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Archive for the ‘Strategic Communication’ Category

Lesson 475 Can 24/7 News Help In A Crisis?

Posted in Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on January 24, 2019| Leave a Comment »

What impact has 24/7 nonstop news coverage had on the government shutdown? Here are some thoughts about the role of conflict in the news business:

News as a business… the news business requires delivering audiences to advertising. Since any crisis brings intense public interest, intensive reporting about conflict is central to the business of news.

Competition… news organizations compete with each other for audience. Pressure to find new facts and angles is relentless. This can lead to nonstop 24/7 coverage… some call it “feeding frenzies.” Such frenzies keep conflicts alive, which is good for the news business.

The celebrity effect… the news business has its own celebrities. Competition between the different personalities and strengths of “celebrity journalists” helps keep audiences large and connected. Following your favorite anchors or journalists during a crisis is good for business.

Consequences of media revolutions… media revolutions produce information clutter and confusion. Reporting about conflicts can give career-driven journalists a chance to gain name recognition.

Biased sources… many news consumers today select biased sources that simply reinforce what they already believe. Shameless reporting can keep their audiences engaged, which is good for biased news businesses.

Exaggerations and lies… most official statements about who is to blame are flawed. Repeating these statements over and over tends to add more heat to the conflict, which is counterproductive to finding practical solutions.

Nature of television imagery… television is a drama-making medium. Action shots, close-ups, editing, and montage are its main tools. Putting people involved into hearings and meetings, and then putting them on television. raises emotions and heightens conflicts… all good for business.

Chaos and disruptions… distracting official pronouncements add to conflicts every day. News organizations feel compelled to report them immediately and thoroughly. But this means that the wild activities of administration officials and other news makers will rarely get covered. But in the business of news, conflict always trumps most everything else.

Finding conflict solutions… articulating pragmatic solutions therefore must be the business of someone else. It’s not the business of news. So… long ago the president should have appointed a commission of recognized experts on immigration to give him a comprehensive plan. Such a plan probably would have included some kind of wall… and the news media would have happily reported that!

 

 

 

 

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Lesson 474 The Real American Crisis

Posted in International, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on January 15, 2019| 2 Comments »

The real crisis is not the U.S. southern border. Rather, my ongoing study of media, politics and social change has yielded a list of much more serious concerns. Here are a few:

Most policy decisions are now being made by one person, the President… whose behavior is consistently autocratic, and who is most comfortable in the company of other autocrats.

Social media is being used as a weapon… individuals and governments are using new media to generate chaos, create confusion, attack enemies, and bring about social unrest.

Growing widespread anger is causing dangerous social division… in congress, political extremism is causing the parties to focus on battling each other. At the same time, virtually all areas of the executive branch are issuing directives that create social division and disrupt whole communities.

Institutions important to a democracy are under daily assault… rather than setting up nonpartisan study commissions, members of the administration and their partisan supporters are focused on discrediting the FBI, the CIA, the State Department, the office of the attorney general, education institutions, and more.  A republic is only as strong as its institutions, and leadership must be about making them stronger.

Deregulation has been extreme … public health and the overall environment are being threatened every day. Business leaders are encouraged to ignore interest group pressures… thereby maximizing corporate profits at the expense of public health.

Allies have become confused about U.S.policies… presidential attacks on NATO allies damage U.S. and European security, and advance the causes of our adversaries.

Scientific findings about the impact of climate change have been rejected by our partisan leaders… thereby insuring that weather catastrophes will multiply, that natural landscapes will be destroyed, and lives will be upended.

Media revolutions are changing everything… a new media ecosystem is creating information clutter and confusion, making it almost impossible to separate facts from fiction. Digital media has also changed the way politics, families, and even religion function. Resulting individual isolation is also beginning to reveal behavior and mental health issues. More media and civic literacy education in schools and elsewhere is urgently needed.

The constitution-protected role of the press has been upended… a proliferation of competing broadcast channels, print organizations, and social media platforms, has created problems related to commercial influences, intended biases, and unintended mistakes.

Generally accepted morality is being lost… leaders without moral character, or qualifications for the office they hold, or personal ethics, or capacity for empathy, are initiating reforms based on the belief that “ends by any means” are now acceptable. Simply put, when their “means” are filled with lies, deceptions, and gross exaggerations, our values-based American culture is being corrupted. This is the real American crisis.

 

 

 

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Lesson 473 New TV Rules For Presidents

Posted in Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on January 9, 2019| 2 Comments »

The realities of today’s new media-generated clutter and confusion suggests that new rules may be necessary for presidential prime-time TV addresses:

NEW RULES.  1. Must be a legitimate crises. 2. May not have a political motive. 3. May not include a donation request before, during, or after the presentation.  If necessary, a group of television network executives can be formed to make a collective go or no-go decision.

NEWS PRODUCERS. Whenever necessary, use digital technology to put facts in real-time on the screen during the presentation. Existing “chyron” equipment and practice should make this possible. As one colleague put it, “it’s not rocket science.”

NEWS ANCHORS. Whenever possible, be prepared to list actual facts in the same order false claims were made during the presentation. A chart helps. Have experts ready to interview.

FIELD REPORTERS. End the time-honored practice of shouting questions at news makers. On television, this makes journalists look unprofessional, and often downright silly. Rather, ask no questions, and then go release the facts.  Graphics listing facts next to claims can work well on TV and in print.

LEADERS OF THE OPPOSITION. Avoid reporting meeting behavior as your statement to the press. Rather simply list the facts that disprove false claims. When possible, do this with graphics on a handout.

The Declaration of Independence referenced in my last post makes it clear that monarchical behavior and rule must never be allowed.

It’s precisely what we declared our independence from…

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Lesson 472 America: Who Are We?

Posted in Branding, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on January 5, 2019| 1 Comment »

Much of my work in the past was helping institutions become better understood. My first task was to clarify each institution’s founding purpose, to show how that differentiated it from others, and to explore how that difference might be its competitive advantage. Simply put, “who are you,” was my first focus group question?

The “who are you” question led me to founding purpose-inspired answers such as “we are all about service to the community,” or, “we develop the talent of each and every student,” or, “we will immerse you in American history,” and the answer almost always also included a set of values. In other words, how they went about their work was as important as what they did. I found that this was also true about the founding purpose of the United States of America.

I have been referencing the Constitution when writing about long-held American values. But the Declaration of Independence is clearly the best “founding purpose” document. And it declares our nation’s independence in the context of unifying values such as human rights, the rule of law, and the complete rejection of monarchical rule.

Additionally, the Constitution promises freedom of speech, religion, and the press. But when angry and polarizing speech results in tribalism and chaos, the Declaration of Independence is there to remind us about our unifying values. Never totally selfish. Never an autocracy.

Both the letter and the spirit of the Declaration of Independence assume the election of leaders with high ideals and strong character. And since we now live in a time of background checks for important positions, should we not be able to expect political parties and precinct chairs to require some level of character qualification before putting candidates on the ballot?

And should we not be able to expect political parties and political action committees (PAC’s) to have professional codes of conduct to guide the work of their communicators… i.e. political statements will be factual, promises will be doable, and personal attacks will not be tolerated?

Yes, I know. You think I am hallucinating! But if citizens and journalists scream long and loud enough about integrity in politics, maybe mobilized public pressure can eventually do some good.

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Lesson 471 Bracing for 2019

Posted in Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on December 29, 2018| Leave a Comment »

For many, 2019 could be called… “The year of the search for new leadership.” But first, here are fifteen reasons to brace yourself for more division and chaos:

  1. Mueller will complete his investigations. Trump might fire him, or refuse to release the report. But, the basic findings will become public via Congress and the courts. It will not be good news for the Trump family.
  2. Trump chaos will continue to divide us. The border wall will remain controversial. Border security will now be a separate topic. Periodic demonstrations and shootings will continue.
  3. American exceptionalism will be revisited. Historians will be interviewed more frequently about America’s founding humanitarian values.
  4. Trump’s control needs will worsen. It’s the only style of management he knows. His only comfort is in the company of autocrats.
  5. Discontent among Republicans will grow. Worry about a president-caused disaster will convince more and more Republicans to separate themselves from the administration.
  6. Economic ignorance will be more apparent. Ongoing trade wars, political chaos, and international instability, will continue to produce up and down stock market swings.
  7. Actual consequences of recent tax-cuts will be better understood. Little difference in paychecks. Growing national debt. Little new job creation. The rich were the beneficiaries.
  8. Partisanship will worsen. Battles across the aisles will continue. Few statesmen will emerge.
  9. Affordable healthcare will continue as a major issue. A solution is too complicated for 2019.
  10. The Kavanaugh debate won’t go away. His second hearing emotional outbursts and partisan attacks will be referenced repeatedly whenever sexual harassment charges are in the headlines.
  11. Business deregulation and selling-off pubic lands will continue. All this in spite of the fact that extreme rulings in these areas endanger both the environment and public health.
  12. Facebook, Google, etc. will experience mild regulation. This will be their slap on the wrist for not paying attention to growing privacy issues.
  13. The Obama’s will resurface. The success of Michelle’s new book, and Barack’s need to push back on Trump, will bring each of them back in the spotlight.
  14. Fake news will be a permanent reality. Social media used as a weapon, unintended consequences of news competition, biased sources, and overall information clutter, will continue to confuse the public.
  15. Starting 2019… the need for changes in political leadership is already widely recognized. But can Democrats sort out their various factions and many candidates to bring together a united vision? And will Republicans be able to regain and articulate a winnable conservative identity? Or, will it be necessary to find a political outsider who has the ability to bring the nation together around a set of traditional values and ideas?

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Lesson 470 The Big Unravel!

Posted in International, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on December 22, 2018| 1 Comment »

The resignation letter of General Jim Mattis will quickly become an important document in American history, and will be read by students around the world for years to come. This carefully thought out statement describes “the idea of America,” that Americans have shared since their country’s very beginning: No nation can go it alone for very long; every nation must respect and work with its allies and partners; foreign policies must identify threatening adversaries and call for appropriate actions; and basic human values are the bedrock of American exceptionalism.

Despite Trump’s “we won” pronouncement to justify pulling out of Syria, those who serve on the ground in the military know better. Actually, the autocrats in Russia, Iran, Turkey and China are the ones who won the day. Terrorists will likely take advantage of what looks like a U.S. government in turmoil. And our long-standing allies and partners already know that our collective security is very fragile.

Wall Street is also going crazy trying to process all this… the president’s continuing tariff wars, his affinity for autocrats and dictators, his endless White House scandals, his foundation forced to shut its doors, criminal investigations and indictments all around him, and now staging a government shutdown over a five billion-dollar border wall that the majority of Americans don’t support. We not only have a stock market problem… we have an economy that’s beginning to look unstable.

Except for a few self-serving talk show hosts, a handful of right-wing extremists in the House of Representatives, and family members who always had to do what daddy said, the president pretty much stands alone. “Only I can do it,” might be the most stupid remark ever uttered in a presidential campaign… except maybe for “the Mexicans will pay for it!”

Using “making good on campaign promises” as a reason to reject the advice of experts on life and death situations has no credibility, especially when uttered by someone who lies everyday about everything. What we have here is a bully who knows no other way.

Many of today’s wisest and most experienced thinkers are now concluding that this presidency (and possibly even the nation) is beginning to unravel. So, during this Christmas season I will be praying hard for “peace on earth and goodwill to humankind,”  and maybe you should be doing the same.

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Lesson 469 Holiday Chaos… And Choices

Posted in Branding, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on December 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Thankfully, during this holiday season many of us have been able to see and hear news stories about hometown generosity all over America. But at the same time we have also been learning that this presidency is now under as many as 17 criminal investigations.

Yes, we are hearing about… local charities collecting toys and bicycles for children in need, churches gathering canned goods for ailing elderly people, agencies feeding the homeless and others who cannot afford a good holiday meal, and the man who each year hands out hundred-dollar bills to a wide range of people in desperate need. Compassion in America is not dead.

But in Washington we are also continuing to hear about… presidential criminal investigations, more associates headed to prison, more cabinet officials leaving the White House over ethics violations, extreme deregulation putting public health at risk, threats of a president ordered government shut-down over a billion dollar border wall that few people want, continued support of a Saudi leader in spite of evidence that he oversaw the murder of a Washington Post reporter, reports that the Trump family’s political interests have always been tied to advancing their businesses, foreign and U.S. officials booking people and events at Trump properties in Washington and around the world, and more. And while all this is causing chaos in the country, the president is leaving town for a two-week golf vacation at his resort in Florida.

However, signs of serious anxiety in the White House are appearing. Angry tweets and personal attacks by the President are multiplying. And even some of his close friends are suggesting that he might be worried that the end could be coming soon.

So this holiday season might actually be an ideal time to reflect on solutions. For example, what kind of president does this young country need? One who creates mindless chaos, calls his critics nasty names, and grabs all the power and wealth he can for himself? Or, one who works to insure equal opportunity and the rule of law for everyone at home, as well as for all those around the world who want to share those values?

One thing is certain: Sometime during 2019 and 2020 we will be forced to make up our mind.

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Lesson 467 Bush-McCain Leadership Lessons

Posted in Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on December 6, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Was the funeral service for Bush 41 in Washington the relic of a time gone by, or was it a reminder of the complexities and necessities of true public service leadership?

In other words, will our current president still think he was elected to change all of this by any means possible? Or, did seating him next to the other four living presidents make a statement that could lead to constructive change?

We now live in a politically polarized and divided nation. Even as this evolved, Bush 41 clearly preferred bipartisan problem-solving. Newt Gingrich was railroading Republicans into a totally partisan, hard-line conservative, combative, party. His aggression eventually morphed into Tea Party extremism, which laid the foundation for Trump’s victory. But even in a polarized environment, Bush was able to pass clean air, disability, civil rights, and other domestic legislation. Gingrich’s idea was to focus mostly on defeating the democrats. Bush’s was to find constructive ways to get things done.

Bush’s view of “America first” meant putting world peace first too. He combined quiet persistence with skillful diplomacy to negotiate the end of the cold war and the reunification of Germany. Both easily could have backfired into chaos. Pulling it off was a huge achievement. But he never bragged about it. He was not an “it’s about me” leader. He gave credit to others. For him, it was the American people who won the cold war.

Bush wanted everyone to think public service. He coined the phrase “1000 points of light,” setting the stage for an organization of volunteers serving others. Bush 43 later tried to float the idea of “compassionate conservatism” in his campaign. It didn’t stick. But it did stick as a theme for the entire Bush family.

I have been teaching a class about media and social change, and this week we discussed institutional leadership. I asked for thoughts about lessons they learned from Bush. They all agreed: Lead with a good measure of humility. Recruit a staff of highly experienced experts. Listen actively, and do things to make sure they enjoy working together.

It’s interesting that the deaths of John McCain and Bush 41, both Republicans, came so close together. Both showed courage in war. Both were competitive campaigners. Both preferred bipartisanship to gridlock. Both were remembered as compassionate. And both were contrasts to the Trump administration.

Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough noted that, unlike others, Bush 41 felt no need to write a book about his presidency. He was simply content to have historians judge his value. My bet is that Bush will do well with historians… and will also become our “back to the future,” road map for electing only experienced, informed, decent, truthful, and public service-minded politicians.

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Lesson 466 Leading In A New Media World

Posted in Branding, Integrated Marketing, Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Strategic Communication on December 2, 2018| 1 Comment »

Recent media revolutions gave leaders powerful new media tools. Businesses, social services, NGOs, museums, arts organizations, universities, schools, governments, and causes everywhere, all can now reach their audiences directly and powerfully. But these same revolutions also changed how their audiences receive information, making successful communication even more complicated.

So with chaos and division continuing in American society, I decided it is time to review some of the communication challenges today’s leaders are facing:

  • Communication break down is inevitable. People simply hear what they want.
  • There are new and powerful media tools available, but choosing the best ones for each audience is complicated, and requires constant feedback.
  • At the same time, consumers are learning that many of these tools are proving to be time wasters, potentially isolating, and sometimes even psychologically harmful.
  • So speaking to public groups and appearing on television continues to be important. And each has its own performance requirement.
  • Speaking in public requires projecting vitality. Talking on television requires a more conversational tone. And social media platforms require clear and concise writing.
  • To get through to overloaded audiences, messages must be simple… and examples must be emotionally compelling.
  • And the deluge of messages, news stories, and competitor attacks, tends to give charges of “fake news” an air of credibility.
  • Therefore, issues and crises become difficult to manage. Getting facts out quickly and repeating them often, is a must.
  • A reputation-defining institutional identity must become an often repeated central message.
  • Innovation and bold creative initiatives help achieve visibility.
  • Today’s audiences want their hope restored. Forward-looking ideas and values are essential.
  • Good relationships with key journalists are important, especially when dealing with issues and crises.
  • Managing groups skillfully is necessary to get everyone “on the same page.” Word-of-mouth support still makes all the difference.
  • Partnerships and allies with shared interests are powerful forces for rebuilding credibility.
  • Dealing with internal politics to build team support is mandatory… especially now.

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Lesson 465 Today’s Journalism Realities

Posted in Leadership, Lessons Learned, Media Literacy, Public Affairs, Strategic Communication on November 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Media revolutions change everything. From families to politics, they change how society works, how individuals behave, and even how the news is reported. In fact, the entire profession of journalism has been permanently changed by the television and digital technology revolutions.

Here are some of the changes:

  • The television and social media revolutions created a media ecosystem of endless, mind-boggling information clutter. The entire journalism profession is struggling to adjust.
  • Growing numbers of TV channels and social media platforms resulted in more emotional content, fewer details, less fact checking, and a lot more consumer confusion.
  • Local newspapers lost significant income and readership when social media took over classified advertising… many local papers closed, and all of them reduced staff and local coverage.
  • “Multitasking” became standard procedure. Each day every surviving reporter had to learn to write website posts, develop stories for the main newspaper, do TV and radio interviews, research complicated issues, cultivate news-maker contacts, and then interview them.
  • 24/7 cable news channels multiplied quickly, focused on breaking news, developed political biases, and promised frequent updates to keep audiences watching.
  • Outrageous claims, unrealistic promises, and personal attacks resulted in headlines, added an entertainment dimension to news, and produced talk show and cable celebrities.
  • Rather than educate, on camera two-way debates resulted in mindless shouting and extreme polarization.
  • Social media platforms, email newsletters, bloggers, websites, and podcasts gradually multiplied, offering special-interest content and advertising that attracted loyal audiences.
  • More aggressive reporting, attacks by political opponents and foreign governments, and overall information overload, gave an air of credibility to charges of fake news.
  • Consumers began to rely on mainstream TV and cable for crisis reporting, and competition for audience among the networks led to non-stop, 24 hour coverage of riots and shootings.
  • Television coverage of events looks real, but TV news can be very deceptive.
  • Communicating with images resulted in a whole new visual language… wide shots define the story’s boundaries, medium shots focus attention on the action, close-ups add intimacy, editing manipulates time and space, special effects add surprise, and moving cameras allow viewers to ride along with the action… and all this comes together to make news into exciting drama.
  • Responding to market forces, talented anchors and reporters change their tone, content, and style to increase audience interest, thereby making news programs even more entertaining.
  • So, can today’s journalists bring us factual clarity in the midst of this new media ecosystem? Probably not. Only widespread media literacy and civics education, coupled with right-thinking leaders in media and politics, can do that.

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