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Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

Lesson 336 A Commission on the Future of America

Posted in Integrated Marketing, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Planning, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on July 27, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Watching the current chaotic and confused political party conventions I found myself recalling how I felt on July 4th.

I had spent the day listening to eloquent speeches, captivating patriotic music, and watching amazing fireworks with great pride. But I could not help but worry about the long-term consequences of our mean-spirited polarized politics and the recent frightening increases in terrorist assaults.

“You have a republic if you can keep it,” said Ben Franklin. So in the midst of celebrating our independence I found myself asking: “What can we do in these volatile times to keep it?”

Somehow I found myself recalling a project I had the pleasure of directing at Texas Christian University called The Commission on the Future of TCU.” We recruited a highly visible volunteer chair along with experienced opinion leaders from all segments of the university and community. These participants served an entire year on 18 different task forces and were asked to help clarify the university’s competitive advantage, articulate an appropriate vision, and make suggestions for what needed to be done to secure a strong future. The result was that 75% of the commission’s suggestions became a reality.

On this day, and again during the recent party conventions, I wondered if this commission concept could be modified to develop a meaningful plan for the future of America?

For example, could a U.S. president form such a nonpartisan commission successfully, or is this a project for a former president, or a respected think tank, or an especially created nonprofit institute?

I pondered how it would work for participants to be asked to clarify America’s competitive advantage, restate its core values, articulate a strong future vision, and make suggestions for how to proceed. Task-forces could be formed around urgent needs such as jobs, defense, political process reform, healthcare, energy, foreign policy, terrorism, and so on.

It seems to me that what America needs now is a basic, non-partisan, straightforward strategic plan. I believe that even if it didn’t work miracles it certainly could educate large numbers of people about the possibilities, and result in a dedicated group of leaders committed to making some really good things happen.

 

 

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Lesson 335 When Tone Becomes The Message!

Posted in Leadership, Lessons Learned, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on July 23, 2016| 1 Comment »

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Lesson 334 Advancing and Leading the Academy in Transition

Posted in Higher Education, Integrated Marketing, International, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Strategic Communication on July 17, 2016| 1 Comment »

There is a gathering this week in New York City of the leaders of the education advancement professions. They are the strategic communicators, marketers, alumni relations directors, government affairs professionals, and fundraisers for educational institutions around the world.

They are meeting at a time when dramatic sea changes are coming in their industry, and at a time when volatile events are begging for their institutions to deliver on their potential for community and world problem-solving.

Their institutions are in a state of transition because of government role changes and cutbacks, a digital technology revolution that is changing both how we teach and how we communicate institutions, and the pervasive economic influences of globalization.

Their success is imperative because the world desperately needs their institutions to be in position to improve cross-cultural understanding at a time of widespread conflict, develop talented and global-minded leaders, and make research and consulting experts available to address the world’s most pressing problems.

To ready their institutions for this new day they will need to prepare people internally and externally for this coming change, adapt strategic communication and marketing initiatives to a more global environment, cultivate the help of local and remote alumni and parents, deal with government changes both local and foreign, adapt to changing student migration patterns and faculty career opportunities, and find new sources of financial support while holding on to current ones.

The stakes are high. The world needs these colleges, universities and schools on solid ground now more than ever. And surviving the unique challenges of this transition will require leadership at all levels.

It may be surprising to hear me argue that it’s the advancement professionals who will have the most urgent leadership responsibilities and opportunities of all. This is because the future success of these institutions will be completely dependent on confronting and solving these absolutely essential and complicated communication, marketing and funding challenges.

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Lesson 329 A Communication Perspective on Brexit

Posted in International, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on June 24, 2016| 1 Comment »

The decision of the people of the UK to exit the European Union seemed to surprise and shock the world. But it becomes more understandable when one takes into account the communication dynamics involved in reclaiming national identities.

Uncertainty on several fronts at the same time often leads to a kind of “circling of the wagons” response in many kinds of situations.  This is true for organizations when competition threatens, for families when overall wellbeing is suffering, for cities in economic decline, and for nations with similar kinds of worries about individual and national security.

Many people in the United States are experiencing a similar return to a “nation first” mentality evidenced by the support Donald Trump has  received in the recent presidential campaign. Extreme political polarization, threats of terrorism, and the decline of the middle class are combining to produce a strong “America first” response.

Joining the European Union for Britain meant a free flow of immigrants  flooding into the country taking jobs at a time when middle class struggles were intensifying. Now the idea of even more immigrants is frightening. And melding into a European identity also meant losing some of that strong sense of pride in being British. The overriding problem in Britain is that current political leaders have failed to demonstrate to the public that they can be a good partner in Europe in order to avoid military conflicts and enhance trade, and still maintain a strong British nationality.

Similar forces have been felt in Russia. Building off of the economic struggles all around him, Putin has been able to create a resurgence of nationalism by tapping into traditional Russian pride, much of which is based on a history of superior literature, music, art, ballet, sports and military strength.

It seems ironic that just at a time when globalization is creating new positive opportunities on every front, the fear of losing important national identities is producing a serious and potentially destructive backlash in many parts of the world.

So the basic strategic communication question for the future is this: Is it possible to go forward with the benefits of globalization and also retain national identity and pride? I think so. But we need to make sure globalization benefits are real for everyone, and that those benefits are communicated effectively.

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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 317 Presidents in Crisis

Posted in International, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy on April 5, 2016| Leave a Comment »

From a strategic communication perspective the US president’s approach to implementing his administration’s foreign policy has been  thoughtful and pragmatic. He comes across as an intellectual and approaches international problem-solving realistically.

But, I must say I have had difficulty with how he has handled some issues and crises. Two such moments have happened recently:

(1) He publicly expressed disappointment with US allies not getting more engaged with solving the problems in the middle east. While he might be expressing that privately, publicly he should be stressing repeatedly the importance of working together. Reprimanding allies publicly will only alienate them and make matters worse.

(2) The Brussels attacks happened while he was in Cuba. Mistakenly, he must have seen his primary audience as ISIS instead of his citizens because he chose to be pictured in the stands watching a baseball game. He was more determined to demonstrate that terrorists could not disrupt his schedule than to demonstrate real national leadership.

My experience suggests that at moments like this any president needs to move to a setting symbolizing taking control. This is so whether it be the president of the United States or the president of anything else… university, business, nonprofit, etc.

To do otherwise a top leader ends up handing adversaries a strong case for criticizing judgment under pressure, and then followers inevitably lose confidence they need to feel.

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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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