Connecting With Clients During COVID-19: Grandma Was Right

When the first cases of COVID-19 emerged in the U.S., you heard stories about people in your community who were impacted by it. Here is one story from the early days of the pandemic.

Clay Bentley was hospitalized in Rome, Ga. He was first diagnosed with pneumonia. Four days later he couldn’t get out of bed; he couldn’t move or breathe. He was one of several members of his church choir who also eventually were diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. He recovered and headed home from the hospital.

This week, it was announced that the U.S. identified the first case of the omicron COVID-19 variant.

What Now?

How do we support and demonstrate caring for our friends, relatives and business associates?

With all things new and unfamiliar, it’s hard to know what to say or do in support of those who need our understanding, support and encouragement.

Feelings are neither right nor wrong, they just are.

To understand others, it’s important to have a clear vision of what help and understanding means.

The discovery of the latest COVID-19 variant requires a look back to look forward.

The idea that the pandemic may not be over is

• Scary
• Freighting
• Frustrating
• Confusing

It’s hard not to focus on the rapidly changing situation, and it’s hard to know where to get updated, dependable information.

While the internet makes information readily available and there are reliable websites, there also is a lot of misinformation online

While we are practicing social distancing and dealing with this crisis, how do we support those who are pivotal in our life and in our business?

Responding To A Crisis

A crisis is generally viewed as a temporary state of emotional upset. It is characterized by a person’s inability to cope with an event or situation using their customary (and previously adequate) coping strategies and problem-solving skills.

The impact on an individual depends on the event or situation and on how that person perceives it in relation to their life.

If a family, friend or associate is involved or affected by the current health care scare, here are some general guidelines and suggestions that may help you better understand and respond to their situation. You know them best, however, and should be alert to their individual needs, behaviors, feelings and perceptions.

1. Make yourself available and accessible to them if and when they want to talk. Be flexible and responsive to their needs. Try to maintain as much of a routine and sense of “normalcy” as you can, but be tolerant of temporary changes, upsets and needs. Do not be too demanding or structured, especially initially.
2. Communicate and demonstrate your concern, care, support, understanding and acceptance. Do not be judgmental or use words like “should” or “must” with respect to their feelings and behaviors.
3. By expressing yourself openly and honestly and displaying your confidence (i.e., that things will improve, and that life will and must go on) and your coping ability, you can serve as an important role model. This will increase the likelihood that they will adopt similar behaviors and attitudes.
4. Listen to them when they want to talk, and try to communicate that you understand and accept what they have to say. If they don’t want to talk, do not force discussion, but let them know that you are willing to listen whenever the need or desire does arise.
5. Avoid using “should, must, never, always, everyone” types of words because of their connotations and judgmental quality.
6. Avoid clichés and trite expressions.
7. Avoid negative implications or statements about individuals or the way they react to or handle a situation.
8. Avoid focusing on the “what’s” and “why’s” of the situation.
9. Be prepared for and allow the expression of a variety of thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviors. Everyone reacts differently, and if you are distraught or uncomfortable doing so then you would be likely to make the situation worse or you cannot meet the needs of others.
10. Avoid trying to make others feel better or trying to “rescue” them. Each person must resolve their own difficulties at their own pace. Don’t expect everyone to “recover” within a certain time period. Don’t assume that someone is not reacting or hurting if they don’t show it. They may not be ready to express their feelings or seek help dealing with the issue right then.

We’ve all gone through a lot, our industry has been tried and tested, and we have all endured and innovated.

Remember what Grandma said: “This too shall pass.”

Lloyd Lofton is the founder of Power Behind the Sales. He is the author of The Saleshero’s Guide To Handling Objections, voted 1 of the 11 Best New Presentation Books To Read in 2020 by BookAuthority. Lloyd may be contacted at [email protected].

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