How our decision-making tool helped making tough brand decisions a little easier

There are a lot of unspeakable things happening the world. It’s the job of the modern-day communications team to put words to them. But our role goes far articulating the ‘hard to say.’ We convene with stakeholders to start conversations and work toward action.

These days, sitting on the sidelines isn’t an option. Stakeholders expect — insist — that companies have a view on the news making events impacting the communities in which they operate. At M&T Bank, the company at which I’ve worked for the last 19 years, this feels natural. We’re a community bank with deep roots in each of the cities and towns we serve. We care about the things happening in each community because, as we like to say, we live here, too.

The right tool for a hard job

Unfortunately, in recent times those news making events have been impossibly tragic and difficult to come to grips with. It’s made the job of today’s communication leaders that much harder. Something happens. Something bad. The communications team quickly convenes with leaders around the organization. Should we say something? What should we say?

A year or so ago, we realized we’d had too many of these conversations. We were, meeting too frequently on tragedies. These are hard conversations that expend much energy.