Ch-ch-ch-changes!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 |
How can senior leaders inspire change in their organizations? Turns out that change is hard, but not impossible.
Here are some tips to help your corporate change program:
- Examine the existing corporate environment, including processes, barriers, policies and culture. Understand the questions you are trying to answer before answering them.
- Enthusiasm is great if it's focused. Otherwise, fragmented or unconnected activities can lead the team away from the desired targets.
- Clearly articulate the new future, and be sure to include enough specifics to manage the implications of change. Broad statements don't provide enough detail to guide mid-level and front line leaders.
- Test the new future and sample processes with a cross-section of staff. If you've watched CBS' "Undercover Boss" you know that employees with a range of experiences know far better than executives how things really work.
- Refine and set a clear strategy to implement the change that includes all divisions and all work units. Again, sounds obvious but sometimes work units are left out, or it is assumed that change won't affect them.
- Provide sufficient resources to support the change at the senior management, mid-management and front line levels. This point is critical. Organizational change is not something managed off the corner of your desk, and specific skills are needed to enable the change process.
- Regularly monitor the progress against the change plan, and adjust as you go. Again, this is a key to success. Things rarely go exactly as planned so flexibility and ability to adapt as you go are very important.
- Communicate and demonstrate transparency. Fear is the biggest barrier to change. No hidden agendas, no holding back. If you want the best from your team, treat them like responsible adults and let them do their best.
Finally have patience. Change takes time, especially when adopting new processes and responsibilities. I welcome your comments and insights (click on "comments" in green at the top of this post).
Does media relations define PR?
Friday, July 2, 2010 |
For many years, media relations and PR were synonymous. More recently, PR’s role has expanded to include stakeholder communications while some practitioners specialize in investor relations or government relations.
With the social media movement in full swing, PR people are finding an even greater role as their company’s social media voice.
And, just as the future of traditional media has been the focus of debate, so too is the role of PR people in media relations. After all, if newspapers and other media disappear, media relations quickly becomes irrelevant.
Worldcom PR, a global leader in public relations, conducted a survey of its worldwide clients to find out what shifts they were planning in their PR spending. Here’s what they found:
"According to the survey, the services respondents expect the decrease to include: media relations (19 percent), advertising (17 percent), and direct mail and marketing (11 percent). In general, the majority of firms are optimistic about business increasing in the next three to five years.
Moreover, an increase in multichannel services is a critical indicator for firms to move beyond media relations as a major source of revenue. For example, more than half of the respondents expected social media, interactive/web development and search engine optimization services to increase – 93 percent, 73 percent and 61 percent, respectively. Yet obstacles still remain for firms to determine how to increase revenue from these services; particularly search engine optimization – for example, no agency reported more than 10 percent of revenue from SEO.” (SOURCE: www.worldcomgroup.com)
Wow. For those practitioners solely involved in media relations, time to learn about Twitter! ;)
Seriously, the impact here is in understanding the power that companies have to tell their own stories directly through means other than mainstream media. I personally believe that media will still be around, although they are currently going through their own evolution. But the new focus must be on connecting with people in the ways in which they want to be reached.
I believe the future will include a wide range of tools at our disposal. Understanding how, when and why to use each tool will define the future of public relations. Where are you in the evolution?
Twitter is what the world wide web was made for!
Sunday, April 25, 2010 |
Sharing information. The web was pioneered by Tim Berners-Lee, Robert Calliau, Paul Kunz and others in the 1980s and 90s. Why on earth would they pursue this project?
“The WorldWideWeb (WWW) project aims to allow all links to be made to any information anywhere. [...] The WWW project was started to allow high energy physicists to share data, news, and documentation. We are very interested in spreading the web to other areas, and having gateway servers for other data. Collaborators welcome!" —from Tim Berners-Lee's first message.
Who knew then that the web would transform our lives the way it has. The above quote, by the way, is from Wikipedia, another incredible collaborative project that put a lot of encyclopaedia salespeople out of business.
The shift in society and culture that has occurred over these past 20 years is arguably the biggest change since the discovery of fire. The evolution of cell phones to smart phones, iPads, netbooks, to pretty much every other device; was possible because the world wide web taught us to think differently, and act differently. It opened up the way we communicate and enables us to hear firsthand the ideas and opinions of others.
We forget the organizational culture of command-and-control that existed in businesses and governments in the 1980s. “Share information?! Are you crazy?! How will I retain my power over staff, customers and suppliers??”
Fast forward to today, where information sharing and collaboration have proven time and again that the best results are achieved by the many, not the few.
Enter Twitter. The ultimate information-sharing platform. Instant. Accessible. No permissions needed. A place where famous people and everyday people exchange ideas, Twitter has moved far beyond Mr. Berner-Lee’s dreams for the web. It has proven to be such a successful force that people have developed ways to expand information sharing beyond 140 characters to include links to longer posts. Suddenly, citizen reporters are tweeting news hours before traditional media can catch up. This is not a failing of traditional media (after all, there are billions of people and only thousands of reporters), but an endorsement of the power of information sharing, instant access and word of mouth. People are now able to source their own information needs and hear directly from governments, manufacturers, companies, and non-profit organizations. We are smarter consumers, voters, citizens, employees, entrepreneurs...people.
These are my thoughts. And, thanks to the world wide web, and Twitter, I can share them with you. What do you think?
Posted in: social media, communication |
How to attract and retain good employees
Friday, March 26, 2010 |
As the economy slowly starts to turn around, the focus for most businesses and governments will be on retaining their staff. After all, companies invest in their employees through on-the-job training, workshops, courses, and by giving them new challenges that help their personal growth.
No one wants to see the best and brightest walk out the door to a better offer. One of the things we know about employee engagement, though, is that it’s really not about money. Employees who are most satisfied on the job have appropriate duties and responsibilities, are given chances to try new things, and are compensated a fair amount. In fact, according to Canadian HR Reporter (May 2006), these are the seven key factors that affect engagement:
1. Trust senior management
2. Are asked for their ideas and opinions on important matters
3. Clearly understand the organization’s vision and strategic direction
4. Trust their supervisors
5. Receive recognition and praise for good work
6. Have a clear say in decisions that affect their work
7. Perceive their supervisors as caring and considerate of their well-being.
We know that engaged employees perform better. In light of the recent economic downturn, however, employees may not be as engaged with their employers as they have been in past. Many companies have faced budget cuts, layoffs, plant closures and more. It’s hard to keep those “left behind” motivated and excited about the company.
So what can you do?
1. Improve employee communication through a range of channels. Employees want to hear from their supervisors, branch managers, and senior management. They need reassurance and a strong vision for the future to help renew their confidence.
2. Train middle managers – most are really good at their jobs, but have received little or no communications training. It’s critical that middle managers understand their role as the “corporate translator” in the organization – helping to turn broad corporate goals into specific actions for front line employees. Focus Communications offers a ½ day training course for middle managers, check out our training page.
3. Engage your staff in a discussion about current and future challenges. Company executives don’t need to come up with all the answers – in fact, employees will feel more connected to the organization if they have the opportunity to contribute. Having asked employees for their ideas, it is critical that management actually considers the ideas, and then gets back to the employees to let them know how (or if) the ideas were implemented.
Companies need to act NOW to attract and retain a confident, motivated, engaged workforce. As communicaitons professionals, what are you doing to help your companies succeed?
The medium is the message
Monday, February 15, 2010 |
"The medium is the message"
Marshall McLuhan uttered those famous words in 1964, and although much has changed, this dictum remains true (perhaps even more relevant) today.
Mr. McLuhan was indeed a visionary. He understood that the way in which a message is delivered is as important as the message itself. As social media opens up ever-expanding platforms and technology, his words are prophetic, indeed.
But beyond those famous words, Mr. McLuhan also said, “The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village” (1962). Hard to believe that was nearly 50 years ago! He died in 1980, so he didn’t have the chance to experience the full realization of his words through platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and technology such as iPad and Blackberry.
If he were alive today, I wonder what he would say about the incredible opportunities that we now enjoy to connect with friends and strangers alike; at home, work or on a city street. What message is the new medium telling us?
We are more connected now than at any stage in human existence. We “meet” people through tweets; discuss ideas and opinions through blogs. We answer online polls and contribute comments through a range of forums.
We can agree, or disagree, on every topic imaginable. If social media is the new medium, I believe the new message is connectedness.
What do you think Marshall McLuhan would say today? I welcome your thoughts.
10 tips for great communication
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 |
Companies and organizations in today’s global economy work very hard to convey information, capture the audience’s attention and inspire behaviours or attitudes to support their business objectives.
In reaching out to their customers and audiences, however, most organizations are too focused on what they want to say, not what the audience needs to hear. Many employees write from a ‘we’ perspective – ‘we do this’ and ‘we do that.’ And, despite their best efforts, it’s very difficult for employees to change this approach even if they are aware that there is a better way.
Why? Because employees are the organization, and as much as they try to put themselves in their customers’ shoes, they know too much. They have too much background knowledge, and the links and connections that hold meaning inside an organization are meaningless outside. This deep knowledge of the product or service usually leads to them trying to say too much. We call it “telling everybody, everything, all the time.” And it fails every time, because people just don’t care as much as you do about your stuff.
One of the best things writers can do is to turn their perspectives around so that they start with the answer to the question, ‘so what?’ Write interesting, compelling text that provides enough to engage the reader without overwhelming.
Here are some tips to help you communicate what your audiences need to hear:
- Do identify what you are trying to achieve, and tailor your message to the audience.
- Do start with WIIFM – what’s in it for me – from the audience’s perspective, not the company’s. Find out what’s important to your audience and address it first.
- • Do outline the basic information in short, punchy sentences. Avoid long, complicated sentences filled with jargon. Generally, any sentence with more than two commas is probably too long.
- Do write in the third person. Not “We are a Fortune 500 company...” which just begs the question, “who is ‘we?’” Instead, write “ABCDEF Corporation is a Fortune 500 company...”
- Do add some excitement! When writing, ask yourself, “is this something I would want to read?”
- Do include clear steps that the audience can take. Make it easy for your audience to buy/support/donate/whatever... right away.
- Do include charts, graphs, diagrams and other visuals to enhance and support your text. Supporting visuals should add value, not just be a pretty picture to occupy space.
- Don’t get bogged down in the details. Keep information clean, clear and succinct.
- Don’t re-create the history of the project/product/initiative – no one cares. Provide just enough background for context only.
- Don’t leave the reader asking more questions than you’ve answered. Make sure the information is complete and offers a rounded view of the topic.
And, of course, it’s critical to include a link or contact coordinates for more information.
It’s difficult to gain and sustain people’s attention these days. When you do have their eyes, ears and hearts – even for just a few brief moments – be prepared to make the most of the opportunity.
Posted in: communications |
What does the future hold?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 |
Many people smarter than me have already made predictions for 2010 and beyond. Still, as we begin a new decade, I can’t help but contemplate the next 10 years. So, here are some things I’d like to see:
Moving beyond the written word – our current preoccupation with the written word (newspapers, articles, blogs, tweets, etc) will give way to interpersonal dialogue on a common level. “Chats” will actually involve speaking with other people. Simultaneous language translation and video links will allow these conversations to take place around the world.
Everything on the computer – you know that 50” TV screen you just bought? In the near future, it will connect directly to your computer and traditional broadcasting as we know it will cease. All shows will be pay-per-view, downloaded so that you can watch them when you want. That also probably means the end of TV advertising. The shift toward individual control will continue in a big way, and I believe consumers are willing to pay for it.
Journalists will have a different role – Instead of working for newspapers, TV and radio, journalists will be independent contractors posting stories to their own websites, and people will subscribe directly to the journalists covering news and issues important to them. Again, this is a shift toward consumer control (my news, my way); a change from organizational control (traditional media) where editors decide what news appears each day, and the prominence given each story. Again, provided on a subscription basis, will this mean the end to advertising?
Ok, so the point of this wasn't to actually try and see through the crystal ball. (And, apologies if some of this stuff is actually under development!) The point is to try and imagine the future for media and communications, given that I believe we are just at the beginning of a revolution in how, when and where information is shared.
What do you think the future holds? And, what will it mean for companies and organizations who are trying to get their messages out?
The magic of social media
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 |
So here we are, firmly entrenched in a new age of social media and instant communication. Write a blog, get immediate feedback. Post a tweet and watch it get retweeted far and wide. Tweet using LinkedIn or Facebook. It seems like the possibilities are endless.
The ‘instantness’ of social media connections is very appealing. But because social media is still really in its developmental phase, we can only include its use as part of an overall communications or marketing program. Yes, there are more people tweeting and blogging every day. But are they the right demographic for your topic? Are people using social media for personal reasons, in which case they may not be in the right ‘space’ to deal with your organization’s information.
In many ways, social media is still a shotgun approach. Despite having 300, 3000 or 30000 fans or followers, we are not selecting our audience so much as accepting it. It’s difficult to recruit followers, especially on a scale that would make a difference. Social media is very much a ‘pull’ technology in that people have to find you and your topics interesting in order to want to follow along.
Once you have an audience, it’s tough to imagine that the same group of followers will be interested in the diverse topics you may wish to communicate. Will they be equally enamoured with information about laundry soap, power tools, art galleries, and football? It’s possible, but not probable.
The reality, of course, is that we need to remember social media is just another tool; just another way to reach people and engage them in a dialogue about topics or organizations that matter to them.
Despite all the emerging best practices, worksheets and templates, effective communication still comes down to the same basic questions:
• Who are you trying to reach?
• What do you want them to know or do?
• What is the best way to make this happen?
Yes, social media can play a role. But it isn’t the magic answer to all communications and marketing needs.
Posted in: communications |
Middle Managers = Corporate Translators
Monday, December 14, 2009 |
As media and communication methods change, some things in organizations remain constant. Tweeting, blogging, staff meetings, memos – no matter the method, it’s the content that’s key when supervisors communicate with staff.
Often, middle managers are stuck as the go-between, with little support or training to help them dialogue effectively with their staff. Senior management provides broad direction – often in abstract terms – and leaves it to the middle manager to figure out how to talk to his/her staff, and how to implement changes. At the same time many employees, tired of constant change and re-engineering, just want to be left alone to do their jobs. Problem is, there is now a gap between what the employee is doing, and what senior management wants.
To communicate the new direction to staff, it is important to define what is expected from managers and how to measure how well they're doing. The need for effective, two-way internal communication has never been more clearly defined. But few managers and professionals know what to do to better engage and motivate their staff.
Critical for success is a strong understanding of the ‘translator’ role that managers play within organizations. For example, if senior management sets new sales goals of 10%, middle managers are often left to figure out how to achieve those goals. This means taking the broad direction from senior management, explaining it to staff, and then engaging staff in a discussion about how to achieve the targets. This ‘translation’ of broad corporate direction into day-to-day reality is critical to changing behaviour in order to achieve the new goals. Managers need to understand that this role is part of their jobs, not a nice-to-have that gets shuffled to low priority.
Measuring the effectiveness of communication needs to focus on information shared, ideas generated and changes implemented - real, tanglible results of the interaction between the manager and his/her staff.
Training and supports can help managers do a better job and achieve the results that the company needs. The end result will be a better engaged workforce that understands not only the corporate goals, but the hands-on tactics needed to achieve them. Focus Communications offers half-day training for middle managers - see our Training webpage for more information.
It's NOT about what you had for breakfast!
Thursday, December 3, 2009 |
No I don’t want to know what you had for breakfast...
I still get this all the time. “Why would I want to be on Twitter? I don’t want to know what people are eating.”
Sigh.
The value of any endeavour is directly proportional to the effort you put in. In the case of Twitter, understanding first which topics interest you is the key to a rewarding experience.
It’s all about the people you follow. Interested in football? Follow your favourite team, NFL or CFL. Want to learn about social media? Follow @mashable, @tdefren, or @guykawasaki. Practically everyone’s on Twitter these days, so finding someone that interests you isn’t hard.
The point is that is starts with you, and your interests. Follow people with similar interests, and then follow the people they follow. Very few people talk about breakfast cereal. Lots of people, however, discuss current events and trends, pose questions, or test theories. It’s a conversation, so jump in!
