I see a lot more people on the road that in recent weeks. I guess some of these folks believe, or at least hope, that life will get back to normal sooner rather than later.

Well, that got a bit of cold water this week when the White House Infectious Disease Head stated his concern about opening up too quickly. That got followed up by the Fed Chair who basically said the economic outlook is highly uncertain. Stock markets tanked as a result.

These news events should serve as important lessons for CEOs and business owners. Remember this, we’re still in the very early stages of this pandemic and we’ll experience a lot of fits and starts. Many organizations will convey conflicting themes and messages in the coming months.

Stay consistent in your communications and be realistic in your expectations. It doesn’t mean you need to sound dour, but you don’t want to get hopes unnecessarily up only to cut them back later. Start thinking long term and start thinking about how slow and steady will win this long race.