>> Hello. I'm Dr. George Everly,
and joining me today is Dr. Carolyn Fowler.
We're taking an up close and personal view of
the 10 principles of crisis leadership for front line leaders.
We're taking each of the principals in the series
and putting them under a bit of a microscope,
adding some comments that may help them come more alive for you.
We're at Number 9. Number 9 is transparent, timely,
truthful communications is essential to
developing and maintaining leadership credibility.
It comes on the heels of Number 8,
which was there is no such thing as
an information vacuum when
leaders aren't speaking, someone else is.
Number 9 is, we're finding that concept even a little more.
Carolyn, how important is this notion,
transparency, timeliness and truthfulness?
>> It's so important because if information is not transparent,
people think that things are being hidden,
if it's not too timely and people feel they need information,
they'll go looking for it everywhere else.
If people think it's not truthful,
they will just reject it.
Absolutely. Right up front.
>> Social psychologists tell us that people
remember the first thing they
hear and they remember the last thing they hear,
they call it the primacy and recency effects.
How does that really translate into practice?
That sounds a little academic.
Can we really make that work?
>> Well, it's really making
sure that you introduce the concept that you
then give people some time to talk about
it and then repeat it again.
I think the thing I've learnt from you, George,
that I really appreciate is that,
there isn't a thing which is too much repetition.
Like if we do it six, seven,
eight times and had just too many formats,
people think we're being pedantic,
people get confused, people think we're being repetitive.
This idea of directing attention
by introducing it at the beginning and then
maybe mentioning it again in
the middle and closing it out at the end
to confirm is probably the ideal balance of repetition.
>> Here's a tough one for you.
Leaders are accomplished people,
and we often take pride in that.
What happens when we're asked
the question and we don't know the answer?
>> Well, there's actually a very simple answer to that one.
I don't know the answer.
I will find it and let you know as soon as I do,
or in fact invite other people
to see whether they have the answer.
That's the greatest mistake we could
make is to go into any situation,
especially one as complex and uncertain as this one
thinking we know everything we need to
know upfront because it's evolving every day.
We need to get really comfortable with saying I don't know.
>> Be truthful when you don't know,
and I like what you said also, though,
and that is I don't know now,
but I'm going to try to find out
for you and I'll get back to you,
so you don't leave people just hang.
Principle Number 8 and principle Number 9,
really talk about not just the
importance of leadership communications,
but keeping it transparent, timely and truthful.
If we want to learn more about these principles and
the resources that Johns Hopkins has available, where would we go?
>> George, can I just say something before we do that?
>> Sure.
>> Something else that you've taught me,
and that is the power of anticipating questions.
Of not assuming that,
you know the questions people will have.
When leaders are familiar with their team,
they often can anticipate the questions that they have.
But creating opportunities to have people
submit questions, raise crust questions,
generate questions is so powerful
so that when we do our briefings are all huddles,
we have answers to those questions because if I
have a pressing question and I'm not hearing the answer to it,
I'm preoccupied with that question.
I can't hear whatever else it is you're saying to me.
That's I think something that's really
very helpful to anticipate what people may want to ask you.
>> Anticipate questions before they're asked,
answer them as best you can before they are asked,
but also have an appreciation that you can't possibly
anticipate everything and to always rely on the group.
>> Absolutely right.
>> For more information?
>> Well, that is once again at the Office of Wellbeing.
Here is the email if you have
any comments, suggestions, questions.
As always, if you access this web link to the Office of Wellbeing,
you'll find all sorts of resources to support this series,
as well as mental, emotional,
spiritual and physical wellbeing during this time.
>> Carolyn, thank you so much for
sharing your knowledge and your experience,
and we thank you for listening.
>> Thank you again, George,
and thank you everybody.