Brexit - Positive, effective communications have never been as important as they are now!

Nearly one week on from the Brexit result to the EU referendum, and never before in my life time has there been such a need for positive, effective communications!

The whole country went into complete shock with the decision, yes, but it was a democratic decision and one that needs to be recognised, valued and rallied behind.

The lack of planned, effective, POSITIVE communications since the announcement, has led to a situation where the country nearly a week on, is still reeling with the decision.

The Brexit decision was supposed to stand for a more positive, proud, patriotic country, but that from my perspective is as far from the truth now as it could be!

It has led to VERY unpleasant situations occurring around the country – ones that make me feel reluctant to be British! Families made up of British and European partners are being tested under the strain of not feeling welcome in their ‘home’ country, working migrants are feeling uneasy and unwelcomed in their new ‘home’, and businesses are being tested as migrant workers feel unsure of their future.

Positive and effective

The clue to the route forward is in the words: positive and effective.

Now is the time for the media, politicians and businesses around the country to start to talk and think about the decision in a positive manner. To bin the media grabbing negative headlines and instead make people feel positive, secure, welcome, valued and respected.

The politicians and media need to urgently bring unity to the country, through open, honest, informed discussion. Not to portray the situation in terms of challenges, turmoil, doom and gloom, but in terms of better prospects, new horizons, and exciting opportunities.

How can we expect the markets to have faith in the country if all they see being portrayed is a ‘broken’ country?!

People need to have a picture painted that portrays a better life – one that so many people voted for and believed in. They also need to be fully engaged in a new type of inclusive politics – one where the future direction and choices are co-produced and built from communities upwards, rather than as a ‘done to’ as is historically the case.

Great Britain

It’s time to put the Great back into Britain!

Great Britain has to be seen by the rest of the world as positive, united, and driven by a single and determined desire to forge positive relationships and discussions with partnering countries - negotiations that will bring about new fortunes.

Politicians – whoever is chosen to represent the country at the international discussion tables, need to be positive, enthusiastic, forthright and determined to bring the gold home. They need to build new relationships with European and international partners that enable the country to prosper like never before.

Businesses, large and small, also have a huge part to play. They need to enhance their internal communications and engagement activities like never before. To embrace all their staff, making them feel equally valued, welcome, and part of a positive, clearly articulated journey.

Gold at the end of the rainbow

Whether the decision was the right one in individual people’s minds is irrelevant now. The decision has been made democratically. We need to move on in a positive manner, with informed, involved, effective two-way communication and engagement, to ensure that the whole country is united, understand the vision for the future and the path that has to be taken, and crucially, how they as individuals are key to making sure that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is reached.

If the country is not united, and all pulling together in a single positive direction then how can we ever succeed, and what then was the point of choosing a Brexit vote if change, positivity and prosperity is not being strived for?