Days Like These Call for Straight Talk

Words matter. And that’s especially the case in trying times. With so many people now self-isolating 24/7 in close quarters with their partners and others, I’m sure many of us are finding it necessary to choose words with an extra dose of care. Here’s a quick tip: While you might consider the question “Do you mind keeping it down a little?” rather mild, in these pent-up COVID-19 times, it can come across as a declaration of war. The same goes for commenting on how one’s partner loads the dishwasher, explains a math problem to a child, chews … or walks.

We’re all trying to keep the peace during these fraught times, and I know I appreciate every soothing, encouraging, and bolstering word that comes my way. I’m certainly sharing those sorts of words with others—whether this is complimenting colleagues for a job well done, reassuring loved ones during their wobblier moments, thanking everyone for their various kindnesses and inquiring as to their well-being and that of their families.

Words do, indeed, matter. But so do transparency and truth. It can be tempting to sugarcoat or downplay current realities. If you’re talking to your toddler, by all means, sugarcoat away. But when you’re talking to employees or customers or business partners, straight talk is essential. People need to be confident that the information they’re receiving from you is accurate and complete. They need to know that you’re not putting a spin on things, not sowing false hope or painting a picture of the future that you’ll be unable to deliver.

 It’s been illuminating to watch how world leaders have chosen to communicate during this crisis. Some—I won’t mention names—seem to be pivoting back and forth between abject alarm and rosy words of a crisis soon resolved. Others have been providing master classes in leadership and effective communications. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who addressed the nation from her home one evening after putting her toddler to bed, has made a practice of straight talk—and quick action—in tough situations. She also has managed to humanize the crisis; for instance, by deeming the Easter bunny and tooth fairy “essential workers.” And there are other elected officials who are getting high marks by their constituents for quickly making hard decisions to try to stem the rising curve of infection.

Another brilliant example of straight talk came to us last week from Silveria Jacobs, the prime minister of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean. In a stern address to the nation, she pulled no punches calling on residents to “stop moving”, adding: “If you do not have the type of bread you like in your house, eat crackers. If you do not have bread, eat cereal, eat oats, sardines." Maybe a little tough to hear, but not nearly as rough as some of the words uttered by mayors in Italy (don’t mess with the one threatening to have the police break up graduation parties with flame-throwers). When a leader doesn’t hide the painful truths of a situation, she builds trust. And that makes it more likely that constituents will heed warnings and guidance, and also that they will take comfort from positive messages as the crisis unfolds.

There are numerous business leaders who are stepping up and speaking in plain talk to their employees, too—as well they should. The Edelman Trust Barometer revealed that, in this current climate, employer communications are perceived as the most credible source of information about the coronavirus above government and media. A good example here is Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson who made positive headlines in March with a video he released for his workers. It caught people’s attention not because he announced he would be forgoing his salary for the remainder of the year—after all, he wasn’t the first leader to make that decision—but because of his manner of speaking to his employees. He was direct, positive, and plainspoken; just what these times call for.

Data also confirm the special status of scientists and doctors as the most trusted spokespersons during this crisis. Again, rightly so. It’s heartening to see the women and men of science—most especially, epidemiologists, virologists, and healthcare workers—being hailed as heroes. It’s heartening to see the primacy of science over “alternative facts” in an era in which expertise and experience are too often dismissed.

Our world is in dire need of a constructive and collaborative approach—at all levels, to deliver solutions for this crisis and its aftermath. Certainly, science, innovation and technology are key. But, it’s hard to imagine how we can overcome this without a genuine concern for each other and for the common good, without the willingness to leave aside personal agendas, politics and ideologies. We need to build trust—and this is only possible when we’re communicating with transparency, when we’re laying bare all the facts for others to consider, verify, and debate.

Today is not the time for playground games at the leadership level; if I take my toys and move to another playground, we’ll never progress with constructive solutions.

Regardless of industry, area of expertise, or constituency, leaders who are doing it right are building confidence—among the public, among employees, among other stakeholders. They are showing that they are living through the same experience that has gripped us all and that they expect us to be able to handle and act on the truth.

Full disclosure: I have been known to express myself bluntly and with a surfeit of passion at times. Without underestimating the importance of choosing your words carefully, I have also found that being direct is better understood when one is clear about the driving factors and the need for immediate action. In days such as these—when conditions are changing by the minute and the behaviors of individuals affect society as a whole—it is imperative that leaders tell us what we need to hear, not what we want to hear. So let’s stick to the truth—no matter how cold or hard—to get us through this faster and in better shape.