Larry D. Lauer

Back in the day, I was among several others seeking to find and articulate the perfect planning model for communicating institutions. The “buzz term” at the time in management was MBO, Management by Objectives. I wanted to find the communication equivalent.

But over time I came see that “groupthink” of any kind can be a trap. “This is the way we do things,” has caused many executive teams to plateau just when reinventing themselves and revitalizing their organizations became necessary.

In fact, entire consulting firms have based their work on a formula for success they have developed.  In higher education many fundraising consultancies and marketing and communication firms have based their work on formulas. And so when the core business is disrupted the initial response is to do more of what has always been done.

But when overall conditions change, competition deepens, and markets broaden, the game is changing. Now is when marketing thinking, integrated processes, strong team building, fresh thinking, and new strategic initiatives might be necessary.

An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education recently  described Georgetown University’s “Red House, a house near center campus, as a kind of  “skunkworks.” Students and faculty are engaged together in developing creative cutting-edge projects in search of a more innovative and cost-effective education.

In order to avoid falling back on past models, maybe all organizations could benefit from forming their own version of a “skunkworks.” Such internal think-tanks can objectively use integrated group processes to clarify founding mission, fine-tune brand authenticity, update message points and overall  “look,” revitalize the vision, and inspire a strong sense of renewal.