|
I’ve come to the conclusion that planning during the coronavirus pandemic is futile. It’s hard to see a few days into the future, let alone a few weeks or months. And those five-year “strategic plans” you labored over so intensely? Into the recycling bin they go.
Face it. We have no idea what tomorrow’s business climate holds. What will the meetings of tomorrow look like? What about professional development efforts like media training or presentation skills workshops? Will companies shy away from inviting expert consultants in unless they have some type of immunity passport? Or, looking at the bright side, in a couple of years will we have all but forgotten the current calamity and reverted to the way life used to be?
Who knows? I’m certainly not smart enough to do anything other than guess. The scary part? Neither is anyone else, no matter how perceptive they may be.
When will otherwise savvy executives come out of panic mode? Initially, I thought this would have happened weeks ago. When the crisis first appeared and we all slunk into isolation, I viewed it as an opportunity to conduct research interviews over the phone with experts for my next book. That resulted in much head-banging-against-wall since few thought they had 20 to 30 minutes to spare. Huh. Weeks later it’s still the same. So I’ve made a business decision to sprint to another topic with the intent of publishing a shorter volume on another subject on a much accelerated timetable. I plan to offer the ebook for free as another entry in my coronavirus crisis communications resources as long as the pandemic has us in its grip. Stay tuned for further news on that forthcoming book.
I’ve also put into place some stopgap online professional development solutions. Are they as good as an in person communications messaging or training workshop? Nope. Is it the best we can do with what we’ve got? I think so. Check them out and let me know if you agree.
So what are we to do? Hide under our blankets, throw up our hands in anguish, and bemoan the current state of affairs? That doesn’t sound like a world in which I want to live.
Here’s what I’m suggesting to clients (and anyone else who will listen). Focus on these two things:
- Commit to keeping your communications skills sharp. Review videos of your past presentations or media interviews to assess what worked and what didn’t. Are you homebound with a bright college or high school student? Enlist them to engage you in Q&A (the young tend to be more skeptical, so this should keep you on your toes). Sharpen your video conferencing skills so that, when that reporter wants an interview, you’re ready. The point is do something to keep your skills in tune.
- Position your company to emerge from the crisis as whole as possible. Planning may be a fool’s game at the moment. That doesn’t prevent you from sketching out what you want your message to sound like when we hatch from our cocoons. You’ll no doubt need to adjust the timing and other specifics when the time comes. Why not make this a priority now? It's unlikely your competitors are doing the same.
Two steps. That’s all you need to plan for today.
|
