In times of crisis, the language we use is essential to capturing the attention, trust, and praise of our audience. Business leaders wishing to master this skill and serve as a beacon of clarity and hope to their teams should apply a few best practices to their speech. First, replace long words with short ones; the clearer and more concise you are, the higher chance you will have to get your message across. Use analogies; they act as mental shortcuts to help listeners understand complex events. Personalize the crisis; use stories to inform, educate and inspire. Stick to the rule of three; if you want people to act on what you say, limit your advice to three things.
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When New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all nonessential workers should stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, a reporter asked why he had decided to issue a “shelter-in-place” order. Cuomo corrected him:
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