09. Surviving the Coronavirus, What’s Been Working
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
COVID-19 caught a lot of people with their guard down when it launched a surprise attack on the world. It forced organizations of all types and in all sectors to make sudden, dramatic changes. In addition to taking many lives, the pandemic is destroying jobs, permanently closing businesses, wiping out life savings, opening old societal wounds, shredding opportunities and shattering dreams. In our work, we’ve found some examples of exemplary pandemic responses, told through our core tenets.
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08. To ace the latest stress test, take care of your people
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
For those of us who are students of innovation and disruption, the last several months have been like an accelerated graduate-level course. Market dynamics that challenged our intellects and experience earlier this year seem rudimentary compared with the multidimensional problems we’re grappling with now: economic retrenchment, a global pandemic, violent social unrest and other extra-market forces.
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07. Amid the Pandemic, Who’s Tending to Your Company’s Culture?
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
The pace and scale of change is stress-testing business systems as never before. While most now believe the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will unfold over an 18- to 24-month period, so far, leadership teams have focused principally on operational matters: employee and customer safety, supply chain disruptions, productivity among sheltering workers, compliance with federal, state and local directives. The success and sustainability of a business has always been a function of its ability to adapt its structure, strategy and culture to emerging internal and external forces. Moreover, these...
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06. The Building Blocks of Transformation
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
Over the last several months, words like “unprecedented” and “extraordinary” have appeared a lot. For good reason. COVID-19 truly is the ahistorical event those adjectives aim to describe. Yet, while the COVID-19 pandemic is singular and unique, in many ways, it is just further evidence of the accelerating disruption we’ve been forecasting for years.
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05. Global Pandemic Best Practices for the New Normal
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
As companies begin to think about the “new normal” and what it means for the world of work, Corporate Communication is playing a greater role in driving employee engagement and connecting with employees in innovative ways to help them stay confident and focused while managing the transition. The best ideas address the changing employee experience, the impact of virtual leadership and the critical delivery of timely, relevant and transparent communication. Here are ten tips to get you started right away.
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04. Code Red: What the ER can teach us about triaging crisis communications
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we are confronted with nearly every possible public health crisis situation imaginable—from unexpected school closings to shelter in place orders, confirmed cases to fatalities, protecting the essential workers, psychological safety and more. It is new territory for most of us in corporate communications and there’s a lot we can learn from those on the front lines.
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03. For COVID-19, Showing You Care by Becoming a Better Listener
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
As we’re all experiencing in real-time, the COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended the way we do our work and communicate with our teams. Now more than ever, it’s crucial for leaders and organizations to truly listen to their employees and help them navigate the stress and uncertainty of a pandemic.
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02. Listen Up: Active Listening is Essential to Lead Your People through Change
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
As the world continues to cope and learn from COVID-19, we are quickly coming to grips with a new normal for how we connect – and are connected – with others. The backbone of an effective organizational communication system is a well-executed, feedback-rich, and outcomes-driven communication strategy.
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01. For COVID-19, What’s In A Microsite
Voices of Gagen MacDonald
In times of crisis, one thing is certain – people will seek information. They’ll search online. They’ll read the news. They’ll ask their friends and family. They’ll check their social networks. They’ll even rely on their employers for guidance. And in times of significant crisis, like the one we’re living in right now – people are not just seeking information – they are demanding it.
info_outlineOver the last several months, words like “unprecedented” and “extraordinary” have appeared a lot. For good reason. COVID-19 truly is the ahistorical event those adjectives aim to describe. Yet, while the COVID-19 pandemic is singular and unique, in many ways, it is just further evidence of the accelerating disruption we’ve been forecasting for years.