Dr Ian Smyth

Columnist

Dr. Ian Smyth

Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Ulster University Business School

4 Tips for Effective Leadership Communication During a Crisis

Dr. Ian Smyth discusses the keys to effective communication for leaders.

The phrase “You’re on mute” has become synonymous with the changing nature of work and working lives throughout the Covid pandemic. Leaders of businesses both large and small have faced unprecedented challenges around disrupted business models, customer expectations along with keeping staff engaged and energised - all while our normal patterns of communication have been disrupted so significantly.

In a recent all-Ireland study carried out by the DCU National Centre for Family Business in partnership with Ulster University Business School (UUBS), Northern Ireland Family Business Forum and the University of Central Florida, research found that 54.7% of family businesses reported having to shift to remote working for the very first time. This statistic alone highlights just why effective communication is vital for leaders to get right, particularly when they can’t speak to their team face-to-face.

Additionally, 75.5% of firms reported planning either temporary or permanent layoffs during the pandemic, proving just how fundamental communication is in ensuring continued engagement with staff.

So what are the key communication strategies to help leaders and managers navigate this emergent new normal as effectively as possible?

• Clarity and candour over charisma

Trust is vitally important in times of crisis and it helps when leaders can be honest about where things stand. Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability, transparency and provide reassurance where possible.

• Develop robust and flexible communication systems that facilitate hybrid and flexible working

Find an appropriate balance of digital and ‘traditional’ communication methods for your team that optimises team members’ capabilities. Remember your target internal audience and consider what are the most effective means to engage with them. Digital is instant, convenient and can be relayed across the organisation with ease. That being said, it fails to capture the human senses or the importance of the “how are we doing?” conversations over a coffee (when safe to do so).

• Give your team what they need, when they need it

In the early days of the crisis, people’s capacity to absorb information may have been limited, so the message should have been focused on keeping the listener healthy and safe. As information evolves, so should a good communicator’s messaging. Different forms of information can help listeners to stay safe, cope mentally, and connect to a deeper sense of purpose and stability.

• Create the right conditions

With many leaders and managers involved in the day-to-day running of businesses, it’s imperative that intentional time and space is created for safe and effective communication, both one-on-one and as a group. As we emerge from lockdown, for businesses owned and controlled by families, this may be a useful time to consider a family business council or family charter to help set out the rules of engagement.

Regardless of industry, sector or company size, communication is a critical function of effective leadership and leaders who practice transparent, empathetic and trustworthy communication are much better placed to move forward effectively during challenging times.

At UUBS, we are committed to helping the workforce adjust to new working practices and our partnerships with business and government are focused on helping individuals and organisations respond to this new reality. Our recent Upskill programme, an initiative fully funded by the Department for the Economy, has been designed to upskill and retrain people who have been affected by Covid-19. For example, the postgraduate ‘Leading Change, Innovation and Transformation’ programme has been developed to help leaders and senior executives more readily succeed in the face of change and intense competition, dealing with how to communicate successfully through change and the challenges it brings.

If you are interested in enhancing your personal or organisational leadership capabilities, UUBS’s portfolio of executive education and leadership development programmes provides current and future business leaders with the skills, tools and confidence to become highly effective and adaptable leaders. Get in touch with our Business Engagement team at engage@ulster.ac.uk for further information.