Sean B. Pasternak

As a communicator, I always say "We can communicate anything, but we need to know what we're communicating and why." When you have conflicting information to deal with, that certainly makes it tougher to do. So it's absolutely critical to bring the right people to the table and discuss the conflict openly and honestly. It's also helpful to have some suggestions for resolution to give those at the table some potential options as a starting point.

Like many of us, I have a tool in Workday that allows me to request feedback from colleagues. I try to do this frequently throughout the year, and not just when annual reviews come due. This way, it allows people enough time to be thoughtful in their remarks and not rushing to meet a deadline. I make sure to follow up on that feedback and as appropriate, discuss it with those colleagues to show that, not only do I take their input seriously, but that I truly appreciate it.

Years ago, I asked team members to take over a task without giving much in the way of additional guidance. I thought once it was out of hands, the task would magically be handled without incident. And predictably, I almost never got the results I wanted. People aren't mind-readers, and their methods of completing something will invariably differ from yours. That's just human nature, and there's nothing wrong with independent thinking. You just may need to double-click on what it is you're asking for and offer them support along the way. Today, I always try to set clear expectations around what I'm looking for, but I also check in and encourage questions every step of the way. It's common sense, but it probably doesn't happen enough.

I've found in numerous social media situations that when your brand is the recipient of negative sentiment, it often feels worse than it actually is. This is mainly because you're watching the activity in a bubble, or being influenced by people who are watching the situation unfold in real time. Truth be told, it's likely one of hundreds of other disputes happening in parallel, with a pretty slim chance that your situation in particular will have a long-term impact on your brand. Now.... staying calm doesn't mean throwing out the playbook, nor does it warrant standing down on your strategy. But this does give you the option to stand back and see how bad the situation truly is before responding (or employing other strategies).

I began my career in PR with 20 years experience in journalism and 0 years experience in corporate communications. One isn't necessarily a substitute for the other, but it does show the value of having relevant lived experience. My instincts for knowing what the media might be looking for; which questions they may ask; and which hot-button topics to potentially avoid certainly helped me acclimate to the world of corporate communications, especially in those first few years when I just didn't know what I didn't know.

Sometimes there's a way to share a narrative on social media that doesn't directly respond to the exchange in question, yet still provides the audience with additional information. It's not always possible, but if you can pull that off... not only will you bypass an unpleasant social media thread, but it's also a unique way to discuss your view on a topical subject.