What happens when things change, are challenging, or even become a crisis? We often hunker down, avoiding each other. Yet, it’s exactly in these times that someone with emotional intelligence will communicate more rather than less. Here’s how to navigate the times of difficulty and communicate with honesty and empathy.
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On This Episode
Rhythm of Life – Opportunity Often Comes in a Problem Package
Random Riffs – Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
Feature Segment – Emotional Intelligence: Communication in Crisis
Today’s Quote
The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said. –Peter Drucker
Rhythm of Life – Opportunity Often Comes in a Problem Package
It’s almost midnight. I’m working on computer. I just can’t seem to get caught up. And now this: an email comes in from my voice teacher’s assistant with a message from him. The gist was this:
We’re going to have a TedX-type event at our workshop at month end. I’m SURE you have a topic, outline, or even a talk you’ve prepared. We’ll help you flesh it out to a killer talk. Have it submitted by Sunday.
Uh. No. I don’t have any of that. So I start to panic. Listen to the episode to hear what I did.
Random Riffs – Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
It’s been a strange winter in New England. We’ve had almost no snow. We’ve had some days that are more typical of mid-April than February or March.
And some of us couldn’t simply enjoy the day. No, instead we had to worry that the other shoe was going to drop. That somehow this great weather would be offset by a disaster of monumental proportions. What does that say about our worldview? Listen to hear what else I have to say about that.
P.S., I created a Spotify Playlist to listen to while you're at home practicing Social Distancing. Here's the link if you want to listen. Email or leave a comment if you have any suggestions for additions.
Feature Segment: Emotional Intelligence – Communication in Crisis
An article in Inc. Magazine has this as the headline: “Bill Gates and Elon Musk Just Issued Very Different Responses to the Coronavirus. It’s a Lesson in Emotional Intelligence.” It’s written by Justin Bariso.
Elon Musk tweeted: “The coronavirus panic is dumb.” His comment was literally correct, and yet doesn’t display emotional intelligence.
Bill Gates wrote a blog post that included this: “In the past week, COVID-19 has started to behave a lot like the once-in-a-century pathogen we’ve been worried about. I hope it’s not that bad, but we should assume that it will be until we know otherwise.”
Gates’ comment displays emotional intelligence because he shows the ability to balance emotion and rational thought.
Communicating in Times of Change
We’re all wired for stories. What you may not realize is that if someone doesn’t tell us what’s going on, we’ll actually make something up. Speculate. And that takes on a life of its own.
I’ve seen it all the time in my own career.
Emotional Intelligence compels leaders to communicate even when there’s not much to say. Or even when there’s nothing to say.
It’s also important to note that whatever you say must be true.
Communicating in Times of Crisis or Challenge
Now how you communicate matters at least as much as what you communicate. Here’s where empathy matters. Don’t minimize how they feel. Bill Gates didn’t.
One thing that doesn’t work is to tell people to calm down. You have to help calm them without saying it.
What if you’re not a leader?
It doesn’t matter. These principles apply with your family, friends, or team. In a conversation about the COVID-19 virus. Or any other challenge.
An excellent example of emotional intelligence in crisis communication is Walter Cronkite announcing that President Kennedy has been shot. Click here to see it.
So talk, even when you don’t want to. Listen and understand. Choose empathetic and rational words. Watch how you talk. Could make all the difference.
Emotional Intelligence Series
#132: Emotional Intelligence – the new Superpower
