What's a SOHCO??

Usually a crisis is an acute thing. Some huge bad thing happens. We experience it in real time, we face its aftermath, we uncover what was covered up, we contend with long-term consequences, we make necessary changes. But our multi-layered social, health, and economic crises in 2020 aren’t one acute thing and the changes we must make are massive. Lives are at stake.

How can you communicate through so much uncertainty? Let’s look at the CDC’s Field Epidemiology Manual, which I learned about reading the great New Yorker piece "Seattle Leaders Let Science Take the Lead".

From the article: "The C.D.C.’s Field Epidemiology Manual, which devotes an entire chapter to communication during a health emergency, indicates that there should be a lead spokesperson whom the public gets to know—familiarity breeds trust.”

This advice applies to any kind of crisis. Communication may be an added burden, but it is an essential one for a leader to embrace. Everybody talked about Airbnb founder Brian Chesky’s letter to employees because he did exactly what a leader must do in a crisis. Tell the truth. Explain the what and why. Be visible.

The article continues: “The spokesperson should have a ‘Single Overriding Health Communication Objective, or sohco (pronounced sock-O),’ which should be repeated at the beginning and the end of any communication with the public.”

Yup. A single message, clearly delivered, repeated several times. So many of us are heartsick and overwhelmed by the causes and conditions of structural racism, by the unrelenting threat of the virus, by terrifying economic realities. Assume you have much less of our attention than you’d like and distill your message accordingly - with compassion, grit, and courage.

Here’s the next excellent piece of advice: “After the opening sohco, the spokesperson should ‘acknowledge concerns and express understanding of how those affected by the illnesses or injuries are probably feeling.’ Such a gesture of empathy establishes common ground with scared and dubious citizens—who, because of their mistrust, can be at the highest risk for transmission.”

Uh, yeah. Empathy. What matters more right now? Nothing. Empathy and relevance are the litmus tests for all communication right now - because who doesn't feel scared and dubious about leaders these days? You have to earn and maintain precious credibility - which means not delivering corporate platitudes. It means speaking from your heart.

And finally: “Again, the spokesperson should make special efforts to explain both what is known and what is unknown. Transparency is essential," the field manual says, and officials must "not over-reassure or over-promise.”

Courageous leaders right now define themselves with sentences like this: “I don’t know.” or “We don’t know yet but we’re investigating.” or “We are educating ourselves. We know there’s so much for us to learn and change." To pretend that you know when you don’t only undermines your credibility.

Every crisis is an opportunity for change - hidden in each of 2020’s heartbreaking crises is a beautiful opportunity. We can communicate clearly, simply, and with empathy. We can connect and find our way through together - creating opportunities for powerful and lasting change.