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Archive for the ‘Higher Education’ Category

Lesson 327 Terrorism. Process. Integration. Education.

Posted in Higher Education, International, Leadership, Lessons Learned on June 13, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The horrible mass killing in Orlando underscores the gridlock we find ourselves in today. Everyone deplores these situations, but the incredible implosion of information and opinions always results in paralyze leadership. The ability to empower an elected leader at moments like this to come up with a plan and move ahead with it has been lost in a paralyzing information overload.

Somehow we have lost the realization that every organization only moves forward when leadership is allowed to begin implementing some possible solutions with the full understanding that every new initiative will have to be modified or replaced based on experience.

Years of communication study has led me to believe that the key to moving organizations of all kinds ahead is in understanding the power of tools such as “organizational process” and “collaborative integration.”  Using process in strategic communication means being able to use actions team of experienced and talented people to find and try possible solutions. “Integration” means that ongoing  task forces or “idea incubators” are used to continue looking for better ideas and to fine-tune current ones.

The same approach certainly can apply to governments. But only if the political system is wise enough to restrict extreme partisanship to primary campaigns and embrace the wisdom of collective problem-solving when events require collective action informed by a bit of pragmatism.

Some progress could also be made on international “terrorism” if the principle of “integration” could be used to bring experts from many countries together to find and act collectively on possible solutions. This too would have to happen outside the influence of political divisions.

I suggested in previous blog posts that many cities around the world have experts experienced in looking for solutions in the neighborhoods where hate and extremism begins. This collective wisdom must be tapped.

Can we in the US be wise enough to take the lead on putting together task forces and action of teams of those with the most experience? Will our current candidates please stop inflaming the situation with polarizing rhetoric and talk more reasonably about what unites us… what “process” and “integration” ideas can bring our country and the world closer together?

And we must not lose sight of the fact that the ongoing globalization of  higher education can play a significant role in addressing these difficult issues… but only if we are willing to build “process” and “integration” principles into how our institutions proceed.

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Lesson 325 Preparing to Go Global!

Posted in Higher Education, Integrated Marketing, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Strategic Communication on May 31, 2016| Leave a Comment »

This week I helped kickoff a special pre-conference seminar at the association of international educators (NAFSA) annual meeting. It was co-sponsored by both NAFSA and the Council for the Advancement and Support for Education (CASE) and it was about how individual institutions can “get their key constituents on the same page” with respect to their international objectives.

When higher education became a more competitive industry a number of years ago my staff and I at TCU understood that we would have to become much more sophisticated.  Institutions today once again face a similar challenge to become even more sophisticated now that they will have to compete in a rapidly changing global market.

What differentiates our institution in a global context?  What do we offer better than others? How will we know what our constituents are thinking, or how they are responding? What are they saying to others about us?

For a long time marketing people educated in business schools have talked about the 4 P’s… product, price, place and promotion. Promotion was their word for communication, and all four elements needed to be considered simultaneously for success. So we in strategic communication realized early on that if products (or programs), prices and places (total experiences) were to be communicated successfully we would have to think collaboratively with those who determined the first 3 of those 4 P’s.

Now that higher education is becoming a competitive “global” industry integrated marketing thinking and planning, the use of carefully selected new media platforms, and group process tools will still be essential for success. A critical mass of people will need to understand what makes each institution special, and they will need to help to tell the institution’s story. The use of task-forces, action teams, and focus groups are still the most effective way to first find out what constituents think and then get them fully engaged. And most especially in today’s new media world, communicators will need to know how people in each market segment within each country want to receive information from them.

The bottom line: As higher education becomes a global industry the ideas and tools of integrated marketing communication will be essential to get key constituents in each institution “on the same page” with respect to institutional objectives… and the many exciting opportunities.

 

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Lesson 323 Does Cuba Need a Marketing Plan?

Posted in Branding, Higher Education, Integrated Marketing, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Strategic Communication on May 17, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Members of Fort Worth Sister Cities International recently visited Cuba. After 50 years of an American embargo they experienced a country that may soon witness rapid commercial development… a situation which poses many concerns about what could result.

While in Cuba the group met University of Havana Professor Carlos Alzugaray Treto who spent 35 years in the Cuban foreign service during those embargo years. In that role the ambassador saw human rights issues not only in Cuba, but in many other countries… including the US and some  of its allies. And he came to see trade between countries purely as win-win exchanges.

So on a recent trip to Fort Worth he remained optimistic about improved US-Cuba relations in matters of human rights and trade. And he also saw commercial development in Cuba as happening one step at a time, enabling traditional Cuban cultural values to be retained.

While buildings are crumbling in many areas of Cuban cities, the question  will be whether to restore them or build modern ones. Will streets end up lined with fast food joints or traditional Cuban bars and eateries? And while more hotels certainly are needed, how many must model traditional Cuban architecture for the culture to be reinforced?

And beyond these physical development issues how can long-standing  Cuban cultural and artistic values be retained? In other words, what is an appropriate overall vision for Cuba’s future? Can standards be articulated which encourage appropriate modernization and yet ensure that traditional Cuban cultural features are preserved?

I suggest that a simple “marketing and communication blueprint” which everyone can understand will be required. It must clearly articulate, update, and authenticate a renewed national brand identity. Such a blueprint is much more than mere advertising.

A clear brand identity enables a national “self-fulfilling prophecy” to take place. It does so by constantly surrounding local citizens and the rest of the world with many media platforms… from TV to newspapers to posters to social media. To be effective the content must be clear messages and pictures about what Cuba stands for and believes about itself.

Achieving an “authentic” Cuban brand identity will require key opinion leaders from government, the arts, hotels, restaurants, education, human services, marketing, communication, etc. to meet together in small groups to brainstorm, clarify and take full “ownership” of an authentic Cuban brand. Similar groups can also work on the standards for commercial development and for preserving the culture.

I must add at this point that universities with strong programs in political science, international relations, public health, public administration, urban planning, marketing, media studies, communication, etc. can be vital resources to countries such as Cuba. Universities can provide research and expertise in everything from rebuilding institutions and businesses to addressing problems in climate change, poverty, hunger, energy, conservation, and much more.

Indeed, universities are strong soft power and public diplomacy forces… much the same as Sister Cities International.

 

 

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Lesson 321 The Transparency Dilemma

Posted in Higher Education, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Strategic Communication on May 3, 2016| Leave a Comment »

When communicating organizations or causes it’s difficult not to believe in complete transparency.

Back in the day when I was helping organizations with their strategic communication planning I often strived to implement a total transparency policy. Making all the data public just seemed like the right thing to do.

But when trying to explain the truth in complicated situations I quickly learned the hard way that adversaries and competitors alike can make almost any counter-argument sound credible when they have all the data they want at their finger tips. In fact, one colleague once quipped, “Give me all your numbers and I can show you how to defend any point of view!” And if that is true for organizations, what about political campaigns?

Some candidates may claim transparency, but in today’s 24/7 news media environment any effort to achieve it quickly goes out the window. The media’s appetite for a constant flow of attention grabbing statements fuels a widespread practice of carefully selecting facts, exaggerating them, and then finding new ones whether or not they are completely relevant. This then can easily slip into outright lying. Any attempt at transparency simply gives the competition too much to work with.

So maybe complete transparency is not what we really should ask from organizations or political campaigns. Maybe all we need is the truth and nothing but the truth… along with the evidence necessary to substantiate it!

 

 

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Lesson 320 Fine Tuning the Theme

Posted in Higher Education, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Strategic Communication on April 27, 2016| Leave a Comment »

A university executive once said to me, “Your problem, Lauer, is you think every problem is a communication problem.”  At first I tried to convince him otherwise. But in retrospect I really have come to believe that most serious issues and problems really do have significant communication components, and this blog reinforces that perspective every week.

So I fine-tuned the theme to: Lessons in Communication.

Weekly posts will continue to address the challenges of… making individuals, organizations, and causes better understood; understanding  the psychic and social consequences of media revolutions, dealing with the impact of 24/7 journalism and social media;  exploring the issues  related to politics and foreign policy, and seizing the opportunities of a global higher education industry to improve international understanding, develop truly international leaders, solve persistent global problems, and nudge us much closer to world peace. 

The world keeps getting smaller and smaller. But it also keeps getting more and more confusing. As we strive to make the planet a better place to live this blog will continue to explore the most serious communication and media issues we will face. Whether you are an educator, communication professional, student, or concerned citizen of the planet, I invite you to join me in my ongoing quest to understand why communication always breaks down, what can be done about it, and how media revolutions change everything.

 

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Lesson 319 Teaching Begins With Connecting

Posted in Higher Education, Lessons Learned, Strategic Communication on April 19, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Much of the talk these days in education circles is about requiring school systems to teach a “common core” of subjects, “teaching to the test,” teachers being evaluated based on their student’s test scores, and education schools being evaluated based on their graduates’ students’ test scores. But where is the recognition that before learning can begin teachers must first make a connection with the students they find right there in front of them?

Schools exist in communities and neighborhoods that vary significantly with respect to what living conditions and cultural realities students bring to school. At a time when the world is more tuned-in than ever to the issue of “home-grown terrorism” and how neighborhood conditions influence people, it’s difficult to understand why so many are able to ignore the impact of the family and neighborhood experiences that students bring to school.

John Miller, New York City Deputy Police Commissioner, recently observed on a morning news program that his research suggests that the same conditions that produce gang members also produce terrorists. He argued that it’s not religion, but rather it’s not having the opportunity for experiencing a sense of belonging and empowerment in a situation where far too many young and older people have no jobs, receive no real recognition, and feel no hope for a better life.

Obviously, the first challenge for teachers in this and other settings is to make a meaningful connection with the actual person who walks in the door.That requires letting that person know you understand who they are, where they come from, and what they must overcome at home and with their peers. Finding that point of connection, identifying a talent to develop, and building self-esteem must precede any hope of memorizing content related to math, science and history. Teachers who can make this kind of connection, help students deal with the conditions they live in every day, and still inspire a sense of hope, are worth their weight in gold.

In the end, the discipline necessary to master academic subjects is likely to come only when doing so can be seen by the student as a possible pathway to self-fulfillment and a kind of success that seems remotely within reach.

 

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Lesson 318 Dealing with Internal Politics

Posted in Higher Education, Internal Politics, Lessons Learned on April 12, 2016| Leave a Comment »

“If I didn’t have to deal the politics in my institution I could really make a difference with what I learned at this institute.”

That what was I was hearing after each marketing and communication summer institute I chaired for professionals in higher education. Based on my many years experience I found myself responding by telling them they should plan to spend at least half their time dealing with internal politics. I said that, but then quickly realized that this was a topic that we rarely discuss in our classrooms and conferences.

All this led me to writing a little tongue-in-cheek book about university politics called Learning to Love the Politics (www.case.org/books). What surprised me was that people outside of higher education started telling me that this was the biggest problem they faced in their organizations as well.

The book simply analyzes various leadership styles, anticipating typical barriers to supporting a more sophisticated marketing and communication program. It further describes typical situations and behaviors, and then it adapts grassroots politics techniques to deal with them.

The book further argues that internal politics are best handled within a framework of an “education strategy.” This simply means finding ways in one-on-one conversations and meetings to educate opinion leaders about the effectiveness of your work, and the specific benefits to them of supporting it. This sounds obvious, but few of us actually do it because it requires thinking ahead and organizing our work into brief easily explained categories.

Loving internal politics might be a stretch for many of us, but it is actually a subject matter that can be mastered. There are effective strategies and tactics and they clearly demonstrate how losing a few battles can actually lead to winning the day!

 

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Lesson 316 My Spring Break Nightmare!

Posted in Higher Education, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Strategic Communication on March 29, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Two of my grandchildren are headed to college next year. Both applied to the university where I worked for almost 50 years. The cost there will total about $50,000 and so they will not likely attend. Even with a $20,000 dean’s award, an education there will now cost an additional $30,000 a year. It is an almost impossible situation for most middle class families, especially those with several children to educate.

During spring break I found myself  reflecting on what the future might have in store for my grandchildren, as well as for universities and middle class families. The plain truth is that universities have evolved to provide what families want… quality faculty, smaller classes, the best technology, and attractive facilities. And all this costs a lot of money:

(1) Everyone agrees that a high quality campus-based education requires top faculty, seasoned administrators, small classes, modern libraries, multi-media classrooms, and well-equipped laboratories. These are not frills. Cutting these without harming outcomes seems virtually impossible.

(2) And even the frills such as choices of comfortable living options, great food plans, high-end recreation and sports facilities, technology access and support, ongoing maintenance, professional police forces, and beautiful campus grounds, all have evolved to meet market expectations. They have become commonplace and are generally not regarded as luxuries.

(3) In addition, just keeping up with technology advances these days can break the bank. History teaches us that as soon as new media platforms appear they will be used.  And old ones never go away. This is the new media digital technology generation, and so providing all of it for today’s students is a given.

My spring break nightmare quickly became a fear that face-to-face education in a setting that meets market expectations is simply too costly to survive.

So will education move more on-line? Will teaching fall mostly to lower cost adjuncts? Will research scholars find their futures more often in “student-less” think tanks! And my worst nightmare… will our best traditional campus-based universities evolve into socially elite high cost country club schools?

Thankfully spring break is over. My dreams have been more pleasant. And once again I am a bit more confident we will find a better way.

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Lesson 312 Cutting Through Media Clutter

Posted in Higher Education, Integrated Marketing, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Strategic Communication on March 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »

We live in a world where communication breakdown is rampant. Polarized ideologies and outrageous political campaign claims have created confusion and consumer frustration. Can legitimate institutions and individuals ever be understood in an environment such as this? It may seem complicated and time-consuming at first, but there is a set of communication initiatives that when used over time can cut through information clutter.

This set of communication power tools is called Integrated Marketing Communication, or IMC. “Integration” in strategic communication has two basic dimensions: The first is the simultaneous use of a variety of media platforms carefully selected for each target market to significantly ramp up the frequency and intensity of messages. The second is to use group dynamics techniques to bring opinion leaders together to clarify competitive advantage, get constituents on the same page with respect to brand identity, and to organize and facilitate aggressive and on-going media “buzz,” and word-of-mouth support.

Bringing basic “marketing” ideas into strategic communication establishes that to communicate them successfully, programs, products, prices, ways to connect, and on-location experiences, all need to meet real consumer needs. To make sure this happens the primary communicator  must be a major and active player in the entire strategic planning process.

When all of these pieces are in place, Integrated Marketing Communication will provide a powerful set of communication tools that can clarify authentic messages and cut through the bewildering information clutter of this new digital media world.

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Lesson 309 The Role of Corporate Culture

Posted in Higher Education, Integrated Marketing, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Planning, Strategic Communication on February 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Last week I discussed the danger of rigid marketing models and evolving executive groupthink when the market outside is changing. However, this should not be confused with a strong corporate culture that monitors and embraces ongoing change.

Some organizations build their corporate cultures gradually over time. Other organizations are created at the outset with values and cultural characteristics intended to differentiate them from the others.

For example, some silicon valley companies are building team cultures by offering free food, child care, attractive health and other benefits, parking, recreation facilities, mid-day rest time, paternity and maternity leave, etc. These perks serve as hiring advantages, team building tools, and high productivity incentives.

On the other hand, Amazon was recently criticized for a no-nonsense culture with high expectations for fast work and long work hours. But the company responded that employees there were energized by a culture based on exciting new challenges and being a part of a cutting-edge organization on the move.

Even though universities are more like small cities they too have corporate cultures that help define their competitive advantage. Some use benefits and a sense of family in place of salary to attract top quality faculty and staff. Others count more on a culture of rigorous scholarship, academic prestige, and competitive salary to motivate achievement and define competitive advantage.

No matter how corporate culture is established it becomes a major  part of an institution’s brand identity. A clear understanding of “how we do things around here” can be a positive force so long as those things can evolve with outside market changes. The challenge is to let those things evolve without damaging  the features which have established the institution’s competitive advantage.

The interesting thing about corporate culture is that it both defines the nature of the workplace inside and much of the appeal the institution has with most of its external constituents.

Experience suggests that cultural features can be so strong in many organizations that even in hard times every effort should be made to hold on to as many as possible. Some may go so far as to prefer cutting staff positions before damaging the external “brand promise” and the internal work experience for those who remain.

In the final analysis, groupthink and marketing models that insulate executive teams from the forces of change are certainly harmful. But organization-wide task forces and internal think tanks that monitor market changes and carefully manage the evolution of strong and creative corporate cultures are really powerful and essential strategic communication tools.

 

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