{"id":1618,"date":"2020-04-27T22:12:56","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T22:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/?p=1618"},"modified":"2020-09-12T10:31:20","modified_gmt":"2020-09-12T10:31:20","slug":"virtually-speaking-five-ways-to-motivate-your-teams-in-the-covid-19-era","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/27\/virtually-speaking-five-ways-to-motivate-your-teams-in-the-covid-19-era\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtually Speaking &#8211;  Five Ways To Motivate Your Teams In The COVID-19 Era"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Virtual-global-connection-Pixabay-Ar130405.jpg?fit=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Virtual-global-connection-Pixabay-Ar130405.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Virtual-global-connection-Pixabay-Ar130405.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Virtual-global-connection-Pixabay-Ar130405.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Virtual-global-connection-Pixabay-Ar130405.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Recently, in email communication with the alumni department of my prestigious alma mater, the London School of Economics &amp; Political Science, I was asked a relevant question, given the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">As the selected <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/management\/alumni\/aotm-archive\/aotm-may2020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8216;Alum of the Month&#8217;<\/a> for May 2020, I was invited to share my insights from a communication perspective on how leaders could motivate their teams. I was asked the question below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken normal modes of communication to the core. What is your advice for business leaders to communicate, motivate and encourage productivity across their teams during the COVID-19 crisis?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">My overarching advice was simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Communicate with empathy, then keep your messaging simple, brief, and clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Regarding the new reality where the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled economies and caused human suffering, effective communication has become crucial in tackling misinformation and providing hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Moreover, since face-to-face communication is no longer advisable because of&nbsp;recommended social distancing, business leaders must increasingly communicate virtually. This poses an obvious challenge: without the benefit of discerning nonverbal cues of people in interpersonal communication, how can you ensure that your speeches, presentations, workshops, lectures or other activities that you deliver virtually will be effective?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Now it won&#8217;t be easy to keep team members motivated when they&#8217;re working from home because of numerous distractions (think of families, pets, and devices). Yet, the need to connect with others hasn&#8217;t changed. Therefore, showing empathy, especially during crises is imperative if you want your messages to resonate with your virtual audiences to spur collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Below are five tips business leaders should consider when seeking to motivate teams and keep them productive during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1) Use short video messages to reassure people<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to regular emails or official statements, consider releasing occasional videos. These needn&#8217;t be professionally produced, but they should be clear with excellent sound. Ideally, videos should be no longer than two minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">In the first video, you should acknowledge the unique situation your company is facing due to the pandemic, and briefly state the facts. Then list steps to tackle issues and explain why those measures are necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Subsequent video messages should provide updates to convince people that you care about their concerns. Communicate using simple language and short sentences to ease understanding. Above all, be transparent \u2013 admit your limitations but reassure people you\u2019re committed to following through on recommendations. Being \u2018exposed\u2019 on video makes you relatable and increases trust. When people trust you, they\u2019re more willing to support your plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2) Be mindful of your nonverbal cues in virtual communication&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">In virtual meetings or conferences, realise that good posture is benefiting of your position &#8211; so sit up straight with feet &#8216;planted&#8217; on the ground. You&#8217;d want to project confidence and firmness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Screen-showing-video-presentation-freedigitalphotos.net-Renjith-Krishnan.jpg?resize=564%2C375&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1621\" width=\"564\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Screen-showing-video-presentation-freedigitalphotos.net-Renjith-Krishnan.jpg?w=400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Screen-showing-video-presentation-freedigitalphotos.net-Renjith-Krishnan.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Keep your body in an &#8216;open&#8217; position: use open arm\/hand gestures, especially around the navel region. Nonverbal communication experts believe such gestures boost trust and credibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Your tone of voice also matters, so vary your tone to add &#8216;drama&#8217; to your words, and to signal authority. Nevertheless, use pauses because they accentuate your points and make your listeners pay attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Smile reassuringly when appropriate and always end with a positive outlook. This creates a we&#8217;re-all-in-this-together bond that inspires people to &#8216;own&#8217; proposed solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">For more tips on using nonverbal cues to communicate effectively during Zoom or other video conferencing calls, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org\/c\/s\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/spycatcher\/202003\/tips-improving-communication-during-video-conferencing?amp\">article<\/a> gives suggestions on using facial expressions, upper body posture, and gestures. Other considerations to note include sound quality and setting up your workspace at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3)&nbsp; Engage with teams members in meetings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">For scheduled meetings or workshops with Zoom, Microsoft Teams or other video conferencing software, first, ensure that all tech issues are handled. Then train participants to use the systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">As the host, you should engage attendees early in the process.<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">One way to keep your team members attentive during a critical meeting is to make it a requirement for their videos to be switched on so that you can observe their actions. Also, let them know at the beginning that you&#8217;d call on people to contribute to the discussion or to ask questions.&nbsp; Nevertheless, realise that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/worklife\/article\/20200421-why-zoom-video-chats-are-so-exhausting\">&#8216;Zoom fatigue&#8217;<\/a> is a growing concern. Therefore, before you mandate video meetings for every issue and insist on seeing attendees online, reassess whether those meetings are necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Another technique to coax participation is to ask team members for their opinions by taking polls. Then encourage them to type their questions or comments in the chat section. By monitoring the chat thread, you\u2019d be able to tweak your content to make it more relevant to the issues at stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Still, you could go a step further by including a &#8216;break-out&#8217; session to get attendees to do a brief activity in groups, say for 20 minutes. Afterwards, they would return to the main meeting to list their recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, for longer sessions, remember to check in with team members after 10 minutes of speaking to ensure that you&#8217;re all on the same page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Engaged team members become valuable collaborators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4) State clear calls-to-action<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">To ensure that you achieve the goal of the virtual meeting, ask for specific support or clearly state what you&#8217;d like people to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">For example, you could insist that meetings don&#8217;t exceed 45 minutes. You could also state that immediately afterwards, the moderator should email participants their tasks with timelines for completion. Avoid vagueness or ambiguity, and provide details that would help your teams do what you ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?fit=640%2C453&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1624\" width=\"566\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?resize=300%2C212&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?resize=1024%2C724&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?resize=768%2C543&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?resize=1536%2C1086&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Business-idea-and-action-Pixabay-Gerd-Altmann.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Always be simple, brief, and clear with your communication, especially during this pandemic where virtual communication has replaced physical interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">In an article on how leaders communicate effectively during the COVID-19 crisis, communications coach and bestselling author Carmine Gallo explains the <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr-org.cdn.ampproject.org\/c\/s\/hbr.org\/amp\/2020\/04\/finding-the-right-words-in-a-crisis\">clear messaging<\/a> used by Governor Cuomo of New York (a city gravely hit by the pandemic). Cuomo&#8217;s stance was unambiguous and powerful: &#8220;Stay Home. Stop the Spread. Save Lives.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5) Be understanding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the best of intentions, some work issues might fall through the cracks over time. Be understanding and realise that your team members may have families to care for and children to homeschool during this lockdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">So, unless there&#8217;s a serious concern about productivity, or critical tasks being completed poorly or ignored, be realistic in your expectations. If staff believe you to be fair, they&#8217;d willingly communicate their concerns and offer options to get things done. Avoid giving ultimatums as these would breed resistance and distrust, which will diminish the quality of work done &#8211; if done at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;re all figuring things out in this unusual situation that&#8217;s become the new normal. Consequently, the &#8216;rules of engagement&#8217; in corporateville have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Coronavirus-lockdown-Pixabay-Sayyid-96.png?fit=640%2C772&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1625\" width=\"568\" height=\"685\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Coronavirus-lockdown-Pixabay-Sayyid-96.png?w=1592&amp;ssl=1 1592w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Coronavirus-lockdown-Pixabay-Sayyid-96.png?resize=249%2C300&amp;ssl=1 249w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Coronavirus-lockdown-Pixabay-Sayyid-96.png?resize=849%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 849w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Coronavirus-lockdown-Pixabay-Sayyid-96.png?resize=768%2C926&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Coronavirus-lockdown-Pixabay-Sayyid-96.png?resize=1274%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1274w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Thus, how business leaders communicate, and why they do what they do, will determine whether their teams will respond positively for the collective good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Echoing my response to the London School of Economics, business leaders should note one important point:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">In this COVID-19 era, the most effective leader is one who strives to communicate simply, briefly, and clearly in virtual channels, with a dose of empathy. No other skill will be as valuable in motivating people to take the desired action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over to you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Do you need help in boosting your communication skills? Sign up <a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/095c3901b043\/communication-services-with-lucille-ossai\">here<\/a> for my free quarterly newsletters and learn best practices. When you sign up, you\u2019ll receive my evergreen resource on giving persuasive presentations<strong>. <\/strong>Ensure you download that document and refer to it before any high-stakes presentation or speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>If you enjoyed this post, don&#8217;t rush off just yet. Please remember to:<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Share this article in your social networks by clicking on the icons below.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sign up for email updates so that you are <strong>immediately<\/strong> notified via email when a new blog post is published. Don\u2019t miss any more articles!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fill the \u2018Contact\/Book Lucille Ossai\u2019 form in the menu above to let us know how we can help you solve your communication problems.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:56px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>N.B:<\/strong> First image is courtesy of Ar130405 via Pixabay. Second image is courtesy of Renjith Krishnan via Freedigitalphotos.net. Third image is courtesy of Gerd Altmann via Pixabay. Final image is courtesy of Sayyid 96 via Pixabay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During this COVID-19 lockdown, you as a business leader would increasingly need to communicate virtually to inspire teams to action. Learn five ways to communicate effectively in this crisis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1620,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"You're a business leader who must communicate virtually to motivate teams. Here's what to do: Virtually Speaking - Five Ways To Motivate Your Teams In The COVID-19 Era\n\n#COVID-19. #Communication. #BusinessTips. #VirtualCommunication.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[862,969,967,970],"class_list":["post-1618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","tag-business-leaders","tag-covid-19-pandemic","tag-london-school-of-economics","tag-may-2020-alum-of-the-month"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Virtual-global-connection-Pixabay-Ar130405.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2113,"url":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/30\/the-nine-year-journey-communication-insights-you-need-to-excel\/","url_meta":{"origin":1618,"position":0},"title":"The Nine-Year Journey: Communication Insights You Need To Excel","author":"Lucille Ossai","date":"March 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Rethinking Business Communications Blog has clocked nine! As its founder and editor, Lucille Ossai celebrates its anniversary, she shares quotes from the insightful articles that she wrote in the period being reviewed. Read the articles; expand your knowledge of best practices in business communication; then go influence people and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;communication&quot;","block_context":{"text":"communication","link":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/category\/communication\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Number-9-Pixabay-Clker-.png?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Number-9-Pixabay-Clker-.png?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Number-9-Pixabay-Clker-.png?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Number-9-Pixabay-Clker-.png?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1546,"url":"https:\/\/lucilleossai.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/24\/eighth-years-the-charm-business-communication-insights-to-excel\/","url_meta":{"origin":1618,"position":1},"title":"Eighth Year&#8217;s The Charm: Business Communication Insights To Excel","author":"Lucille Ossai","date":"March 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Rethinking Business Communications Blog is eight! To celebrate the blog's journey, Lucille Ossai provides quotes from original articles published in the blog's eighth year. 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From the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to the #BlackLivesMatter and #EndSARS movements, loss has been the operative word. 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