Welcome to the club. You’re part of a growing legion of not-so-exclusive leaders from all walks of life from around the world facing another crisis. You thought you were prepared after the last one caught your flat-footed. You hired a crisis management expert, sent management for training, and had HR rewrite all their policies and procedures for an event just like this. And yet this one feels different. Communicating in the face of uncertainty and ambiguity has always been a leadership challenge but your skills are being pushed to the limits.

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.

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 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. 

Unfortunately, because most companies have not put much attention to proactive crisis management, especially an epidemoliogical event like Covid-19. By the time their employees come to work, breaking news has shaped their reality. It’s therefore important to reassure and keep reassuring your employees and customers. For many of them, you represent the sound of reason, their safety net. Let your employees and guests/customers know their health and safety is your top priority. Be transparent with what you’re doing to keep them safe.