How Astrology Can Help Communicators Prepare For A Crisis

If you follow astrology, you might know that Mercury is retrograde next week. From September 27 until October 18, this retrograde of Mercury is the third and last of the year. Report the chaos.

As communicators, astrological phenomena can teach us a lot, especially when it comes to dealing with crises. If you are new to astrology, let me tell you why. Named after the messenger god Mercurius, Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, closest to the Sun. In addition, it is the fastest planet, orbiting the Sun every 88 Earth days.

His demotion is the result of an optical illusion, which makes him feel like he’s backing down. This trippy effect – and the fact that Mercury rules communication – is believed to be the reason for frequent mishaps and misunderstandings during each three to four week event.

Similar to the retrograde of Mercury, you can count on issues and glitches that occur at least a few times a year. Sometimes they turn into a crisis in its own right.

But, with that inevitability comes the ability to prepare before chaos strikes. Taking a page out of Mercury’s retrograde playbook, these best practices will help you navigate issues, problems, and crises no matter what your sign is.

Expect the unexpected

The disruptions that a crisis brings can be extremely disorienting, of course. This is why it is essential to examine vulnerabilities and to plan before things are at their most hazy. It pays to be prepared, having already done your due diligence to develop the broken glass plan for the misalignment of the planets. Preparation will ensure you have fresher buds, helping you avoid mistakes or poor communication. So, consider the following now:

• Consider your goals in a crisis
• Think about the stakeholders you will need to communicate with during a crisis
• Know where and how to deliver your message and who will do it
• Anticipate possible reactions to your message and possible outcomes

These steps and many more are part of the planning process that will help you and your team stay in orbit and minimize fallout.

When things go fast, slow down

While speed is important in responding to a crisis, especially in today’s digitally-powered news cycle, resist the urge to rush to a half-baked solution. Developing detention declarations and contingency plans now will help avoid missteps in the heat of the moment.

In addition, reviewing the facts and involving stakeholders in a predetermined protocol will give you the strength and security necessary for a flawless execution. If you have taken the time to plan, you will have the opportunity to maintain control over your response and evaluate it before disseminating it to relevant stakeholders.

In crisis, opportunity

As a Gemini whose ruling planet is also that pesky winged messenger Mercury, I try to find the rosebud in the thorns. Sure, it can be easy to attribute each hiccup to Mercury retrograde, but instead of looking at it negatively, ask yourself as a communicator: what can we learn from this? How can we grow and improve so that the next time the alarm rings, we are better prepared?

Post-crisis debriefings are particularly useful. And ultimately, they help evolve your organization’s approach from crisis management to crisis mitigation.

Retrograde movement is apparently noticeable to the naked eye, but make no mistake, it doesn’t really move backwards. It’s a good reminder that good planning and calm execution will help us get through crises and even give us the opportunity to reflect. Recalibrating decision-making processes, communication styles and thought patterns can be a valuable exercise for you and your team.

If all else fails, remember that just as Mercury eventually returns, almost any seizure will pass as well.

Bryce bozadjian is senior account manager at ROKK Solutions