Why we need to communicate with empathy during coronavirus.
by Ben Capper
It might be because I don’t possess any; but I’ve never been a big fan of the concept of “common sense”.
Which is a shame, because its currency has never been higher.
Among the reems of tweets about the UK government’s (let’s call it) notable change of direction on the comms approach to the coronavirus pandemic this week (w.c. 11th May 2020), some have been critical, some have been supportive, and some have been nuanced.
But beyond “Stay Alert”, the government’s comms approach has also been notable for the use of “Common Sense” as a rallying cry.
Whatever your views on “Stay Alert”; even the most charitable of readings would say that it is, at the very least, open to interpretation.
Yet we’re apparently supposed to rely on our “common sense” to interpret it in order to protect ourselves and others from a potentially deadly virus.
“Common sense” is a notoriously difficult idea to pin down to anything specific. One person’s idea of it is different to another person’s. And it’s definition changes with time.
It was once, for example, considered “common sense” to allow people to smoke on aeroplanes or to let leeches “cool your blood” thereby curing your common cold.
It was not so long ago, perfectly “common sense” to shake hands with people when you met them. Then it was “common sense” to do elbow bumps instead. Then, very quickly, it became “common sense” to stand 2 metres (not 1 or 3 metres) away from everyone.
The fact is, we changed our behaviour and perceptions on the basis of evidence that was uncovered and then explained to us in language that we could understand.
This seems like a pretty good communications model to me.
What seems less of a useful approach is to rely on “common sense” to interpret new guidelines that to many are confusing, and apparently contradictory in places.
You can see your parents. But one at a time. And in a park. But not in their garden.
You can get in your car and drive wherever you like for a sunbathe. As long as it’s not Wales. Or Scotland. And for as long as you like. But not too long.
You can go to the garden centre. But not to the dentist.
Here’s the thing. I’m not saying that any of these examples are wrong or unjustified. I don’t know. I’m willing to believe they all represent perfectly sound advice, and absolutely the right thing to do.
But they need explaining to people in human terms. We need to know the reasons for these rules. They are strange. They seem contradictory.
They might well be correct. But what they are definitely not are obvious, or “common sense”.
By invoking “common sense”, it says to the public that if they don’t understand them, then they’re clearly at fault, and they lack the intelligence required to understand what is required of them.
Even worse, the invoking of “common sense’s”, more national-exceptionalist cousin “British Common Sense” has the additional insult of telling anyone who doesn’t quite grasp the complexity of the new rules that they’re not “British” enough. It’s questioning people’s patriotism and sense of duty to their fellow citizens at the precise time when such attributes are essential in all of us.
And guess what? It’s already starting to fall apart. On the Wednesday 13th May daily briefing, after three days of being told to jolly well buck our ideas up and use our British Common Sense, there is admission from the Deputy Medical Officer that, yes, arranging family meetings in public is indeed “complicated”, and from the Housing Minister that, yes, the rules around being able to view houses for sale, whilst not being able to see your parents “can seem confusing at first.”
I agree with both of these statements entirely. It is complicated and can be confusing. Acknowledging this the precursor to helping people to understand the new rules. And it’s something as communicators, we need to be encouraging our organisations to do.
It’s basic human empathy and is the basis of any successful communications strategy.
This is a scary time. It has never happened before in our lifetimes. We’re dealing with new ideas and new words every day. It’s a threat to our way of life we haven’t ever seen before.
There is nothing “common sense” about it.
There is nothing wrong in acknowledging complexity and helping people to navigate it. This is not about treating people like children; it’s about engaging with them as human beings. Human beings with worries, fears, and a sense of bewilderment about what is unfolding around them.
As ever, the creative minds over at Doncaster Council have given a Twitter masterclass in how to do this.
It’s time to leave the “common sense” to Al Murray the Pub Landlord, and replace it with a bit of empathy.
Ben Capper is owner of Grey Fox Communications and Marketing. You can say hello on Twitter at @BenCapper
Image via Internet Archive Book Images
