Marianne Kiskola: Internal climate change – crisis

In Greece, it's believed that a word is not just a word. To understand what we say, we must feel the word. Words are never accidental; they always contain lived reality - wisdom. The word is opened up and its origins (usually from ancient times) are examined. By following the guidance embedded in the word, we discover its historical layers and stories – and thus, the wisdom to act rightly. Archaeological digs are beneficial, for cities and words alike. They help us balance modern short-sightedness with thousands of years of awareness.

Undoubtedly, our democracy is now in crisis. But what do we say when we use the word crisis – and how does it guide us to act?

In Greece, a crisis literally means a turning point where a person or organization must quickly choose their future actions. The chosen action determines the direction of our future. Either we have a future, or we don't because of our actions or inactions. In any case, hesitation is out of the question. We are at a crossroads and the old path is rapidly crumbling under our feet. A decision must be made, we must move forward, and the old ways simply do not work anymore. We must be brave and trailblazer, without being able to fully trust how things will turn out. Only the future will tell if our choices were made in time.

Humans are peculiar creatures in that even in a crisis, we know how to act, but we'd much rather not act at all.

It's particularly interesting to examine a crisis from the perspective of an organization or a company. A crisis is seen as an exceptional state that requires immediate communication. We speak of crisis communication. Without it, the usually self-inflicted threat becomes the doom of the organization. The term "crisis communication" is unfortunately misunderstood. It's seen as a divine intervention by a communications professional and as gathered explanations when the damage has already been done. The best crisis communication, however, would be for things to be managed so well within the organization that no one needs to come and explain what happened.

How should we communicate now when we see that the damage has already been done? It's common to regret ignorance, misunderstanding, or poor choices. Then we talk about how to move forward. Wisdom is also to be honest and realistic. The truth always prevails, especially in communication matters.

A glance in the truth mirror tells us that our country is following the global trend towards polarization. We must admit that our Finland too is becoming strongly polarized. Or that it is no longer our Finland, but your Finland and my Finland. Known for diplomats, cool-headed rally drivers, and Nokia ("Connecting People"), our country has learned that hate speech is the new norm. Knowing history helps understand the present and anticipate the future. Those who remember this know that the current climate forebodes ill.

Humanity has been testing polarization for millennia. It has never worked well.

We should be just as worried about the internal and external climate change facing our organization. If the house is burning, the wise person runs to fetch buckets of water, shares them with others, and instructs on extinguishing the fire. Only a fool would, in that situation, blame another for possible carelessness that has caused the fire to lick the walls already. A crisis is overcome with determined, brisk action. A burning house can only be extinguished if everyone has a bucket of water in hand and the will to use it.

Both internal and external climate changes now require decisiveness and diligence. Fortunately, we Finns are also known for these traits. We have a good reputation. We are among the world's luckiest by many measures and have served as a model of modern democracy and peacebuilding for decades. Who better to show the world how to extinguish this (and other) global fire than a nation that loves buckets?

Marianne Kiskola
‍Guest blogger

Marianne Kiskola is a guest blogger on the Frontline Forum website, writing from the perspective of a language researcher and her second homeland, Greece, on "internal climate change." Marianne is a language researcher, screenwriter, and non-fiction author with 11 published books, and a journalist with a strong background in communication and leadership. Currently, she is working on a doctoral dissertation at the University of Jyväskylä on the language of encounter, about which she lectures and coaches.

Marianne has spent years planning, achieving results, and engaging in long-term reputation and communication work for socially significant parties. She has found that the secret to success is simple: internal and external speech must be unified. Thoughts, words, and actions must be aligned. When this line is clarified, it is easy to shine.

Learn more about Marianne on her website: mariannekiskola.com