Communication and leadership in times of pandemic

• Amelia Reyes Mora, CEO of AF Comunicación Estratégica, reflects on the role of communication and leadership in facing the changes brought by the pandemic.

By Amelia Reyes Mora, CEO of AF Comunicación Estratégica

In a few months the world changed, unexpectedly and without asking our permission. We still don’t know for certain how it will change our lives for good, but it is clear that things will never be the same.

At the time of writing, we are still in the eye of the storm. Despite efforts to establish the “new normal”, the authorities, and the health sector in particular, are still learning about this disease. We are trying to flatten the curve without further destroying the economy, with little success.

In the midst of this great crisis, communication is centre stage. There is tremendous confusion, and once again fake news has misinformed, causing more uncertainty and anxiety among the population. No one owns communication, because we all build it. In this context, leadership that is focused, empathetic, communicative and timely is essential.

This widespread anxiety comes from fear, unknown risks and the harmful work of conspiracy theories, which confuse and generate greater mistrust. It is a setting in which all the weaknesses and strengths of government and business leaders clearly emerge and are magnified.

As a communication adviser, I am a firm believer in the power of Public Relations and a good communication strategy. We have never felt so deeply how useful and powerful communication can be or, conversely, how harmful and destructive it becomes when used for malicious purposes.

This is a crisis whose priority is to resolve a health situation and protect people’s health and safety, with an economic impact so costly that it has called into question the coherent, sound decision-making of powerful governments around the world.

We are in a continuous process of trial and error that is costing us dearly in terms of lives and livelihoods.

Communications during this great crisis have been poorly managed. PR seeks to build credibility and trust through communication and relationships, yet it is clear that this serious situation has been compounded by a major PR crisis.

The people and institutions who are supposed to light the way and reassure us about the decisions they make have entered into a battle of continuous attacks to discredit one another. Media undermining the authorities in many nations, rightly or wrongly; leaders undermining trust in the institutions that are supposed to guide us on health matters; citizens, possibly manipulated by powerful hands or simply out of frustration and boredom, misinforming the population. We are immersed in real and communicational chaos, affecting our trust in leaders and our sense of order and of a hopeful future.

The infodemic that has arisen, driven by people’s hyperconnection around the world, the power of digital news and the often irresponsible use of social media and the proliferation of fake news, has had an extreme impact on people.

This serious situation has businesses and governments on edge, and citizens either terrified or in a state of irresponsible denial that stops them from committing to protect themselves and others.

So what can we do? It is impossible to resolve such a complex case in a few lines, so let’s start at the beginning: leadership in times of pandemic must strengthen its reputation and take on a proactive, responsible role. It is a commitment that authorities, business leaders, the media and institutions in general must take on. Focus on working in a coordinated way, each from their own role, presenting their position and seeking viable agreements to deliver a unified, coherent message to the population.

The extraordinary circumstances we are living through require extraordinary attitudes and actions from our leaders in government and business. It is a time for unity. To look after the interests of the majority. To communicate in order to educate, not to exaggerate or minimise, avoiding all kinds of manipulation.

It is not an easy task when facing an unknown enemy. But it is an opportunity to highlight the effective leadership of individuals and institutions and for companies to show genuine social responsibility to strengthen their reputation.

It is also an opportunity to highlight good leaders: in a crisis, we can see who is who in their true proportion. The conduct of leaders at such critical moments will leave an indelible mark on people’s minds.

Leaders must convey confidence, hope and optimism and lead with wisdom and humanity. They must start changing the narrative with more positive messages of control that bring peace.

Many experts have said the next pandemic could be one of suicides. I hope these forecasts, sadly well grounded in previous experience of chaotic events in the past, prove wrong.

May God grant our leaders wisdom and strengthen their resilience so they can keep navigating and bring us all to a safe harbour in the midst of this great storm.