23 Apr 8 of the most effective communications

Learning some COVID Lessons

One day soon, this COVID crisis will end. So years from now, what will you be able to take forward from this experience on how to communicate difficult amorphous messages effectively?

Share some of the more memorable in the comments below – and let us know why they stand out. What made them particularly effective or so spectacular in their miscommunication?

Let us try to create a comprehensive list of 8.  I will get us started:

Great communications are memorable

In the past few weeks, we have each been on the receiving end of a variety of communications.

Some have been clear. Some have been garbled. Some have, frankly, been junk.

Flatten the curve

There was this clear moment when the conversation about the need for social distancing became clearer. It was an honest plea from Tomas Pueyo titled ‘Coronovirus: Why we must act now’. It included the memorable graph by Alexander Radtke that was shared across the globe because of the simple way it showed us the benefits of flattening the curve:

Flatten the coronavirus curve

One hockey stick apart

That was the truly Canadian messaging as the 2-metre minimum social distancing message was being shared across communities. It worked – because practically everyone, across all ages, religions, ethnicities, politics had seen someone with a hockey stick. They could each imagine it in their mind’s eye, and relate. It was a good reference point.

Make a list and analyze it. What would you add to the list below? Take the time to analyze while the panic is still fresh in our minds. History has a way of dulling the terror that colours the speed with which we take in information and the way we interpret it.

8 COVID communications greats or fails:

1. Corona virus: Why we must act now by Tomas Pueyo – with the iconic flatten the curve visual b Alexander Radtke
2. ‘Stay one hockey stick apart‘ – clear messaging for Canadian on the minimum distance apart
3. Dr. Anthony Fauci’s daily briefing because of his confidence and transparency
4. TEDx talk by Alanna Shaikh  onWhy COVID-19 is hitting us now — and how to prepare for the next outbreak
5. Any other daily political briefings? (one comes to mind for its ineffectiveness and inconsistent messaging)
6. What were the clearest work-based communications you noticed?
7. The misinformation around the international flight status in the weeks between Mar 10-Mar 28.
8. Information, instructions and curriculum from schools?

I believe in gathering our collective wisdom. So I hope you will volunteer some other worthy candidates for this list.

What we learned:

• Clear communications have actionable items and clear parameters
• Clear communications are simple to the eye or the mental eye

What lessons would you like to add to this dynamic list?

My COVID-19 lesson

Who is this message for? What do I want them to know/do when they are done?

Also in this series:

• 10 – List 10 staples that you will always have on hand
• 9 – glorious Earth day links
• 8 – of the most effective communications
• 7 –
• 6 –
• 5 –
• 4 –
• 3 –
• 2 –
• 1 –