Why you should lead with values in COVID-19 crisis

The world is full of communications around COVID-19, the official name for the novel strain of coronavirus that has been labeled a “pandemic.”

From around the world, there are a myriad of public health organizations, medical experts and others providing guidance for event planners, businesses, educational institutions and leisure travelers. The misinformation about COVID-19 and the political rhetoric is traveling just as fast – perhaps faster – than accurate information.

With all the science, medical research and public health expertise surrounding the issue, it’s easy for a strong communications message to be lost in facts, data and jargon. For most companies and organizations, the facts and figures should be secondary to values-based messaging.

It’s important to understand that most of the rhetoric, the madness found in checkout lines at Costco and the cancelled plane flights have much more to do with emotion and fear than health and safety. Though we’re fearful for our health, we also are worried about having a steady supply of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, as well as whether our 401Ks will survive and whether our jobs and industries are in jeopardy.