In a crisis, clear communication beats polish
Under pressure, one of the biggest mistakes leaders make is waiting until they have the perfect message. This might present as:
-Wanting all the facts before they speak.
-Wanting legal sign-off.
-Wanting to be certain every word is right.
In the meantime, the clock is ticking. The silence begins to fill up with rumour and misinformation.
In a serious issue or crisis, an unexplained communication delay can do more damage than imperfect delivery.
As soon as they catch a whiff of something fishy, people are wondering:
Do the leaders know about this?
Do they care about the impact?
Do they know what to do next and can they handle it?
Your first communication doesn’t need to have every answer or be super-polished. It does need to be clear, caring and honest.
1.Say what’s happened.
2.Acknowledge the impact.
3.Explain what you’re doing about it and what you expect to happen next.
4.Commit to updating people as you learn more – and follow through on that promise.
Watch: The First 24 Hours of a Crisis – What Leaders Must Say
In this video, I share a powerhouse framework to communicate responsibly and effectively when the pressure is on.
Remember, credibility is built by how you show up when it matters most.
