March 10, 2020
We all watch the weather on TV, and have weather apps on our cell phones. Research has shown that weathermen, by a significant margin, err on the side of predicting bad weather over good. The reason is simple. If the weatherman predicts good weather and it rains, you are not happy. However, if he predicts bad weather and the sun comes out, all is good. It’s called job preservation.
Which brings me to coronavirus. The worst thing you can do in managing a crisis like this is to make happy talk, and pretend that everything is fine. People will remember if things go from bad to worse, and they will not forgive and forget. However, if you lay out the facts, and put out a worst case scenario, people will cut you some slack if events surprise on the upside. It’s no great secret. It is just managing expectations.
The Spin Doctor 