I’ve been asked these same two questions by leaders of five different institutions in the last few weeks. These are “pillars of the community” institutions. Places that have long been beacons of trust and difference making.

But these leaders are now worn down by the personal attacks and vitriol that seem to be coming from all parts of our society. They are tired. Some have even stopped doing public meetings or town halls anymore, as they quickly deteriorate into shouting matches. And they’ve long abandoned trying to find logic or productive value in many of the comments on social media.

I’ve consulted with lots of different experts on the topic. And the conclusion is this: nobody has good advice. How to tackle it is a judgment call based on what each organization thinks is best for them.

I know that’s not very helpful.

Especially when it seems every organization is struggling with the same tension. It’s happening in government, corporate America, neighborhood associations and even in religious life.

Here's a little of what I’ve learned; and, by the way, you already know this intuitively.

Every year, the world’s largest public relations firm, Edelman Worldwide, publishes what they call a “Trust Index.” Here’s what the CEO of Edelman said after their report two years ago:

“We are seeing an accelerated erosion of trust and an epidemic of misinformation and the loss of belief that what our leaders tell us bears any resemblance to the truth.”

But it gets worse.

This from a Northwestern University professor of psychology: “The debate going on is increasingly divorced from ideas…it’s not about ideas. It’s about conquest. It’s about defeating the bad people on the other side.”

The goal is not to persuade and convince, it’s to destroy.

And this from Scientific American: “We have moved from being polarized (highly segmented by our beliefs) to holding a basic abhorrence for our opponents.”

As leaders, we are called upon to navigate through chaos and help lead our organizations through minefields. Right now, there are few bigger than the social discord we are all experiencing.

Despite expert wisdom that there are not great solutions, here’s my best advice:

1. Stay visible. Ducking for cover and staying out of the public eye wreaks of fear. And those who do not like you will see that fear as a weakness to be exploited.
2. Stay polite and humble. There is a silent majority out there. Your constructive behavior will appeal to their better nature. Plus, it’s a stark contrast to the vocal minority and it will – at some point -- make a difference.
3. Cultivate supportive third parties. Given the devolution of trust in institutions and institutional leaders, your best allies and spokespeople are likely not those in your employ.
4. Remember there is no longer any margin for error and no grace for human misses or innocent oversights. Today, mistakes are recharacterized as evidence of conspiracies and power plays. Make sure you and the people around you manage the details and have solid oversight processes.
5. Maintain a culture of high judgment and discernment that shows a deep appreciation for the environment in which we are now working. The public mistrust and vitriol are real and cannot be ignored. To the contrary, it must be factored into what we do and how we do it.
6. When it comes to communications:
   1. Don’t ever stop. Nature abhors a vacuum. If you don’t fill it, someone else will…and likely not in ways that will be helpful.
   2. Be consistent. Make sure all your communications, on any topic, use the same kinds of words and don’t vary on the facts. Even when there are practical reasons for disparate language in communications, avoid it like the plague.
   3. Be exacting. When speaking, be thoughtful in what you say and how you say it, knowing that some people will want to take you out of context. When writing, don’t fire something off quickly. Instead, be equally thoughtful and make sure a second set of eyes reviews your work before hitting the send button.
7. Be aware of the emotional toll the new normal will take on you and the people around you. The current environment is exhausting. Find ways to take care of yourself and your team.

None of us are immune to the current environment and the challenges of working in it and through it. It has arrived at lightning speed and we’re all grappling with what to do about it.