Communicating When Your Audience is Facing Uncertainty

No one will deny that we are living in uncertain and difficult times.

As communicators, we know that our audiences are struggling and under stress. That is true for internal and external stakeholders.

When we communicate under these conditions, we have to be very careful, because saying the wrong thing or even focusing on the wrong thing can increase the distress people feel. People are on edge. They will see signals everywhere.

This leads us to How Leaders Miscommunicate When Tensions Are High in the Harvard Business Journal, written by Liz Fosslien.

The article identifies five common pitfalls that well-intentioned leaders often fall into, along with actionable strategies for mitigating their impact. Below is my summary and relevant thoughts.

First, the tendency to showcase only success can alienate team members who are struggling.

We want to be positive, but this approach can lead to people over-thinking setbacks (which are normal) and being afraid to ask for help. (Toxic positivity is a real thing).

By framing success stories as part of a broader narrative that includes challenges faced (and to be faced), and lessons learned, leaders can normalize setbacks and encourage a culture where asking for help is welcomed, not stigmatized.

Second, leaders frequently underestimate the importance of consistent communication, even when there are no significant updates to share.

Silence from management can breed speculation and anxiety among employees, who may interpret it as a sign of impending bad news. This is something I strongly believe in. Too often consistency dies under the banner of “less is more.” In any field of communication, silence leads to people drawing their own conclusions. Empower leadership to say “nothing new to report, we are working the plan” when that is the situation.

Third, amidst uncertainty, leaders often focus excessively on future plans at the expense of acknowledging past achievements.

When facing an uncertain and perilous future, it is helpful for everyone (teams included) to remember when they have handled past challenges. As they say in baseball, you have to trust your stuff. Or, “I know we can do it because we did it before.”

Fourth, leaders sometimes shy away from acknowledging the emotional toll of change, fearing it might undermine confidence.

This is very common. Leaders will avoid bad news because they fear bad morale, people leaving, or “freaking out.”

Acknowledging challenges while maintaining optimism can foster resilience and solidarity within the team. I am reading The Splendid and The Vile by Erik Larson. It’s about Winston Churchill during the Blitz. Churchill was famously effective at communicating in the hardest times. He told (nearly always) the unstinting truth…but for each negative truth, he inserted an optimistic message, one for one.

Fifth, leaders frequently fail to provide context for their actions, leading to misunderstandings and heightened anxiety among team members.

Clear and complete communication about decisions and unexpected changes helps alleviate uncertainty and prevents unnecessary stress. Explain what happened and why. If something unanticipated happened, say what it was and why it was a surprise. If people understand the decision, it builds confidence in leadership and reduces anxiety.

Trauma-informed communications

There’s another angle to consider when people are in uncertain times. Sometimes, there is a trauma involved…such as job loss, risk of losing your identity, etc. Let’s not get hung up on the word trauma—yes, losing your job is not the same as having your house broken into, but they are both traumas.

The mental health and recovery field has realized that when individuals experience trauma, their thoughts and behaviors can shift significantly. They may become hyper-vigilant, overly cautious, or withdrawn. Emotions like fear, anger, and sadness can dominate their responses. This altered state can affect decision-making, relationships, and daily functioning.

Communicating with individuals who are experiencing trauma, such as job loss, requires sensitivity, empathy, and an understanding of their emotional state. The impact of losing a job can be profound, affecting not just financial stability but also self-esteem, social identity, and mental health.

Success will require acknowledging feelings, listening actively, and avoiding saying things like “this might be a blessing in disguise”—new skill sets for many executive leaders.

The ultimate safety net is stakeholder engagement

Weak bonds snap; strong bonds support. The ultimate safety net is to build community…connections between people, that are built around shared purpose. This is true of uncertain times in a company or a community. And it can only be done over time and before it’s needed, which is the essence of the Resilient5 program.