Like minerals, humans change when put under pressure. People truly reveal themselves when under the stress of a difficult fund raising, an impending corporate re-organization, or the approach of a difficult meeting with the customer.
The harsh competition of today's global economic landscape has shaped corporate cultures today to "steel" themselves for what's coming.
However, I posit that it is at the time of a crisis that we need to access our humanity.
How can the spokesperson of a company in crisis be reaching out to the hurt feelings of people impacted by a corporate mistake, oil spill, gas tank explosion?
How to find the right words which soothe, instead of exacerbate the victims of an error?
How to be an entity with compassion when you're an entity under stress?
Being vulnerable allows, in those moments, a human connection. It may not be enough, but it is essential to be authentic, and have the chance to rebuild a possible foundation for trust building. It is how you access the HEART of the crisis.
I help design individual work group for key constituents who are going to be on the front lines, and help design the human side of the processes to be put in place when facing the crisis.
Being prepared also helps your brain and your corporate DNA adopt the right posture faster.