How to Communicatein High Stress

Situations*Rusty Cawley, APR | TheColdCrisis.com

* Condensed from the National Center for Food Protection and Defense’s “Risk Communicator Training for Food Defense Preparedness, Response & Recovery,” module 3, topic 1.

Basic model for communication

The Sender

Basic model for communication

The Receiver

Basic model for communication

The Channel

Basic model for communication

The Message

Basic model for communication

Feedback

Basic model for communication

The Environment

Basic model for communication

Noise

High stress is noise

Establishing trust inLOW stress situations

Competence & expertise

80-85%

All other factors15%-20%

Trust factors

Source: Vincent Covello

Establishing trust inHIGH stress situations

Listening, caring & empathy

50%

Honesty & openness15%-20%

Competence & exper-tise

15-20%

All other factors15-20%

Trust factors

Source: Vincent Covello

9/11 attack on New York City

• ‘The loss of life … is greater than any of us can possible bear.’– Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Impact of high stress• The sender must emphasize

caring and openness.• The receiver loses some

capacity to understand and recall messages.

• Listening carefully to feedback becomes crucial.

Effects of stress on communication

Low stress• People can process an

average of 7 messages.• They recall information in

linear order (1,2,3 …)• They process messages at

an eighth-grade level• Trust is built on competence

and experience.

Source: Vincent Covello

Effects of stress on communication

Low stress• People can process an

average of 7 messages.• They recall information in

linear order (1,2,3 …)• They process messages at

an eighth-grade level• Trust is built on competence

and experience.

High stress• People can process an

average of 3 messages.• They recall what they

perceive as most important or what is said last.

• They process messages at a fourth-grade level.

• Trust is built on listening, empathy, caring and compassion

Source: Vincent Covello

How do we adjustfor high stress?

1. Send simple messages

• Maximum: 3 messages.• Use short sentences.• Blend empathy with action.• Use numbers sparingly.

2006 E.coli spinach outbreak

• ‘We are telling everyone to get rid of fresh bagged spinach right now.’– Wisconsin Gov. Jim

Doyle

2006 E.coli spinach outbreak

• ‘To be safe, don’t eat it.’– Minnesota Health

Department

2006 E.coli spinach outbreak

• ‘It's sickening for us to see anybody in the public suffer in this way, especially if they got ill from eating at Taco John's.’

–Corporate Vice President for Marketing

2. Emphasize pictures and diagrams

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