deeply in tune with your organization and that employees should have confidence that problems will be addressed swiftly and tactfully.

Developing trust takes time and consistency but losing faith can be quick and immediate. It is easy to roll back some policies during a crisis, but doing so negates all trust you have worked so diligently to foster.

Be a Moral Authority

Moral authority as it pertains to leadership in an organization has two components.

Having the best interests of the company and its stakeholders at heart and consistently trying to improve outcomes for all. This ties to integrity and genuineness. Does your staff believe that every decision you make is made with them in mind? Or, do they think you have ulterior, potentially self-benefiting motives? People are incredibly perceptive when it comes to this area and typically can ascertain your true intentions. Thus, before each decision, ensure you align with your organization’s values and priorities and defend each decision with that response.
Aligning what you do with what you say. One of the quickest ways leaders can undermine their message is through contradictory actions. As employees look to you for guidance, your actions must align with the message you are sending — especially during a crisis, when your response creates a ripple effect throughout the organization. Ensure your actions are consistent and align with the outcomes you have set forth in your messaging.

Consistency is never more critical than in a crisis when the organization is looking to you for guidance on how to behave and move forward. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian showed his employees his dedication to weathering the storm by announcing he would forego his salary for six months. This move created support and trust that his next steps would benefit the company he served. In fact, after announcing widespread pay cuts among managers at the start of the pandemic, Delta subsequently paid managers bonuses to help make up for the pay cuts.

Moral authority can be the mark (or demise) of a leader. It is more about who you are rather than what your position entails. It is not something you can personally create—it must be bestowed upon you by those you lead. To improve your moral authority, omit entitlement from your internal dialogue, define your moral obligations, and consider all employees equally crucial from the top down.

Control Your Emotions

Controlling a situation begins with controlling emotions, keeping a calm exterior, and speaking in a tempered tone. While leaders must lean into their compassionate side, they cannot allow their emotions to take over the conversation. Further, as tensions rise during a crisis, leaders must appear to be fully collected in their thoughts and actions.

Your outbursts, especially negative ones, can cause staff to feel uncertain about your ability to navigate the situation at hand. Also remember that communication is more than talking; ensure your body language conveys confidence and calmness.

If a situation becomes particularly stressful, take a break from the conversation and thoughtfully consider how you want to respond. Don’t leave the discussion entirely; rather, sit back and listen to the others while you formulate your next statements. You may even suggest the group members do the same. Remain mindful of how you control this situation. Ensure heated discussions do not spin out of control and don’t enter the throes of debate.

As a leader, you must model how to act. Always remain professional—even when others around you may not be acting in kind. This allows you to reshape the dynamic and create a sense of security, regardless of the crisis at hand.

Mastering your communication skills helps you maintain control of your organization and ensures all stakeholders trust and know they can rely on you.

Excerpted from Effective Crisis Leadership in Healthcare: Lessons Learned from a Pandemic by Aimee Greeter, MPH, FACHE, and Max Reiboldt, CPA.