Communications when the Stakes are High - Why now's not the time to lay low

Well, a new year is upon us and with that comes so much more of the unknown - so much with the global and local economy - so much with that which touches us in our everyday lives. During these difficult times it is so easy to get trapped into all the 'negative' surrounding us. Too often we tend to 'clam up' and hope that all that is happening will simply go away or pass us by. But, we are a people of great strength, great conviction, great faith and hope. We all should realize that each of us possesses a quality within which can be so helpful to someone around us. This is what our focus should be - to help each other to 'weather the storm' by being positive and continuously looking for the opportunities around us. We will get through our current situation but it truly takes all of us to find those 'leadership' qualities each of us possess and in turn assist each other.
This brings to light a recent article I read titled ' Communications when the Stakes are High' published in CHIEF EXECUTIVE November/December 2008 issue. In this great little article Michael W. Kempner discusses the need for CEO's and leaders of organizations to understand that communicating now is an absolute imperative. Some of Michael's reflections;
" Right now, the value of smart communications has simply never been higher. So, what should a company do during this time of unprecedented turmoil? Say nothing and wait for things to get better? Just the opposite needs to happen, and with lightning speed. At a time when all companies are being painted with the same brush, companies need to communicate more openly than ever before. Whether the news is good or bad, companies need to communicate to their key stakeholders to differentiate their strategy, to engender faith in management and to clearly articulate their corporate assets."
"And, the critical value of internal communications has also risen in turn. The manner by which important information is shared with your employees is crucial to maintaining internal confidence and goodwill. In the most challenging environments, the ability to retain your best people is paramount – they own your customer relationships and serve as the face of your brand. You will need their support to weather the current storm, as well as in the future when the economy does eventually recover and the war for talent intensifies."
Michael also shares his thoughts with "Five Ways to Build Credibility and Trust in Uncertain Times."
In closing I'd like to end with an excerpt from his article which I feel exemplifies what needs to happen today...
"You don’t need to have all the answers … frankly, no one does. Certainly, some issues are so complex as to defy an easy solution. Trust can be earned, and confidence restored by simply acknowledging the issues and outlining your plan to find the answers. Strategic and thoughtful communications can inspire confidence in the plan and your ability to execute it well."

Trust can be earned, and confidence restored... To me it just comes down to the premise that a company, an organization is its people - people who have feelings, dreams, desires and most importantly - many of the answers to the situations we may find ourselves in.

Enjoy the article and until next time...