Mindful Messaging: Crafting Communications Amid Geopolitical Unrest
Addressing the conflict between Israel and Hamas has proven to be a tricky challenge for companies everywhere. Navigating geopolitical issues are always inherently challenging, but best practice suggests any stance should be strategically aligned with your company’s values and its overarching mission. Here are some practical tips in crisis comms to help you through this sensitive task:
Stay Informed: Keeping a finger on the pulse of geopolitical events, particularly those unfolding in the Middle East right now, is crucial. These events can affect your operations, stakeholders, or business partnerships in ways you might not foresee. Recently, CEOs of several high-profile companies, during their quarterly earnings calls, acknowledged the impact of the conflict and shared their concerns over the loss of innocent lives. Being informed allows you to prepare and respond in a way that reflects an understanding and consideration.
Align with Core Values: Your stance on geopolitical issues should mirror your company's core values and long-term vision. This alignment reinforces authenticity and consistency in your communications. When companies like Instacart and Bayer AG addressed the conflict, their messages were perceived differently based on how well they aligned with perceived corporate values and the expectations of their stakeholders. Ensuring a clear alignment of messages can help you avoid unintended backlash and maintain trust with stakeholders.
Engage Expertise: Navigating the narrative around complex geopolitical issues can be a daunting task for management teams alone. It's wise to engage experts in crisis communication or geopolitical analysis to help shape your response. Their expertise helps ensure your communication is perceived as intended and will mitigate the risk of misinterpretation.
Timely yet Thoughtful: While prompt communication is important to show that you are aware and concerned about current events, a rushed statement can do more harm than good. It's crucial to take the necessary time to ensure your message is well-considered, balanced, and reflects a thorough understanding of the issues at hand.
Maintain Open Dialogue: Encouraging open dialogue with stakeholders provides an avenue to understand their perspectives and concerns, which in turn can inform your communication strategy. By maintaining open channels of communication, you not only foster goodwill but also build a more informed and collaborative relationship with your stakeholders.
Corporate communication requires a blend of insightful awareness, authenticity, and open dialogue. It's about striking the right chord that resonates with your company’s strategy, mission and vision while keeping your stakeholder relationships solid and your brand's reputation intact. If this sounds like a delicate tightrope to walk, you're not alone. Reach out to Graham Farrell (Graham.Farrell@Harbor-Access.com) [in Canada] or Jonathan Paterson (Jonathan.Paterson@Harbor-Access.com) [in the US] to start a conversation.