As the world moves away from nation-wide Coronavirus lockdowns towards something closer to pre-crisis norms, mega-mountains of mayhem are being caused by madly muddled messaging from on high.
Sometimes it’s been over facemasks being labelled “ineffective” by governments – and then, suddenly, becoming a key weapon in their latest anti-virus plans.
In Britain, the latest muddled messaging has been over declarations that taking a Spanish holiday had become relatively safe, with precautions, and then – hang-on? – the messaging shifts to this becoming such a serious threat that everyone who returns from Spain must suddenly quarantine for a fortnight….. But, oh dear, maybe we’ve been too hasty and this message will have to change also.
Veteran British political commentator, John Sergeant – famed for his astute observations as well as his comically atrocious footwork on Strictly Come Dancing – has made the following pronouncement about the British Government’s latest mixed messaging.
“If you’re not confused,” he declared on BBC Radio, “then you’re not listening!”
I hope your clients, prospects and others aren’t saying this in response to whatever messages are coming from your organisation!
MESSAGE MANGLING FROM THE TOP
Meanwhile the question of whether the worst of the mixed and mangled messages comes from the UK Government of Boris Johnson…
Or whether messaging is even more mangled when it comes from Brazil’s ever-shifting President Jair Bolsonaro…
Or whether the maddest of madly muddled messaging comes from America’s Commander-In-Chief of confused messaging, Donald Trump…
…there’s enough confused messaging to stretch to all parts of the globe.
Madly-muddled messaging can be as dangerous as Coronavirus itself, only it’s possibly more infectious and the symptoms more obvious.
When muddled-messaging turmoil is generated by governments, it’s all the harder for businesses, in turn, to get their messaging right – for your clients, your prospects and for your own teams.
But there is some potentially good news…
By taking part in communications-boosting planning and training sessions, you and your team can learn how to formulate and send consistent easy-to-absorb messages – even in a fast-changing environment.
Feel free to ponder the value that a single session – or a programme of communication-boosting planning and training sessions – could bring to your organisation’s operations, its image and its bottom line.
The option focusing specifically on Clever Corona Communications – online or face-to-face – is at:
http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/are-you-getting-your-corona-news-out-there/
This is what the latest online hook-up with the business leaders’ organisation, MD2MD, looked like on Zoom.
And this is what the Managing Director of MD2MD, Bob Bradly, said about the session afterwards:
“Michael Dodd has run many great workshops on different aspects of effective communication for the business leader members of MD2MD. This was the first time I’ve booked him for an Online Zoom session so I was naturally cautious. I needn’t have been. Diligently prepared and expertly presented as always from Michael, our members were very satisfied with his tips and tricks for communicating difficult messages in challenging times. From a practical perspective, his use of breakout rooms was, I thought, especially helpful in getting members to immediately apply the ideas for themselves. So highly recommended in person and now – also – online!”
There’s more about communicating in times of heightened volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity on the MD2MD website at:
STEP INTO THE MINDS OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
One of the keys to clear messaging – which governments often forget when the pressure’s on – is to put your target audience at the centre of your thoughts.
If you can get yourself into the mind of typical members of your audience, then getting the right easy-to-absorb message across to them is so much simpler.
As conferences are starting to come back onto calendars, there’s some free Michael Dodd Communications guidance on giving great answers to tough questions from a live audience.
This guidance applies whether your questioners appear face-to-face or in online hook-ups.
Your guidance on some of the vital principles is in the form of video highlights from the latest conference keynotes.
Versions of this keynote can focus on the toughest questions you and your team need to tackle at your next conference.
This applies whether your event is face-to-face, online or one of those hybrid conferences with physical and onscreen participants.
Phone 44 (0) 7944 952835 to discuss your conference requirements and how best to get your team in top shape to face your toughest questions.
Anything that helps save the universe from more muddled messaging can only be helpful.