Concerns and fear about Covid-19 are in overdrive. Contradictory information from authorities isn't helping. Headlines news just keeps fueling fear  Uncertainty is crippling engagement, participation, and productivity, and dominates both meeting agendas and water-cooler talk.

What should you do? You need to act now because your company's future and its reputation depend on it.

For help on managing a crisis and protecting your company's reputation, we turned to a crisis management expert, Bill Coletti. Coletti spent the last 25 years managing high stakes crises just like Covid-19, In fact, Coletti feels he works best when his clients feel disrupted in the age of disruption.

Click here to listen to our Geeks Geezers and Googlization interview with Bill Coletti.

Where to start?  The purpose of crisis management is simple. Escape from the crisis unscathed, with your reputation intact. So a good place to start this conversation begins with "what is reputation?" Coletti quotes Seth Godin, "reputation is what people expect us to do next." He goes one step further and calls it "nexpecations." Consequently, what you do and say defines your reputation going forward?

In times of crisis, people look to their leaders for guidance and truth. Coletti, therefore, suggests a commitment to candor, transparency, and authenticity. Share what you know – and don't know – along the way. 

"Don't play doctor," Coletti advised our listeners. You've got to be honest with your employees, customers, vendors, and suppliers. Silence breeds fear. Fear breeds mistrust.  Mistrust can trash your reputation and go viral in the age of Googlization. Point to official sources of information (CDC, state and local health authorities) and use their guidance to inform your decision-making.  Bill warns leaders to avoid incorporating their own biases and opinions into their messaging. "That can backfire in a big way." When the fear of the unknown seeps into the workforce, maintaining a clear mindset is key for leaders inside organizations. 

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