5 ways to improve your COVID-19 communication

At the time of this writing the country has been mired in the Coronavirus for almost five full months. It feels like the nightmare that does not want to end, as positive numbers, and rule changes sway back and forth almost every other day, without fail. How can we plan for even one day, when the local politicians move us out of yet another new daily routine, back to the house, where they now tell us the air in our homes may be another part of the problem?  Where have all the smart people gone?

How have you been coping with life on the Coronavirus see-saw? Me, I have been talking to several hard-working people inside our industry, the people like you, who are coming to work each day, albeit with fear and angst, ready to do great work for their community. These are the people that will not sit still, that will not wait for the vaccine, but are serving their community, at the golf course, or through their apparel brand, their role in Food and Beverage, or on the supply side.  Over the past three months, I have conducted interviews, and have had dozens of calls, asking people how they are doing, how they are making it happen? As we all know, the one pastime that has exploded out of this virus so far is golf! Our game is having results as no other. It feels as if everyone is playing golf. There are the regulars, the newcomers, and the many people returning to the game. It is utterly amazing to witness. Golf is the “social distancing game of choice.”  It is absolutely what so many people want to do, every day, in the middle of a pandemic. Who knew? 

Over the course of the many calls and interviews, there was one common response coming back to me over and over again. These industry leaders all said the same thing; “I realize that I needed to communicate much more”, or “I realized I was communicating every day, more than ever.” The lesson, the vital takeaway I had from these many conversations, during this time is that timely, effective communications is essential to get through each new day. Whether it was with local government authorities, team members, golfers, suppliers, or anyone else who was a part of the community, they had to communicate as never before. Because it feels like we will be in this predicament for some time to come, this highfives post will provide 5 thoughts on Communications:

1. The leader can keep a daily journal to put down important situations and conversations of the day, along with anything out of the ordinary
2. Because these days are new, different, and difficult, all leaders must rewrite their playbook on the fly, and then update it daily
3. Execute a daily memo to everyone on the schedule each and every day outlining any work/service changes. If an employee has been out for any amount of time, be sure to meet with them to talk through the what is required to serve and maintain safety
4. Set up a daily 15 minute staff meeting, at the start of the day, to review the daily protocols, along with any updates
5. It will be important for you and your managers to be available throughout the day. When staff, golfers, and others within your community have questions, respond at once.

The calls and meetings were enlightening. Every single person used the term communication when asked about the most important change to their day. Every leader, every manager is communicating both up and down the chain, working as hard as they can to keep people safe, and then to create an experience that will bring people back over and over. The game is on fire, as the virus continues to roar. Think about how you and your team can build a communications’ link that will keep your community safe and happy as they swing away. During these fragile days, you cannot over-communicate. Thank you.

About the author

Jack Dillon writes the highfives blog. Jack is a speaker and expert in service, operations, and merchandise. He has been in the golf industry since 1973. Jack is also a coach, one that can help you and your team. Contact Jack at 407-973-6136, or dillonjack53@gmail.com. Jack lives in Orlando.