Bring People Through the Crisis
Pair hard decisions with a plan, frequent updates, and reassurance
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 92%
When pandemic restrictions forced Ann Summers stores to close, Gold says the company had to make difficult decisions, including letting people go. Her leadership emphasis was to bring employees through the journey rather than announce outcomes without context. That meant developing a current plan, speaking regularly, explaining how the company intended to get through the disruption, and reassuring people while uncertainty remained. The mechanism combines operational direction with a communication cadence: disclose the changed reality, define the best available response, explain consequences, invite people into the evolving plan, and update them as conditions change. Reassurance is not certainty or spin; it is credible evidence that leaders are engaged, communicating, and adapting while acknowledging painful facts.
Origin
Gold describes using regular communication, reassurance, and an evolving plan after pandemic rules closed the company's stores and forced difficult workforce decisions.
Core principles
- 01People need truthful direction during uncertainty
- 02A plan gives communication practical substance
- 03Frequent updates reduce avoidable information gaps
- 04Reassurance must coexist with difficult decisions
- 05A team should understand the journey, not only the outcome
How to run it
- 1
Name the new reality
Tell affected people what has changed, what is known, and what remains uncertain before rumours fill the gap.
Pro tip Separate confirmed facts from assumptions and pending decisions.
Watch out Do not minimise consequences in an attempt to sound optimistic.
- 2
Build the current plan
Define the immediate operating response, priorities, and decision points using the information available now.
Pro tip Make the next actions concrete even when the long-term answer is unknown.
- 3
Explain hard decisions
Communicate what the organisation must do and how employees are affected. Provide process and support information where available.
Watch out Follow employment law and obtain specialist advice for workforce decisions.
- 4
Create a rhythm
Set regular updates so people know when they will hear from leadership again, even if some answers remain unresolved.
Pro tip Use repeated communication to clarify the plan, not merely repeat reassurance.
- 5
Revise visibly
Update the plan as restrictions, finances, and operating evidence change. Explain what changed and why.
Pro tip A visible revision can build more trust than pretending the first plan was final.
Watch out Never promise a recovery outcome the evidence cannot support.
In the wild
Gold says pandemic restrictions abruptly closed every store and forced the company to let people go. She describes speaking to teams regularly, reassuring them, and explaining the evolving plan for getting through the disruption.
→ Employees were brought into the company's crisis journey while teams adapted operations and accelerated the ambassador channel.
Common mistakes
Communicating only the decision
Gold emphasises bringing people through the journey, which requires context and follow-up rather than a single announcement.
Reassuring without a plan
Comforting language becomes hollow when it is not paired with current actions and honest uncertainty.
Treating the first plan as fixed
A crisis plan must change as external conditions and available support change.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for organisations facing closures, restructuring, or sudden operating disruption that affects employees directly.
Not ideal for
It is not a substitute for legal consultation, employee rights, financial controls, or specialist crisis planning.
From the transcript
“bringing those people on that really difficult journey was so important”
“talking to them regularly, reassuring them, telling them what our plans were”
“we had to make difficult decisions”
From the episode
Ann Summers CEO: The Heartbreaking Story Of One Of Britain’s Richest Women: Jacqueline Gold CBE