Kia ora from Jess,
As things change rapidly with this pandemic, almost weekly it feels, we're seeing stories about fear and division. Now more than ever we need to remind ourselves that acting together for our communities is how we've got through so far and will continue to get through this global pandemic best. A long term collaborative and caring response will limit the spread, allow us to adapt as things change, help us cope with the impacts, and enable us to emerge better than before.
If you're someone who plans and communicates every day, you’ll understand the challenge and the opportunity to bring people together and provide calm reassurance.
Whether you’re a community collective, a school principal or a public commentator, here are some things to keep in mind when you’re trying to lead a conversation about important things and you want to support good decision making.
Better decisions based on deeper thinking can help create a world where everyone thrives.
Focus on what we know so we can adapt and grow
At the moment, we face constant uncertainty that feels different to when the pandemic started. And it’s hard to hold on to a clear vision for something that’s always changing and we don't know what will happen next.
In this situation it’s important to communicate what you do know, and to focus on what we know will help. Explain that learning and adapting to new information is a core part of a good response, and will help us get through.
For example, “The best way to make sure everyone is taken care of is through our public services. They are there for all of us. As new science on COVID-19 comes in, skilled people who care are assessing and responding. We have the skills within our public institutions and our health and science communities to get us through this with the right support from all of us”.
What does this look like?
Here’s an example of how you might explain that adapting to new information is part of a good response.
“Health professionals really care about our wellbeing. It’s their job to monitor our public health actions. They’re making sure we always have the most up-to-date advice. That care demonstrates being good at their job at caring for other people.”
A great example of what we already know is illustrated in Toby, Siouxsie and the Swiss Cheese. In this explainer, cartoonist Toby Morris and science communicator Siouxsie Wiles use a well-known metaphor to help frame vaccination as the next empowering tool we use in our COVID-19 journey. The Swiss Cheese metaphor emphasises the importance of vaccination, but also the importance of all the other things we’ve been doing, like handwashing, border controls, testing, and tracing.
A consistent communication structure can build togetherness and trust
The main communication structure to keep in mind is to:
lead with a clear, positive vision based on shared values
name the barriers to achieving that vision
state the solutions to overcome those barriers
Lead with a clear positive vision
Lead your communication with what matters most to people — what we collectively care about. That might include connectedness, community, fairness, or manaakitanga.
Develop and reconnect people to a clear positive vision. What do we all want to see? Visions help give people hope and stop communicators leading with problems or alarming statistics. Visions help stop people getting derailed by misinformation or unhelpful narratives.
Paint a vivid picture of how the world will be better in concrete terms. How will people’s day-to-day lives be better? In what concrete ways will things be improved?
Name the barriers to achieving the vision
Be clear about the barriers to achieving the vision — what is standing in our way? Attribute cause and effect, use facts, and name human agents.
State the solutions to overcoming barriers
Make it clear how your solutions relate to the cause of the problem. For example, “tools such as getting vaccinated, getting boosted, and wearing masks, can help us all get through when things feel uncertain”.
What does this look like?
Vision – One day this pandemic will be over. We’ll be doing the things we love again with the people we love – gatherings, festivals, travel to see loved ones, uninterrupted education!
Barrier – But right now, the pandemic feels never ending, and we’re not certain of the best course of action to ‘get us through’. Some in our community are angry and upset with the solutions that are being used and scared about not knowing what’s next.
Solution – There are tools that we know will help, like getting vaccinated, boosted, and wearing masks. People in health and science are learning and adapting their approaches, and continuing to put our care for each other first. We will get through this pandemic by acting together.
We also love this mask accessibility example of a clear vision – barrier – solution structure by Action Station.
Focus on people, collective action, and clear communication
Once you have your main structure of vision – barrier – solution, you can think about other evidence-based communication tips.
Avoid repeating divisive or unhelpful stories
Tell your story, rather than arguing why someone else's story is wrong.
What does this look like?
An unhelpful COVID-19 story is framing COVID-19 protests as a crisis with many selfish, panicked people: “People are selfish, and angry and they are only getting worse”.
Instead of trying to argue against this story, tell your own. For example, you could say, “We’re all in this together, and together we will get through. It’s ok to be scared when things are so uncertain, reach out for support and do the right thing to help others”.
Rather than negating the crisis or panic frame, you put forward your own story about solidarity and interdependence.
Why we need stories of strength, not division
In this recent op-ed Jess makes the case for focusing on our strengths and our collective action, framing our assets, rather than on deficit framing.
“Consider the difference in talking about the strength and resilience of disabled people in this pandemic and then moving on to discuss how this leadership has not been able to come out in its full force because of controls on the funding or lack of trust from people in funding bodies. That frames a very different way of thinking about the issues and the types of solutions people are considering than simply talking about the vulnerability of disabled people and why we must act”.
Collaboration and care are core human characteristics. Reminding ourselves of this and using these values will get us through these changing and challenging times.
For more guidance on narratives around topics such as transport, climate change, justice reform and more, visit our website. We have freely available message guides.
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Get in touch with operations@theworkshop.org.nz if you would like to talk to us about how we can help you with specific advice or do training for your team.
The team at The Workshop - Marianne, Jess, Sharon, Gidion, Jordan, Carolyn, Ellen, Jayne, Nicky and Tom