Almost two decades ago a friend of mine attempted to shoo his children when they expressed interest in something I was wearing on my ear.
I am partially deaf and the two young boys were fascinated by the fact that somebody wore something like that on their ear. They wanted to know why.
Their curiosity was what you would expect from children of primary school age who were simply exploring and wondering about the world around them.
On this occasion they were interested in my beige hearing aid. I explained its purpose, took the battery out and allowed them to see how small it was when compared with their palms.
They ran off quite happily on to the next thing once they had resolved the mystery of the funny thing Tom wore on his ear that they had not seen or noticed before.
A conversation followed with their father to encourage him as best as possible to ensure they remained curious because that was the only way they would be able to learn and be comfortable with things that exist around them.
The hearing aid was not new to me or other grown-ups nearby but it was foreign to the two boys. Creating a degree of uncertainty or discomfort about what the hearing aid meant by failing to explain it would simply have laid the groundwork for misunderstanding or, even worse, prejudice.
Failing to explain matters with a high level of clarity can lead to uncertainty and can sometimes pose more questions if there is radio silence or a very minimal answer from the intended respondent.
Corporate reporting in the time of the coronavirus will be much the same given that there are a range of issues that companies will need to consider. Company boards will need to bear in mind that they are communicating with a curious and possibly fearful audience of shareholders evaluating the possible future of the company they own.
It is an analysis that will depend on the industries in which entities operate and what the impact has been. Any company with links to the entertainment and arts sector, for example, is highly likely to look as if it needs a major transfusion.
Companies that own supermarket chains and essential services will find themselves in a position where they will be doing okay because their sector is required. Food is essential and these companies will be in a position to report some good news.
Anybody that has been involved in manufacturing toilet paper will also have positive story to tell in terms of sales.
A key concern will be corporate performance and how performance in financial terms has been impacted by the coronavirus.
Simplifying the manner in which the figures are explained is going to be critical. Using the jargon in accounting standards might pass for compliance but it is not communication, so overhauling waffle and officialese should be a priority. People who hold shares in companies do not necessarily understand the language.
Financial institutions will have interesting numbers to report across the board with focus falling on the likelihood