QUOTE OF THE DAY The hardest thing about being a leader is demonstrating or showing vulnerability… When the leader demonstrates vulnerability and sensibility and brings people together, the team wins. –Howard Schultz COVID-19 UPDATE - At the time of reporting, The New York Times showed that 753,317 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the U.S. and 36,109 deaths. Bing’s COVID-19 Tracker reported 772,665 cases and 41,155 deaths.
- Some have started to follow the infection rate (R) as a key indicator on the progress of our fight against COVID-19. A R-rate below one means that the number of cases will decrease over time.
- President Trump has been slammed by some state governors for his support of anti-lockdown protestors on his Twitter channel. Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio asked protestors to observe social distancing.
- Markets were down slightly Monday morning, despite bullish predictions from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on a quick recovery. Other experts say global economic activity is unlikely to recover even by the end of 2021.
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Make sure your crisis holding statements contain these six elements. You often have to chime in before knowing all the facts. Here’s how to ensure your temporary statement doesn’t put you in a hole.
APCO Worldwide’s founder: “Don’t overstate your value.” You want to be seen to make a difference in your community, but the truth for many organizations is that your options are limited. Here’s why this PR exec says you shouldn’t overplay your hand on CSR. Verizon uses response teams and an employee portal to navigate crisis. Here’s how the global company kept employees engaged and informed with a core team of responders and communicators. Starbucks’ CEO receives plaudits for open letter. Kevin Johnson laid out the plan for opening stores across the country last week, but emphasizes that decisions will be driven by local employees with connections to their community. Inc. wrote: Unlike many companies, Starbucks is showing that it's a company willing to empower its people to make important decisions--like when and how to open up a store, while considering local circumstances. But Starbucks doesn't leave these local leaders without guidance--the company's corporate headquarters provides guiding principles, a rich data set, and an ongoing dialogue with those leaders to support their decision making. Make your virtual presentation hit home. Here are some tips for speakers that no longer have immediate access to their audience---but can still pack a punch with their body language, verbal cadence and more. Grocery chains mandate face coverings for employees. This list of companies now requiring masks for workers includes Kroger, Publix, Walmart and Sam’s Club. Sam’s Club and Walmart’s CEO joined together for a message to workers. The Orlando Sentinel reported: “Although most state and local governments do not mandate the use of face coverings in public settings, the CDC has reported that recent studies show a significant portion of individuals with the virus lack symptoms and can transmit the virus,” [Sam’s Club CEO Kath McLay and Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner] said. “With this knowledge, we believe it is simply in everyone’s best interest to use masks or face coverings to curb the spread of this disease." Try to communicate fairness when approaching layoffs. Senior leaders should be seen as sacrificing as well when tough financial situations force hard decisions. Here are some tips for approaching layoffs equitably and honestly. Facebook’s Zuckerberg takes a stand against anti-lockdown rallies. The social media CEO has joined other business leaders like Bill Gates who have spoken out against premature action on reopening the economy. Business leaders should be prepared to lead on debates about social distancing and economic recovery planning. The Hill reported: "We do classify that as harmful misinformation and we take that down," Zuckerberg said. "At the same time, it's important that people can debate policies so there's a line on this, you know, more than normal political discourse. I think a lot of the stuff that people are saying that is false around a health emergency like this can be classified as harmful misinformation." Amazon’s latest tactic for protecting employees uses thermal cameras. The technology could help detect rising temperatures and help isolate infected workers, but such efforts should be carefully explained to employees. While these tools offer protection—and distance—for workers, make sure you show respect and concern for your people’s privacy. A little visual wizardry will help your message stick. During this crisis, overwhelmed audiences need help knowing what information should get their focus. Here’s how to use imagery to help them find the most pertinent details. Virtual Conference Alert Join us for Ragan’s Internal Communications and Culture Virtual Conference April 21-22 to learn how you can connect dispersed workers and unite your organization in the face of unprecedented disruption. Join our Crisis Leadership Board Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Board is the resource you need before, during and post-crisis. As a Board member, you have access to all back issues of this newsletter, we well as research, data, case studies, checklists, tip sheets, articles and other resources, plus a peer to peer discussion board and an all-access pass to the annual Crisis Management Conference. Sponsorship/Advertising Opportunities Contact Hannah Lavelle at HannahL@ragan.com with sponsorship and advertising inquiries. Pitch Us Have a great story to share about crisis communication or your own take on current best practices? Contact Editor Ted Kitterman at TedK@ragan.com. Sign Up Subscribe to Ragan’s Crisis Daily newsletter today! | 
