Connecting to Admired Leadership

How Admired Leaders Communicate Honestly in Times of Uncertainty

Episode Summary

A conversation with Carolynne Thomas, Executive Coach and Partner at CRA | Admired Leadership, exploring how leaders can effectively communicate during times of uncertainty while building trust and maintaining credibility.

Episode Notes

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Key Highlights

• Framework for Managing Uncertainty: - What will definitely happen - What will probably happen - What we don't know yet - What probably won't happen - What definitely won't happen
• Communication Principles: - You cannot "not communicate" - everything sends a message - Information vacuums get filled with assumptions, usually negative ones - Higher uncertainty requires more frequent communication - Even "no updates" updates are valuable during uncertain times
• Best Practices: - Align leadership team on messaging before communicating - Be transparent about what is known and unknown - Commit to specific timeframes for updates - Treat people like "fully formed adults" - Avoid hiding or staying silent out of fear of misspeaking
• Key Leadership Insight: - Clarity doesn't mean having all the answers - It means being clear about what you know and don't know - Consider using this framework: "We don't know everything yet, we reserve the right to get smarter and change course, but we won't compromise on [core value]"

Notable Quotes

• "You cannot not communicate - everything you do sends a message."
• "The higher the degree of uncertainty, the more frequent your communication needs to be."
• "Don't hide in your office - treat people like fully formed adults."

Featured Speaker

Carolynne Thomas is an Admired Leadership Coach and Partner at CRA | Admired Leadership. She specializes in leadership and communication, particularly during times of organizational change and uncertainty.