MBI – GP Strategies Company Confidential

SteadyCommunication

DURING

Unsteady Times

2

Introductions

LEAH

CLARK

Director Strategy & Development

GP Strategies®

MORE THAN

100,000 LIVEShave been lost

to COVID-19

CHANGE IN A STEADY STATE UNCERTAINTY

Strategic change is often anticipated, even quantified.

Uncertainty is unexpected –often the result of a negative event.

Focus is on benefits and innovationthat comes from change.

Produces anxiety and stress.

Actions and decision-makingcan be more long term and strategic.

Actions and decision-makingmore immediate.

Positive transformation anticipatedUndefined outcome, absence of information.

Change is often empowering. Uncertainty creates vulnerability.

Change and Uncertainty

4

5

UNCERTAINTY

6

RATIONAL

EMOTIONAL

CAUSES YOUR

RationalBrain

TO YIELD TO YOUR

EmotionalSide

7

8

CONNECTION9

COMPETENCE

10

CLARITY

Be transparent and specific.

Share what you know.

Share what you don’t know.

COMPETENCE

CLARITY“We’re all anxious, we’re all

tired, we’re all fatigued.

It’s been all bad news for a

long time. Our whole lifestyle

has been disrupted.

Everybody wants to know

one thing, when will it end.

Nobody knows,” Cuomo said.

“We’re dealing with a war

we’ve never dealt with before.

We need a totally different

mindset and organizational

transformation.”

– Governor of New YorkAndrew Cuomo

Photo Credit: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2020-04-02/new-york-governor-cuom o-holds-corona virus-briefing

CLARITY“We should continue to

expect the number of cases

to dramatically and rapidly

rise. This is going to be much

harder, take much longer

and be much worse than

almost anyone is currently

understanding.”

– Governor of MarylandLarry Hogan

Photo Credit: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

13

URGENCY

Move quickly.

CLARITY

Be transparent

and specific.

Restate what needs to get

done or reprioritize.

Make decisions even in

the absence of complete

information.

Share what you know.

Share what you don’t know.

COMPETENCE

URGENCY

15

URGENCY

Move quickly.

CONFIDENCE

Be clear and decisive.

Restate what needs to get

done or reprioritize.

Make decisions even in

the absence of complete

information.

Use language that is

direct and specific.

Be highly intentional about

your word choice.

COMPETENCE

CLARITY

Be transparent

and specific.

Share what you know.

Share what you don’t know.

CONFIDENCE“This is serious — take it seriously,” she told her compatriots. “Since German unification — no, since World War II — there has been no challenge to our country in which our acting together in solidarity matters so much.”

– Chancellor of GermanyAngela Merkel

Photo Credit: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/german-chancellor-angel-merkel-will-not-run-again-leader-n925521

CONFIDENCE“We don’t set the timeline,

the virus sets the timeline,”

“The therapies that will

becoming online, and the fact

that I feel confident that over

a period of time we will get a

good vaccine, that we will

never have to get back to

where we are right now.,”

– Director of theNational Institute of Allergy

and Infectious DiseasesAnthony Fauci

Photo Credit: https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-coronavirus-is-likely-seasonal-after-global-outbreaks-2020-4

CLARITY

Be transparent

and specific.

18

CONSISTENCY

Align intent, words, and actions.

Use language that is

direct and specific.

Be highly intentional about

your word choice.

Don’t over promise.

Keep communication

and actions in sync.

COMPETENCE

Share what you know.

Share what you don’t know.

CONFIDENCE

Be clear and decisive.

Restate what needs to get

done or reprioritize.

Make decisions even in

the absence of complete

information.

URGENCY

Move quickly.

CONSISTENCY

Photo Credit: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/coronavirus-orders-enforcement-philadelphia-pennsylvania-new-jersey-20200401.html

20

CONNECTION20

COMPETENCE

Very effectively

Somewhat effectively

Not too effectively

Not at all effectively

47%

46%

5%

1%

1% Unsure

How Senior Leaders Rate Themselves

How Do I Rate in Connection?

21

How Do I Rate in Connection?

How Front Line and Middle Managers Rate Senior Leaders

8%

18%

35%

34%

5%

26%

74%

22

Very effectively

Somewhat effectively

Not too effectively

Not at all effectively

47%

46%

5%

1%

1% Unsure

How Senior Leaders Rate Themselves

23

EMPATHY

Put yourself in other’s shoes.

Ask people what

they are feeling.

Listen actively.

CONNECTION

EMPATHY

Photo Credit: https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/2020/04/13/what-do-countries-with-the-best-coronavirus-reponses-have-in-common-women-leaders/#a5e0df03dec4

EMPATHY“I feel so strongly that deep

and simple is far more

essential than shallow and

complex. In the end, life

isn’t about material things.

It’s about the relationships

you have with one another

and yourself.”

– Fred Rogers

Photo Credit: https://daily.jstor.org/long-live-mister-rogers-quiet-revolution/

Share your strengths

and flaws.

On script and off script,

be the same person.

26

AUTHENTICITY

Be true to who you are.

CONNECTION

Ask people what

they are feeling.

Listen actively.

EMPATHY

Put yourself in

other’s shoes.

AUTHENTICITY

Photo Credit: https://news.marriott.com/leadership/arne-m-sorenson

28

COMMUNITY

Emphasize teamwork.

Let your people know

you need them.

Continue to create

psychological safety.

CONNECTION

Share your strengths

and flaws.

On script and off script,

be the same person.

Ask people what

they are feeling.

Listen actively.

EMPATHY

Put yourself in

other’s shoes.

AUTHENTICITY

Be true to

who you are.

COMMUNITY

Photo Credit: https://news.marriott.com/leadership/arne-m-sorenson

Share your strengths

and flaws.

On script and off script,

be the same person.

30

SHARED PURPOSE

Remember what you’re working for.

Let your people know

you need them.

Continue to create

psychological safety.

Focus on the

mission of your organization

Express gratitude.

Ask people what

they are feeling.

Listen actively.

CONNECTION

EMPATHY

Put yourself in

other’s shoes.

COMMUNITY

Emphasize teamwork.

AUTHENTICITY

Be true to

who you are.

SHARED PURPOSE“We’re proud of how our

team members have stepped

up during this challenging

time to make sure we

continue fulfilling our critical

mission of feeding people

across America.”

– Tyson Foods CEONoel White

Photo Credit: https://www.glassdoor.com/Photos/Tyson-Foods-Office-Photos-IMG539057.htm

32

COMMUNICATIONIn Times of Uncertainty, There is No More Powerful Force for a Leader than Communication.

Communicate for Competence AND Connection.

COMMUNICATION CONNECTIONCOMPETENCE

Emphatically

Authentically

Transparently

Frequently

Thoughtfully

KEY POINTS33

Even during times that are not as dramatic as this,

these are relevant skills

•••

You need to strive to communicate for both

competence and connection – it’s not an either-or-scenario

•••

Work on communicating during times of peace –

don’t simply try and conjure these skills up during times of war

Photo Credit: https://thereader.com/news/maya-angelous

PEOPLE WILL FORGET

WHAT YOU SAID.

PEOPLE WILL FORGET

WHAT YOU DID.

BUT, PEOPLE WILL

NEVER FORGET HOW

YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

Maya Angelou

35

“SHOW YOUR STRENGTHS,

CAUSE YOU CAN BE A LEADER.”

Colin ClarkAge 6

https://www.gpstrategies.com/blog/8-insights-for-leaders-if-covid-19-requires-your-team-to-work-remotely/

https://www.gpstrategies.com/blog/five-considerations-for-managing-personal-engagement-now/

https://www.gpstrategies.com/article/communication-leadership-during-times-of-crisis/

SOURCES

https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/2020/04/13/what-do-countries-with-the-best-coronavirus-reponses-have-in-common-women-

leaders/#52df73f73dec

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Business%20Functions/Organization/Our%20Insights/Leadership%20in%20a%20crisis%20Res ponding%20to%20the%20c

oronavirus%20outbreak%20and%20future%20challenges/Leadership-in-a-crisis-Responding-to-the-coronavirus-outbreak-and-future-challenges-v3.ashx

https://www.inc.com/entrepreneurs-organization/10-steps-to-effective-coronavirus-crisis-leadership.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/03/24/coronavirus-pandemic-demands-kindness-compassion-empathy-

column/2898413001/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/03/how-displaced-teams-leaders-can-thrive-amid-coronavirus-pandemic.html

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/03/harvard-m-d-students-form-covid-19-rapid-response-teams/

https://www.france24.com/en/20200329-merkel-shines-in-handling-of-germany-s-coronavirus-crisis

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/490491-tyson-announces-approximately-60-million-in-bonuses-to-its

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-stockdale-paradox_b_5897ca82e4b02bbb1816bc38

Resources

36

We’re at our best when helping our clients achieve their best.

Making a meaningful impact on the world together.

We’re social, chat with us!

gpstrategies.com

@gpcorp gpstrategies blog.gpstrategies.com gp-strategies-corporation GPStrategiesCorp info@gpstrategies.com

© 2020 GP Strategies Corporation. All rights reserved. GP Strategies, GP Strategies and logo design, Academy of Training, Asentus, B2B Engage, Bath Consultancy Group, Beneast Training, BlessingWhite, CLS Performance Solutions, ClutterbuckAssociates, Communication Consulting, Effective-People, Emantras, Future Perfect, GP Sandy, Hula Partners, IC Axon, Information Horizons, Jencal Training, Lorien Engineering Solutions, Marton House, Maverick Solutions, McKinney Rogers,Milsom, Option Six, PCS, PerformTech, PMC, Prospero Learning Solutions, Rovsing Dynamics, RWD, Smallpeice Enterprises, TTi Global, Ultra Training, Via Training, YouTrain, EtaPRO, GPCALCS, GPiLEARN, GPiLEARN+, GPSteam, and VirtualPlant aretrademarks or registered trademarks of GP Strategies Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Proprietary to GP Strategies Corporation

37

Leah ClarkDirector, Strategy and Development

lclark@gpstrategies.com