Life is stressful. The impact of feeling ramped up and overwhelmed is a regular part of our daily experiences. In organizations, stress can be especially toxic. Throw a crisis in the mix and you’re bound for a rough time.

With an onslaught of daily challenges to work through, leaders need to make important decisions at the drop of a hat. But in doing so, many people don’t take the necessary time or action to respond appropriately. Here at IvyHill, we think it is very important to consider mindfulness in all communication plans.

To be mindful is to be aware or conscious of something. Not just going with a knee-jerk reaction. Taking a beat to recenter and regroup. Easier said than done, right? Here are four ways to cultivate mindfulness during times of crisis.

1. Address your own feelings first

In order to best support your clients, communities, or your team, you must first recognize your own feelings about the situation. Actions create thoughts that then elicit emotions. Take a moment to address how the situation has made you feel before making large, organizational decisions.

It is crucial to know what works best for you to mitigate your own anxiety and stress before a crisis happens. You may not be able to remove all feelings of unease, but working to stop a spiral of disaster thinking before attempting to come up with a solution creates more successful outcomes. Practicing things like deep breathing or grounding techniques regularly will calm your parasympathetic system and help feel more steady when the going gets tough.

Recognize in yourself when too much is too much. Patricia Brockman of mindful.org details the three stages of stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Each is experienced at different rates by each individual, but all are amplified when stressful things occur (or continue to occur). She sources the Mayo Clinic when mentioning the warning signs of burnout, stating the signs as feeling disenchanted and cynical, finding it difficult to get out of bed, having a short fuse with colleagues, family or clients…all of which make it difficult to think clearly. Place your energy in the right direction. Starting out a situation with a negative mindset can set you back before you even start. 

2. Be proactive, not reactive. 

Times of crisis are not the time for impulsivity. It is crucial to respond in a timely manner, especially in times of client representation, but you still need the chance to work through the situation thoughtfully. Thinking through every word allows you to compose the right response. Under stress you can say the wrong thing, your words may be misinterpreted, or you can say too little or too much. Take in all the objective information about the situation to better inform how you and your organization proceed. What is the situation at hand in one sentence? Who is being impacted? What are they explicitly saying? How can your organization address their concerns in a meaningful way? What specific implications does the situation have on your reputation? Break down your complex situation into its individual components.

Once you have all of the objective information you need to understand what you are dealing with, you will be better prepared to determine what your organization will say and how it will approach things. By addressing all components involved, you can make a rational, respectful and cohesive response while ensuring all parties are represented. Very little can be accomplished when you impulsively try to manage a large crisis. Many organizations have (at times) made rash decisions and then paid for the consequences later. Social media has allowed for these mistakes to be broadcasted on large platforms, ultimately leading to the demise of an organization’s reputation or loss of business. 

‘The Web of Reactivity’ created by Mary Elliot and Evan Collins

3. Follow a strategic plan 

There are plans in place for a reason. In order to maintain cohesiveness, you and your team must work together toward common goals. The best offense is a good defense and studies show that organizational preparedness can create better results.

Forbes writer Jeroen Kraaijenbrink details the six major steps of strategic planning for an organization: 

1. Strategy helps prepare an organization for the future.

2. Strategy helps distinguish an organization from others.

3. Strategy provides an organization with some stability. 

4. Strategy serves as a common frame of reference.

5. Strategy supports internal and external alignment. 

6. Strategy guides organizational action. 

Each of these components of strategic planning allow individuals to work progressively even when circumstances get hectic.

The term “too many cooks in the kitchen” also applies to crisis communications and strategic planning. It is important to consider the varied needs and potential risks of what you communicate, but having too many opinions can make it difficult to progress forward. Determining your team of ultimate decision makers and retaining outside professional assistance can give you the clarity you need during trying times.

4. Know your stuff and communicate it well.

Knowledge is power. Resources from all stretches of the internet are claiming to have the right answers. As an organization, establishing yourself as a thought leader and ensuring that you gather information from reliable sources will make it a bit easier to remain mindful during a crisis. Where do you get your information from? How timely is the information your sources are sharing? If your organization does its own research, how are you collecting your data? What insights can you offer to others who may not be as well-versed in your area of the sector? Additionally, it is vital to consider how your audience will interpret your messaging. Industry jargon may work in certain capacities, but it can alienate audiences in others. Having the knowledge about your field and who your audience is will better equip you for developing a solid plan for crisis communications.

Depending on the field you work in, the crisis can differ. You wouldn’t treat a financial crisis the same way as an environmental crisis. Researching what others have done in the past and how organizations are handling current crises can offer your organization a better plan for future situations. 

A crisis may be stressful, but there are clear strategies to get you through. If you or your organization are looking to be more mindful in stressful situations, consider working with IvyHill to construct your crisis prepardness plan. Keeping these strategies in mind, one can work diligently toward their goals while remaining cognizant.

In times of crisis, it is crucial for organizations to be prepared for anything. No one has the answers to everything, but keeping these tactics in mind can hopefully maintain calm before, during, and after the storm.