Fear

What we don’t know is always worse than what we do know.

Not knowing leads to doubt and fear. Doubt and fear lead to hyperbole and hysteria. And we end up making decisions based on misinformation or overreaction.

We’re seeing this dynamic playing out in front of us right now, even in our own lives as we each face personal decisions about Covid-19. What should we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones?

Where are the facts? Not available yet. We just don’t know what is real. So much is uncertain, and uncertainty leads to fear. We all face the selection process; what steps do we take to protect ourselves?

• Social distancing?
• Panic buying?
• Cancel Culture?
• Restrictions of travel and meetings?
• Quarantine – voluntary or enforced?

All these decisions are made from the same information – or lack of it.

So freeways clear, airplanes fly empty, meetings are cancelled, purchases are accelerated (paper towels) or deferred (airline tickets, gasoline), stock prices gyrate, churches, schools and stadiums empty out. All for what? We don’t know.

Where is the voice of reason?

Not here! With Covid-19, there is only one constant in all of this: We don’t have enough information. Our only recourse is to wait until more data is available. But people don’t want to wait! Not knowing leads to fear and fear leads to actions based on emotion, not reason.

What can communicators do?

We can all contribute to rational thought. We can share what we do know. Our organizations have plans in place to deal with possible pandemics. Plans start with individual actions:

• Wash your hands
• Sanitize frequently touched surfaces
• Cover your mouth when you cough
• Use a Kleenex when you sneeze
• Stay home if you’re sick
• Call 911 if you’re really sick

These all apply whether we have a cold, the flu or any other contagious disease.

We institute organizational plans as well:

• Minimize meetings on the schedule, especially large group meetings
• Minimize travel, use webinars, calls and emails instead of personal contact and travel
• Work from home if you can
• Increase cleaning and disinfectant schedule frequency
• Reassure vendors and customers of our availability to deliver goods or services

We may even change external business practices:

• Encourage on-line ordering instead of personal shopping
• Use disposable dishes, straws and cutlery (gasp!)
• No sales calls, use phone calls instead
• Cancel specific routes, deliveries, events to minimize personal contact
• Reassure vendors or customers of our capacity to meet their needs

In all, let’s be sure to remind our stakeholders of the constants in our response:

• We base infectious disease plans on experience with past outbreaks – we have plans in place and we are implementing them
• We are taking all reasonable precautions to minimize exposure and infection
• We are constantly monitoring the safety and health of our workplace
• We encourage people to self-isolate to prevent unneeded exposure
• We are committed to meeting our stakeholders’ information needs
• We are committed to responding to their concerns
• We will share any new information in regular updates

When does fear subside?

Not when more information is available, but when more information is trusted:

• When the unknown becomes more known
• When we see effective results
• When we see the threat subside

What should we share?

• Share specific distinctives about your organization’s response
• Share what you know
• Share what you’re doing
• Share why you’re doing what you’re doing
• Encourage questions and sharing of concerns
• Respond to questions and concerns
• Provide frequent updates.

Our responsibility

We each have the responsibility to do this when we’ve experienced ANY specific incident or issue. We ALL have a responsibility to do this when the issue is broader than ourselves. In this case, sharing your organization’s plans and actions to address and minimize Covid-19, alongside everyone else doing the same, may just deliver enough assurance so we all settle into secure awareness and abandon fear.

Remember

The same rules apply for any incident. We may know what is happening, but do our stakeholders? Are we sharing everything we can? Are we even ‘over-communicating’ (that has to be a term invented by a man).

Or do we shrivel our communication plans when the incident/issue has arisen from our own organization’s operations or actions?

Ironically, while we want more information to make our own decisions, we easily minimize others’ need for more information. As communicators, let’s remember how it feels to ‘not know enough’ so we can share as much as we can when we have the opportunity.

Every crisis eventually proves that clear communication of truth brings trust. Trust brings good decisions. Good decisions bring calm and calm brings acceptance. Isn’t that what we’re after?

If you want to talk about this more, contact me, or add your comments below!