Page 27 - PR Communication Age January-June2020

tance, much less reassure them as they ponder about the 5. Distil meaning from chaos. The crisis will definitely end.
future. Help people make sense of all that has happened. Es-
tablish a clear vision, or mantra, for how the organiza-
Broad quarantines and lockdowns of indeterminate length tion and its people need to emerge.
rarely meet these criteria and are often imposed precipi-
6. Every crisis has a life cycle and emotional states and
tously, without ensuring the protection of those under quar-
needs vary with the cycle's stages. The COVID-19 crisis
antine - especially at-risk populations. Because such quar-
may divide in five stages: resolve, resilience, return, re-
antines and lockdowns are difficult to impose and enforce imagination, and reform. These stages span the crisis
uniformly, they are often arbitrary or discriminatory in ap- of today to the next normal that will emerge after
plication. COVID-19 has been controlled. The duration of each
stage may vary based on geographic and industry con-
Against this frenzied backdrop, it would be easy for influ- text, and organizations may find themselves operating
ential to reflexively plunge into the maelstrom of social- in more than one stage simultaneously.
media misinformation, copy what others are doing, or seek
big, one-off, bold postures. It is also true that crisis can
produce great leaders like our Prime Minister, Respected Basics of Communication:
Mr. Modi and associated communicators, those whose Communication is simply the act of transferring information
words and actions comfort in the present, restore faith in from one place, person or group to another. It is the pro-
the long term, and are remembered long after the crisis cess of passing information and understanding from one
has been quelled. entity to another. In simple words it is a process of trans-
mitting and sharing ideas, opinions, facts, values etc. from
The good news is that the fundamental tools of effective one person to another or one organization to another.
communication still work. Define and point to long-term Communication is the process of sending and receiving
goals, listen to and understand the related organization's messages through verbal or nonverbal means, including
stakeholders, and create openings for dialogue. Be proac- speech, or oral communication; writing and graphical rep-
tive. But don't stop there. In this corona crisis period our resentations (such as infographics, maps, and charts); and
leaders can draw on a wealth of research, precedent, and signs, signals, and behavior. More simply, communication
experience to build organizational resilience through an is said to be "the creation and exchange of meaning."
extended period of uncertainty, and even turn a crisis into Media critic and theorist James Carey defined communica-
a catalyst for constructive change. Superior disaster com- tion as "a symbolic process whereby reality is produced,
municators tend to do following things: maintained, repaired and transformed" in his book "Com-
1. Give people what they need, when they need it. munication as Culture," positing that we define our reality
People's information needs evolve in a crisis. So should via sharing our experience with others.
a good communicator's messaging. Different forms of
information can help listeners to stay safe, cope men- Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a mes-
tally, and connect to a deeper sense of purpose and sage and a recipient. These include our emotions, the cul-
stability. tural situation, the medium used to communicate, and even
our location. Communication is giving, receiving or exchang-
2. Communicate clearly, simply, frequently. A crisis limits
people's capacity to absorb information in the early ing ideas, information, signals or messages through appro-
days. Focus on keeping listeners safe and healthy. Then priate media, enabling individuals or groups to persuade,
repeat, repeat, repeat the process. to seek information, to give information or to express emo-
tions. This broad definition includes body-language, skills of
3. Choose candor over charisma. Trust is never more im- speaking and writing. Communication is transfer of infor-
portant than in a crisis. Be honest about where things mation from one person to another, whether or not it elic-
stand, don't be afraid to show vulnerability, and main- its confidence. But the information transferred must be
tain transparency to build loyalty and lead more effec- understandable to the receiver. Communication is the in-
tively. tercourse by words, letters or messages.

4. Rejuvenate resilience - as the health crisis metastasized
into an economic crisis, accentuate the positive and We can now proceed to define communication from what
strengthen communal bonds to restore the confidence. we have seen above. To define means to give the precise

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