As the crisis continued, Graves used video technology to communicate and realized that doing so in real-time in an organic way had profound benefits. He doesn’t dismiss the need for prepared talks, carefully constructed and polished, at other times, but sees the value of less formal communication to help people feel informed, important, and connected.

The secret sauce, says Johnston, is connection, starting with what is true about us, our teams, and entire organizations – successes, failures, and embarrassing mistakes. Leaders who develop the habit of connecting can do more than react to seismic shifts; they can create them when necessary.