TROY Spotlight: Strategic Communication

During the holiday break I came across this gem.  Thank you Dr. Jeff Spurlock, Director of Troy University's Hall School of Journalism and Communication, for this insightful look at the M.S. degree in Strategic Communication.  My heart skipped a bit when he mentioned a working professional could start the program in August and complete it by July of the following year...that's MY academic plan.

Strategically Yours,
Autumn

That's a Wrap - Leadership and Media Strategies

    As they say in show biz, "That's a wrap!"  This graduate course in Leadership and Media Strategies is quickly coming to a close.  For this blog, I'm not saying goodbye, I'm just taking a holiday pause. I'll be returning next term with another course taught by Dr. Padgett, Communication 6630, Strategic Communications and Emerging Media.  If I understand correctly that class will also require a weekly professional blog entry, thankfully I've gotten a little bit of experience with that.  Our terms, here at Troy University, are a condensed nine week online format and I can tell you we really move through some "absolutely fabulous" content. I'm most definitely looking forward to next term.  But lest I put the proverbial cart before the horse let's recap some of the content from this term in Leadership and Media Strategies.
     I really wish I could succinctly summarize this entire term into an eloquent, inspiring, single sentence communication strategy mantra of sorts.  I know something is out there, in me, I just haven't wrapped my head around it yet.  But I can say, without doubt, this has been one very insightful and motivating graduate course.  If someone were only allowed to take one graduate class I would strongly suggest this one be considered.  The relevancy of the media strategies considered, the in-depth look into leadership and vision, stripping down and clarifying considerations for communication skills, these all were integral to better understanding the vision/desired outcomes for this course.
     In the beginning when we were introduced to Roger's Diffusion of Innovation theory little did I know how much that theory was completely woven throughout this course.  When this theory, as a lens, is applied to covered concepts like leadership vision, crisis communication strategies, and personal/professional media strategies it is clear that the "innovation" is dependent on opinion leaders to carry the process through to the tipping point of the critical mass.  Sinek's TedTalk on getting to the why, which was referenced in earlier blogs, is exactly what needs to be addressed (communicated effectively) to those opinion leaders.
     If I had to pick my most favorite segment of this course I would pause to reflect, and then answer without doubt it was leadership and vision.  I've started reading and subscribing to a few blogs all about leadership these days.  In a recent search I came across "The Top 100 Socially-Shared Leadership Blogs of 2015" and I'd like to share a bit from those who year-to-year consistently sit in the top 1 & 2 spots.  In the 2nd spot, with far-and-away the most LinkedIn shares, is "Leadership Freak - Empowering Leaders 300 Words at a Time."  Dan Rockwell, the blog's author, is self-proclaimed as "freakishly interested in leadership."  His daily updates are indeed brief, but man are they powerful.  I guess it's true about good things coming in small packages.  Just this week, one of my favorites was a blog on the importance of valuing others. Here, directly from "Leadership Freak...":

               7 Cost Free Ways to Make People Feel Valued:
     
                      Simple behaviors have a profound impact.

1. Reflect on the qualities and behaviors you admire about the person speaking to you.  (don't forget to listen while you do this.)

2. Go to people.  Don't expect them to always come to you.

3.  Jot notes when others talk.  Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, is a voracious note taker.

4.  Aplogize, even it isn't all your fault.  

5.  Relax.  Calmness of spirit tells others they matter.

6.  Ask, "What do you think?"  Good questions elevate the status of others.

7.  Walk around the office at the end of the day saying, 'thank you'.  Point out something they did well.   

     In the #1 spot was a blogger, among many other labels, with a self-titled "Brian Tracy Leadership".  Brian Tracy's blog was met with enormous success on Facebook, as evidenced by incredible counts of shares and likes.  One of his blogs that I particularly enjoyed was, "How to Improve Your People Skills with This One Quality."  He goes on to cover, in the below video clip (5 minutes in duration/well worth the watch), the 5 A's of charm are: Acceptance, Appreciation, Approval, Admiration, and Attention. He specifically says in his blog: 

"Charm is the ability to create extraordinary rapport with anyone, and make him or her feel truly exceptional in your presence.

You might think that you need to be born with charm, but although some people seem to come by it naturally, charm is something that you can learn.

No matter how skilled, smart, or experienced you may be, most of your ability to succeed at anything depends on your ability to win people over, to convince them, to charm them.

It is important to note that the deepest craving of human nature is the need to feel valued and valuable.

Therefore, the secret of charm and improving your people skills is to make others feel important."

 
     In reverence to Mr. Tracy's powerful social media presence and influence I'd like to end this course's blog with a quote from him on leadership: 

"Leaders never stop growing and developing. They have the capacity to keep themselves from falling into a comfort zone. They are lifelong students."

     To this I say onward, and I hope to see you next term! Thank you for being here, you indeed are valued, and as always...


Strategically Yours,
Autumn




WORKS CITED:

Center for Management and organization Effectiveness. (2015). "The Top 100 Socially-Shared Leadership Blogs of 2015".  Retrieved on 10 December 2016 from https://cmoe.com/top-shared-leadership-blogs/.

Rockwell, D. (2016). Retrieved on 10 December 2016 from https://leadershipfreak.blog/2016/12/09/how-to-get-your-head-out-of-your-you-know-what/.

Tracy, B. (2016). Retrieved on 10 December 2016 from http://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/improve-your-people-skills/.

Measurements from San Francisco

   Here we are in week eight of the Leadership and Media Strategies graduate course, and here I am in a hotel room in Union Square in the heart of San Francisco--doing homework.  How do these things relate?  Aside from my presence, both education experiences are covering measurements.  I'm here this week getting certified in the administration of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment.  It has been an intense 4- day process that will fortunately culminate in a professional certification.  I will soon be able to administer and assist clients with this tool.  I can't tell you how many times we, as participants have been reminded of the validity of this personality assessment tool.  While I'm learning amazing, in-depth insights into the personality preference functions and the type dynamics associated with type codes, I am also learning about the importance of another type of measurement. The metrics and tools we can use as strategic communication professionals to measure our program's and plan's effectiveness. Just like someone wouldn't administer the MBTI assessment to measure behavior traits, when analyzing the effectiveness of a communication strategy we must ensure we select valid instruments.  Validity is all about making sure that what we use to measure something is indeed measuring that very thing.
     Thanks to the Department of Defense (DoD) for many things, but for now it is another acronym.  MOE, is the measurement of effectiveness.  Typically used for system analysis, I believe it can also be applied to communication strategy effectiveness measurement and analysis.  The DoD defines MOE as the "measure designed to correspond to accomplishment of mission objectives and achievement of desired results" (2016).  This acquisition blog piece goes on to illustrate that there are several characteristics to measurement of effectiveness, a few of these are:

• should be simple to state
• should be testable
• can be quantitatively measured
• should be easy to measure

     Using this illustration let's examine the measurement of effectiveness of a strategic communications plan.  In civilian speak the "mission objectiveness" translates to strategy goals and desired outcomes.  Once a strategy has been implemented measurements should commence.  In this day and age of lightning fast information upload and dissemination the moment we execute we are already in a measurement status.  One more article really helps clarify the DoD's MOE for use in a digital strategy, it is "5 Ways to Measure the Impact of a Digital PR Campaign," by Blaise Lucey (2014).  Lucey lists some key ways to measure the outcome (effectiveness):

• Web Traffic - measuring traffic generated to company's website or blog
• Referrals - quantitative analysis of links used to direct target audiences to website or blog
• Social Media Shares - measuring the amount of engagement generated by social shares
• Press Release Engagement - embedded links can drive web traffic and be measured 
• Outputs & Outcomes - "output is a piece of coverage" so track the articles and "outcome is effectively a lead that has been generated" use metrics established to quantify leads generated

    We've looked at a few clear examples of possibilities for measuring strategic communication plan effectiveness.  I'd like to add one more suggested way to measure effectiveness that was not included in our assigned weekly reading but that I found both comprehensive and forward-thinking.  The title was "The 5 Easy Steps to Measure Your Social Media Campaigns," by J. Davis (2012).  In this illustration the author clearly defined the two types of social media measurements: "Ongoing Analytics - which is the ongoing monitoring that tracks activity over time" and the "Campaign-Focused Metrics -  which is the campaign or event analytics with a clear beginning or end."  I think this clear differentiation is important to effectively measuring the success of a communication strategy.  Davis goes on to delineate between the two by saying that, ongoing analytics provide the "overall pulse of the general conversation about your brand or company," while campaign-focused metrics can help strategists "understand the impact of targeted marketing initiatives."  In a similar list-format as Lucey's above-mentioned measurement illustration, Davis lists a few common measurement approaches based on some of the more common goals in a social media campaign.  These are:

• Awareness - use metrics like volume, reach, exposure, and amplification. "How far is your message spreading?"
• Engagement - use metrics concerning retweets, comments, replies, and shares.  "How many are participating, how often are they participating, and in what forms are they participating?"
• Drive Traffic - use metrics that quantify the clicks, URL shares, and conversion.  "Are people moving through social media to your external site and what do they do once they're on your site?"
• Advocates and Fans - use metrics that track contributors and influence.  "Who is participating and what kind of impact do they have?"
• Share of Voice - use metrics that can track your volume relative to the closest competitors. "How much of the overall conversation around your industry or product category is about your brand?"

        Armed with the above examples of ways to get Measurements of Effectiveness (MOE) and a web full of application methods for extracting the suggested metrics a strategic communicator should be able to provide clear and quantifiable results to their clients with relative ease and confidence.  However, when presenting result findings to clients I think I can add a bit from the other class I'm working on in San Francisco right now - MBTI.  Quick overview, the MBTI was developed by Katharine Briggs and her daughter Isabelle Briggs Myers based on the works of Carl Jung, specifically related to innate personality preferences.  It is a self-assessment tool that can provide a 4-letter preference type code result that demonstrates the client's innate preferences for personality functions.  The course I'm in is really delving deep into the levels of the code not visible, the tertiary and inferior functions, but to keep it simple the second letter in that code deals with how someone processes information.  It is the "perceiving" function.  Suffice to say, not everyone is born with an innate preference for facts and figures when processing information.  There are those who may process information with their preferred "intuitive" function.  So let me leave you this week with this -- "know your audience" and speak their language.

             

 

Works Cited:

Author Unknown. (2016) AcqNotes.  Retrieved on 7 December 2016 from
http://www.acqnotes.com/acqnote/tasks/measures-of-effectivenessrequirements.

Davis, J. (2012).  "The 5 Easy Steps to Measure Your Social Media Campaigns".  Retrieved on 6 December 2016 from https://blog.kissmetrics.com/social-media-measurement/.

Lucey, B. (2014). "5 Ways to Measure the Impact of a Digital PR Campaign." Retrieved on 5 December 2016 from https://www.marchpr.com/blog/pr/2014/04/ways-measure-digital-pr-campaign/

P.A.S.S. - Putting Out Communication Fires

     A little over a year ago my family moved from a long-term military assignment in Europe back to the continental United States.  We were reassigned to the northern part of California during the latter part of the summer. There were many adjustments going on, both internal and external, for our family during this move.  One of the most vivid, and not so enjoyable memories for me, is the recollection of the horrific and devastating wildfires that were raging all through the scenic NorCal region at that time.  Then more recently, as a daughter of the state of Tennessee, I was deeply saddened to hear and see news of the devastation that wildfires had on my beloved Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  Both of this events remind me of the extreme conditions communicators face when addressing their own type of fire – crisis management and response to events, videos, comments, stories, etc. that often can threaten the very foundation of an organization.

     Anyone trained in fire safety and response can attest to the use of the fire extinguisher P.A.S.S. technique.  This technique, and corresponding acronym, is used to let folks know an easy way to remember and properly use this important equipment.  P.A.S.S. stands for and translates to: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. Because of the similarities with regards to this week’s blog about crisis communication strategy we will be looking at the same acronym from a different perspective and translation.  We are still extinguishing a fire, of a different nature, a crisis communication flame.  We’ll consider P.A.S.S. now as Prepare, Assess, Share, Support.  Let’s take a closer look at how the crisis communication strategy P.A.S.S. would work.

PREPARE – The initial phase of the 4-step crisis communication plan should have occurred well before an actual crisis erupts.  Benoit explained, “Before a crisis occurs, judicious planning may reduce response time and possibly prevent missteps in an organization's initial response to a crisis (1997).  The preparation phase would consist of various scenarios and the corresponding responses.  From personal experience, the military branches, specifically the U.S. Air Force, are quite effective at accomplishing the preparation aspect of this technique.  These crisis and emergency type of exercises occur regularly and the scenarios are played out on various levels throughout the base.  Sometimes it is a leadership-centered event and other times it might involve an entire Air Force base population.  In either type of scenario, a prepared strategist has at the ready a set of templates, checklists, and responses to execute at a moment’s notice.  This allows for minor adjustments as necessary and faster dissemination and response time.  Harvard Business School professor Michael Watkins called these “response modules to scenarios” and listed possibilities like, “facility lockdown, police or fire response, evacuation, isolation (preventing people from entering facilities), medical containment (response to significant epidemic), grief management, as well as external communication to media and other external constituencies” (2002).

ASSESS- In the assessment phase the communicators should make use of monitoring services which can also provide updated notifications.  This real-time oversight allows a crisis communication team to learn about the threat/occurrence of events that could lead to a crisis, which in turn allows time to be better spent assessing the information about the crisis itself.  Having accomplished the preparation phase, a well-prepared crisis team can spend a little bit more time fully assessing the situation.  As mentioned by Jonathan Bernstein in his article, “The 10 Steps of Crisis Communications”, “reacting without adequate information is a classic ‘shoot first and ask questions afterwards’ situation in which you could be the primary victim. Assessing the crisis situation is, therefore, the first crisis communications step you can’t take in advance.”  Benoit went on to point out that, “When a crisis occurs, it is important to clearly understand both the nature of crisis and the relevant audience(s)” (1997).   

SHARE – The sharing phase of a crisis communication plan would be where the key messages and responses are shared with the different audiences.  Benoit claims that during a crisis the communication team must know: “First, what are the accusations or suspicions? Second, it is important to know the perceived severity of the alleged offense. The response should be tailored to the offense” (1997).  Bernstein also adds, “What should those stakeholders know about this crisis? Keep it simple. Have no more than three main messages that go to all stakeholders and, as necessary, some audience-specific messages for individual groups of stakeholders. You’ll need to adapt your messaging to different forms of media as well. For example, crisis messaging on Twitter often relies on sharing links to an outside page where a longer message is displayed, a must because of the platform’s 140 character limit.”  Additionally, in the sharing phase the communication emphasis is placed on timeliness, appropriateness, transparency and empathy.  A consideration for the sharing phase is that although the responses might be shared directly with one particular audience in a targeted manner, these crisis response key messages may, and probably will be shared indirectly as well.  In an effectively executed sharing phase the dissemination of messaging and responses will allow for the ability to cut through misinformation by clarifying and deconflicting.  In a University of Delaware information piece (author unknown) the following was mentioned about crisis communication: “Good communication is the heart of any crisis management plan.  Communication should reduce tension, demonstrate a corporate commitment to correct the problem and take control of the information flow.

SUPPORT – In the final phase of the crisis P.A.S.S. technique support is established.  This is a two-way support system, the communicators understand the needs of the audience for clarity in the crisis – and the audiences can trust in the credible support of the communication team.  Questions are answered, and concern, empathy, and understanding ensure a supportive environment.  The best case scenario is for a return to normal, closure to the crisis, and as little damage as possible to the relationship between organization and audience(s).  An effective and well-executed crisis response plan can not only support the organization’s strategy, but can also support the concerns of the audiences and stakeholders. 

Work Cited:

Author Unknown. “Five Steps to Crisis Management Planning.” Retrieved on 2 December 2016 from http://www.adea.org/publications/library/adea.../fivestepstocrisismanagementplanning.

Benoit, W.L. (1997).  “Image Repair Discourse and Crisis Communication.” Public Relations Review.  Retrieved on 29 November 2016 from http://www.ou.edu/deptcomm/dodjcc/groups/98A1/Benoit.htm.

Bernstein, J. (2016).  “The 10 Steps of Crisis Communications.”  “Retrieved on 2 December 2016 from http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/the-10-steps-of-crisis-communications/.

Watkins, M.  (2002). “Your Crisis Response Plan: The Ten Effective Elements.”  Retrieved on 2 December 2016 from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/your-crisis-response-plan-the-ten-effective-elements.

The Significance of Storytelling: Translating Vision into Narrative Messaging

    Over the past couple of weeks we’ve covered the importance of leadership and vision in strategic communication and emerging media.  These are the quintessential foundations for strong and effective strategic communication plans.  However if the vision isn’t translated into effective messaging and placed appropriately for the intended audience a grand vision can easily go unseen and unheard.   That to me is a sad, sad predicament.  So how does one translate vision into strategic messaging and place such a message in the most advantageous communication avenues?  How can a vision be shared with others in a way that will strike a chord internally that motivates and encourages the necessary actions to bring that vision into fruition?   Tell them a story.  Translate that vision into effective narrative messaging.  Howard Gardner, an American developmental psychologist, who is well-known for his theory of multiple intelligences said, “Stories are the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal.”

      I happen to agree, I think truly visionary leaders are more often than not extremely skilled storytellers. They are able to share their vision through story, and humans love a good story. In fact, there is scientific data to support this claim.  Paul Zak, in Harvard Business Review, wrote, "Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling" (2014). In it he stated, “many business people have already discovered the power of storytelling in a practical sense – they have observed how compelling a well-constructed narrative can be. But recent scientific work is putting a much finer point on just how stories change our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.”

     Years ago Zak’s lab discovered that when the neurochemical oxytocin was produced it, among other things, motivated cooperation with others. He explained that, “it does this by enhancing the sense of empathy, our ability to experience others’ emotions. Empathy is important for social creatures because it allows us to understand how others are likely to react to a situation, including those with whom we work.”  More recently, Zak’s lab wondered if they could “hack” the oxytocin system to motivate people to engage in cooperative behaviors. To do this, they tested if narratives could cause the brain to make oxytocin. “By taking blood draws before and after the narrative, we found that character-driven stories do consistently cause oxytocin synthesis. Further, the amount of oxytocin released by the brain predicted how much people were willing to help others; for example, donating money to a charity associated with the narrative.”

     Subsequent studies have deepened their understanding of why stories motivate voluntary cooperation. (This research was given a boost when, through funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, they developed ways to measure oxytocin release noninvasively.) Zak’s research team discovered that, “in order to motivate a desire to help others, a story must first sustain attention – a scarce resource in the brain – by developing tension during the narrative. If the story is able to create that tension then it is likely that attentive viewers/listeners will come to share the emotions of the characters in it, and after it ends, likely to continue mimicking the feelings and behaviors of those characters. This explains the feeling of dominance you have after James Bond saves the world, and your motivation to work out after watching the Spartans fight in 300.”

     This research also covered the vision and organizational story.  Zak added, “Finally, don’t forget that your organization has its own story – the founding myth.  What passion led the founder(s) to risk health and wealth to start the enterprise? Why was it so important, and what barriers had to be overcome? These are the stories that, repeated over and over, stay core to the organization’s DNA. They provide guidance for daily decision-making as well as the motivation that comes with the conviction that the organization’s work must go on, and needs everyone’s full engagement to make a difference in people’s lives.”

    Support through scientific-data not enough to sell you on storytelling as an effective messaging format for vision?  Here are a few other reasons why telling your audience a story is a great way to translate vision into a message that motivates:

   1) Storytelling is as old as the hills and as hot as your latest iPhone app. Storytelling has been around for thousands of years because it’s a sophisticated, high-level form of communication. Stories engross people—just like a great movie or book.

  2) Stories you help connect with people, logically and emotionally. In an Age of Distraction where people’s attention gravitates to their BlackBerrys and iPads, stories give people a reason to keep listening to your message.

  3) Stories help people remember your important point. As a vision, “we need to grow by 15 percent” is an abstract statement. It’s not going to inspire people beyond your board or C-suite. But a story sticks, and a great story is something that people will share, spreading your vision (Weighhart, 2016).

     The author of Leading Change, John Kotter shared that “over the years I have become convinced that we learn best–and change–from hearing stories that strike a chord within us…Those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies and for themselves.”

     In “Converting Vision and Strategy into Action:  Three Strategies for Turning Words into Results,” (2016) author Weighart focused on clear guidance for using storytelling to translate a vision into motivational content to promote the action of others.  “More than anything, though, stories are an opportunity to capture, bottle, and share the steps people are taking to drive growth for your organization.  Your vision and strategy may be compelling…but they’re abstract concepts.  When you share a story, you’re telling people what you really mean when you’re talking about the culture you want to create.”  In this piece, Weighart goes on to add that, “in short, storytelling is not a nice to-do activity; it’s a must-do essential for leaders looking to make great things happen.”

     He goes on to clearly illustrate these steps in the “Bates Story Structure” – Weighart claims that using this story-structure tool can take any powerful experience – personal or professional – and turn it in to a three-minute, six-part story that will resonate with your audience.  Here is the “Bates Story Structure” tool illustration followed by a step-by-step breakdown:

   1) The Setup: The who, what, when, and where of the story.
 2) The Buildup: A problem, conflict, challenge, or obstacle faced.

   3) The Scene: A “moment of truth” or specific point in time when you walk the audience through exactly what happened.

   4) The Resolution: How did that conflict or problem turn out?  What was the outcome?

   5) The Lesson: What did you learn or take away from this experience?

   6) The Audience Theme: How does that lesson connect to an important point that you want to make to the specific audience that is listening to or reading your story now?

    

     Try it, take your own vision statement (if you don’t yet have one I encourage you to find it) and follow these steps to turn that vision into a story.  I’m working on mine now.  I’ll be sharing it in the coming week’s bonus share.  The total takeaway from this week’s blog is simple, turn vision into a story and share it with others.  In the words of, Dr. Pamela Rutledge, Director of the Media Psychology Research Center, “stories are how we think. They are how we make meaning of life. Call them schemas, scripts, cognitive maps, mental models, metaphors, or narratives. Stories are how we explain how things work, how we make decisions, how we justify our decisions, how we persuade others, how we understand our place in the world, create our identities, and define and teach social values. ”

Works Cited:

Weighart, S. (2016). “Converting Vision and Strategy into Action: Three Strategies for Turning Words into Results.” Retrieved on 22 November 2016 from www.bates-communication/

Zak, P. (2014).  “Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling.” Retrieved on 21 November 2016 from https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-your-brain-loves-good-storytelling

  

24-Karat Leaders

24-Karat Leaders

     This week’s Leadership and Emerging Media’s graduate course assignment covered numerous informative readings, some video content review, and self-directed research which all dealt with various aspects of leadership and communication.  The common thread through all of this information was a focus on a few fundamentals of genuine leaders, their vision, the environment they create, and their communication.  It has been said that “all that glitters is not gold,” but when studying leaders – transformational leaders – visionary leaders, these folks are the exception.  Their charisma, passion, and drive toward their vision glitters to the point of blinding brightness and they are indeed 24-karat leaders.  Just like 24-karat gold they are genuine, honest, and pure.  In the article, To Lead, Create a Shared Vision, these individuals are described as “…forward-looking--envisioning exciting possibilities and enlisting others in a shared view of the future…We know this because we asked followers” (2009).  Driven by this forward, innovative sight, 24-karat leaders are practicing Habit #2 that Stephen Covey calls “beginning with the end in mind” in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989).  Covey goes on to describe this habit as being “based on the principle that all things are created twice.”  He states that in order to have a physical creation (2nd time) it has to have been visualized or imagined first (1st time).  Visionary leaders use this power of visualization to tap into their imagination.  They then put those visualizations into vision statements and this becomes the framework for goals and actionable end results.  In researching this topic I have come across some true gems of vision statements.  Take for instance the beautiful clarity and inspirational brevity of these select few:

Feeding America: A hunger-free America.

Make-A-Wish: People everywhere will share the power of a wish.

Oxfam: A just world without poverty.

Habitat for Humanity: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

     When looking at specific visionary leaders and their forward-thinking perspectives we have the dreams of John F. Kennedy to put a man on the moon, or Eleanor Roosevelt’s visualization of a world where there would be equal opportunity for women and minorities (Ryan, 2009).  Visionary leaders are known too for their inspiring quotes.  Take for example Sir Winston Churchill’s motivational, “The empires of the future are empires of the mind.”  Or there is Michelangelo’s famous line, “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”  These type of legendary figures bring their visions to life in a way that is bright, inspirational and seemingly larger than life.

      Another reason I’ve given such leaders the 24-karat descriptor hearkens back to the age-old “Golden Rule” with a leadership twist.  So we all know the “Golden Rule” premise of treating others how you want to be treated.  This fundamental principle is also a prime example of the Law of Reciprocity in social psychology.  It is the social rule that states we should repay in kind, what another has provided to us.  We, as humans, are hard-wired in this way.  Here’s the leadership twist, as spoken by Simon Sinek at Global event in March of 2016, “Be the leader you wish you had.”  These seven words when put together in such a way become the “24-Karat Rule” for leaders.   

     As mentioned earlier, the research this week emphasized three elements of leadership: vision, communication, and environment.  Let’s look a bit closer at each of these.  First, the vision which is bigger than just the leader.  In combination the vision through the creativity, focus, and passion of the leader pull people in and inspire them into action.  The followers become passionate about the vision and adopt it as their own.  Humans, inevitably, want to be a part of something that is bigger than the individual concept.  The “manner in which” these 24-karat leaders “demonstrate what is important to them becomes the inherent message they send to those who follow” (Wriggle, 2006).  Second, the environment a leader establishes for his followers is of critical import to the success of the manifestation of the shared vision.  There’s the key, shared vision is what happens when a 24-karat leader connects with followers and their passion for the vision becomes a shared force among those in the group.  This most always happens in an environment where there is trust and safety.  An environment where the leader genuinely understands the people, and the people know they are understood and cared about.  This understanding also allows a true leader to learn what it is that motivates these followers.  A third leadership element that was repeatedly focused on was the leader’s communication style and methods of delivery.  Communication is incredibly important in so many ways and none more so than in being a 24-karat leader.  It goes without saying that leaders have to truly know their followers, but they too, must have earned their trust.  This trust is important within all three of the elements.  Trust means that the followers can believe in the vision, they are safe in their environment, and they are free to communicate with and about the shared vision.  In the words of Gerald Loeb, founding partner of E.F. Hutton, "the desire for gold is the most universal and deeply rooted commercial instinct of the human race."  Though he undoubtedly was referencing financial gain and the monetary value of gold, I think it is fitting here too.  If leaders are 24-karat figures, then surely their vision is the glitter and the pure gold.

     For this week’s wrap up I’d like to tie this all back to the first installment of Strategically Yours and our discussion of Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory (2003).  Applying this theory to leadership one can see how truly visionary leaders are indeed innovators.  Their vision(s) are best shared by and through an accepted understanding of Sinek’s why, why is this vision important.  When opinion leaders (passionate followers) buy in to the vision they then naturally are driven to diffuse the vision throughout groups, organizations, social media, etc. and when enough followers support that innovation a critical mass is reached.  This critical mass then propels the innovation, the leader’s vision, to the tipping point and the sheer momentum of diffusion and growth carry that vision and supported actions on throughout the final stages. 

     This week’s bonus share is from Travis Air Force Base.  I am a member of this base and proud of it.  Last week I shared about a commander’s call and the messages that were shared from base leadership.  This week, that message – our leader’s vision was distributed internally via email and externally to our neighboring community partners.  Communication – check.  Our leader made every effort to meet face-to-face with all base personnel at commander’s calls to ensure his followers shared in his vision and had the passion to carry out the actions to fulfill that vision.  It was a positive, safe environment that fostered the teamwork necessary to carry out actions required to fulfill the vision.  Environment – check.  Vision – check.  For the reader’s consideration I submit the 60^th Air Mobility Wing’s mission, vision, and priorities and the original internal communication of same.

Works Cited:

Covey, S.R. (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Simon & Schuster. New York, NY.

Kouzes, J. and Posner, B. (2009) “To Lead, Create a Shared Vision.” Retrieved on 14 November 2016 from https://hbr.org/2009/01/to-lead-create-a-shared-vision.

Ryan, J. “Leadership Success Always Starts with Vision.” Retrieved on 14 November 2016 from http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/29/personal-success-vision-leadership-managing-ccl.html.

Wriggle, R. (2006). Strategic Leader as Strategic Communicator. U.S. Army War College. Philadelphia, PA.

Leading in Circles: Leadership and Communication

     No it’s not a typo, this week’s blog title is all about circles, in a good way.  It’s about the communication methods and leadership skills that successful leaders already know, and of which aspiring leaders should take note.  Every pun intended, this week’s blog circles back to Simon Sinek’s 2009 TEDTalk on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” and pulls from his most current TEDTalk in March 2014 called, “Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe.”  With these TEDTalks in mind we’ll look at leadership and communication within an organization.  More specifically we’re going to look at transformational leadership and transactional communication.  Finally, this week’s blog will conclude with a personal share from this week’s quarterly commander’s call at the Air Force base where I work.

Transformational Leadership

     

     The “Golden Circle” was coined by Sinek and represents how leaders can inspire action by making sure that members of their organization understand and support the organizational why.  The mission and the vision of an organization is made up of the three do’s: what they do, how they do it, and why they do it.  Sinek clarifies with this, “Leaders tell people why – Authority tells people what to do” (2011).  Along these lines I have had the privilege of serving in and working for the U.S. Air Force.  During my experiences I must concur with the others who find military leaders often have a specialness to their leadership.  “Military leadership is based on the concept of duty, service, and self-sacrifice; we take an oath to that effect” (Kolditz, 2009).  Kolditz goes on to point out that “our leadership extends to caring for the families of our soldies, sailors, airmen, or marines, especially when service members are deployed” (2009).  Military leaders, great military leaders, employ transformational leadership.  Kloditz points out that this occurs when followers are “led in ways that inspire, rather than require, trust and confidence”.  He also goes on to say that, when followers have trust and confidence in a charismatic leader, they are transformed into willing, rather than merely compliant, agents.  “The best leadership-whether in peacetime or war-is born as a conscientious obligation to serve.  In many business environs it is difficult to inculcate a value set that makes leaders servants to their followers.  In contrast, leaders who have operated in the crucibles common to military and other dangerous public service occupations tend to hold such values.  Tie selflessness with the adaptive capacity, innovation, and flexibility demanded by dangerous contexts, and one can see the value of military leadership as a model for leaders in the private sector” (Kolditz, 2009).

     These snippets from Kloditz’s article, “Why the Military Produces Great Leaders” ties in nicely with Simon Sinek’s most recent TEDTalk entitled “Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe” (2014).  This talk is a powerful commentary on leadership.  Not surprisingly in his talk the first narrative he shares is of a military-related story (I won’t spoil it for you, the link to this TEDTalk is in the works cited below).  One of the key aspects of this story is that good leaders will sacrifice so that their people might gain.  This differs from many business leaders because we often see and hear of their self-gain at the sacrifice of others.  Additionally, Sinek likens good leaders to good parents in that both groups give opportunities, discipline when required, coach, and support.  All of this to “build them up to achieve more than we could have imagined for ourselves.”  In another TEDTalk, this one by a retired 4-star general and West Point graduate, Stanley McChrystal, aptly titled, “Listen, Learn…Then Lead” (2011) he states that “leaders can let you fail and not let you be a failure.”  In so doing good leaders create a circle of trust within their organization, much like how good parents create an environment of trust in their family.  People feel safe and in turn, they will support each other.  Leaders can be found at any organizational level, they are the folks who are taking care of the person to their right and left.  They are the folks who are establishing the circles of trust, guiding people to the golden circle and the why we do it, and building upon their shared purpose, values, and beliefs with the people on either side.  In another TEDTalk, Drew Dudley claims that everyday leadership is the “everyday act of improving each other’s lives” (2010).  He goes on to end his talk with a powerful Marianne Williamson quote from her book A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles, “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

Transactional Communication

    It’s tremendously important that your organization foster an atmosphere of openness and create systems that will lead to the freest flow possible of, not only information, but ideas, feelings, and a sense of shared purpose” (Rabinowitz, 2015).  This shared sense of purpose unifies an organization and promotes transactional communication.  Transactional communication, simply put, is when people are simultaneously sending and receiving messages.  This method of communicating, which focuses on a symbolic and functioning model, is of import to organizational communication because it is “more interactive and more of a social interaction” (Barnlund, 2008).  With the constant emergence of newer electronic methods at our disposal it is apparent how transactional communication is becoming more prevalent.   

     In the article entitled, “E-Communication and the Art of Leadership” (Klein and Klein, 2016) the E stands for electronic, but it just as well could have stood for emerging.  Electronic communication is a large part of how organizations communicate in today’s environment.  Methods range from Blackberry to smartphone, intranet to internet, shared drives to emails and these all allow leadership to engage, share, and disseminate throughout their organization.  In this article the authors point out that for all of the advantages to e-communication there are also possible negative side effects.  So e-communication helps us connect faster and from farther distances, but at the same time it is removes some of the human interactions from the communication equation.  Our emails do not emote, no matter how much emotion we may put into these messages.  This is a type of “buyer beware”, or in this case I’d like to call it “communicator considerations”. 

     As we discussed the power of the circle of trust it should be noted that there could be issues with that trust from a misuse of e-communication.  “More damaging is the potential for micromanagement and the erosion of trust” say Klein and Klein.  “With the ease of gathering and sharing information some of the decision making and responsibilities are shifted and this shift can lead to disempowerment and damage to trust within the organization.”  The authors do not advocate for an end to shared information, they only point out that it has negative potential.  The main point I’d like to stress from this article is “the potential impact leaders should be most mindful of is how our communication style affects trust” (Klein and Klein, 2016).

Just This Week

60th Air Mobility Wing, Commander’s Call

hosted by 60 AMW/CC, Colonel John Klein

     First, for my readers not familiar with a commander’s call I’ve called upon our friend Wikipedia for some help.  “A commander's call is typically a mandatory gathering in which a commander speaks to his or her people (i.e. in the Air Force, those assigned to his or her wing, group, squadron, or flight, depending on the position of the commander) regarding pertinent current or upcoming information (such as a work section opening/closing, or a new program being implemented) or concerns (such as an increase in Driving Under the Influence incidents). Commanders are usually required to address their people quarterly per year (at a minimum)”.

     During this quarter’s commander’s call as I was sitting in the, filled to capacity, base theater, on one of the six sessions being offered for the week, I found myself completely tuned in to what our commander was communicating to his people.  After a process review of the wing’s mission, vision, and priorities, by an all rank inclusive group, Colonel Klein was prepared to communicate these new actionable items to his followers.  From start to finish, I was impressed with his use of circles, transformational leadership, and transactional communication.  Here is an Air Force leader who “gets it”.  He started with the why and easily shifted to a unifying vision that established trust through a shared sense of purpose.  I even took note of a few phrases I felt were especially compelling for those under his command. Colonel Klein, when discussing the implementation of the wing’s golden circle of why, what, and how said, “there is no playbook.  You are the playbook.”  Everyone has a part in the success of this wing’s mission, vision, and priorities and with such charismatic leadership odds are good that under his command success will be met.  He ended his call with these words, “Does anybody want to be the 2^nd best mobility force in the Air Force?  If you say yes, I don’t think I want you on my team.  Don’t ever underestimate the importance of what you do.”  Now that’s a communication style and a leader I can support wholeheartedly.     

*BONUS SHARE* This week’s bonus share is in honor of Veteran’s Day on the 11^th day of the 11^th month.  Please take a moment to thank a veteran, “All gave some; some gave all.” 

                                           

 

Works Cited:

Barnlund, D.C. (2008). A Transactional Model of Communication.  Communication Theory.  Retrieved on 7 November 2016 from https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/books/9783110878752/9783110878752.fm/9783110878752.fm.xml#page=45.

Klein, J. Official Air Force Biography.  Retrieved on 9 November 2016 from http://www.travis.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/816530/colonel-john-m-klein-jr.

Kolditz, T. (2009) “Why the Military Produces Great Leaders”. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on 7 November 2016 from https://hbr.org/2009/02/why-the-military-produces-grea.html.

Rabinowitz, P. (2015) “Promoting Internal Communication”. Retrieved on 8 November 2016 from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/effective-manager/internal-communication/main.

Sinek, S. March 2014. “Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe”. Retrieved on 7 November 2016 from https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_why_good_leaders_make_you_feel_safe?language=en.

Sinek, S. April 2011 “First Why and Then Trust”. Retrieved on 7 November 2016 from http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxMaastricht-Simon-Sinek-Firs.

Sinek, S. September 2009. “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”. Retrieved on 16 October 2016

https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en.

Williamson, M. (1996). “A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles” 

Harper Collins, New York.

Commander’s Call. Wikipedia.  Retrieved on 8 November 2016 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander%27s_call.

*Bonus Share* In Honor of Veteran's Day - Sacrifice

Navigating the Social Media World with a Professional Strategy

     For this week’s professional blog assignment students were asked to conduct literature reviews, assimilate a few TEDTalks, and upload an original photo to our blogsite.  I’d like to start with the easiest of those tasks for me, my photo share.  This picture was taken in the spring of 2015 while on a, cross it off of my bucket-list, trip.  We were able to spend over a week in a place I had long hoped to visit.  A place of sun-washed, blue-roofed buildings perched cliffside overlooking ancient calderas and the mediterranean blue of the Aegean Sea – our destination was the island of Santorini.  This photo is of us on a sailing trip around that gem of an island.  

Santorini, Greece -  April 2015

     So it would seem that developing a professional social media strategy is much like the navigation required for a successful sailing experience.  Think about it, you need a destination (social media goals), then you also need to choose your mode of sailing i.e., vessel type (social media platform), next you want to chart a course (create a strategy).  Of course all along the way you’ll need to keep scanning the horizon, monitoring communication channels, adjusting the sails, etc. to plan for and predict a successful voyage.

     Sailing analogy aside, let’s consider a few examples of professionals who could benefit from a social media strategy.  Then we’ll look at a few social media platforms and how they can best serve you professionally.  Finally, we’ll move on to cover several elements to consider when developing that strategy.  There can be no doubt of the importance of a professional social media strategy because in the words of Benjamin Franklin, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

     I’ve drafted a list of examples of various professionals who could benefit from a social media presence and strategy:

1) A transitioning military service member creates a LinkedIn profile to network with employment recruiters.  

2) A freelance photographer uploads various pictures to build a professional gallery on Instagram. 

3) A strategic communications graduate student creates and contributes to a professional weekly blog. 

4) A mid-level manager stays up-to-date on the latest leadership and management topics in open discussions about and weekly readings of the Harvard Business Review newsletter on Facebook. 

5) An aspiring comedian joins Twitter and scans daily “tweets” for trending comedic value.

     Establishing a social media presence is one thing, but having a strategic plan for your professional objectives is an additional step that many folks are missing.  Ariane Ollier-Malaterre suggests that it is important for professionals to “make strategy choices for themselves” (Harvard Bus, 2015).   In order to establish a strategy, we need to understand a bit about what various social media platforms can best do for us.  First, let’s look at LinkedIn.  A professional networking site, LinkedIn is best known for expanding career-minded connections.   Because of the professional nature of this platform it is ideal for promoting a professional brand.  Here the resume takes on a visual look in a virtual format.  Additionally, there are numerous career related groups to join in order to grow your social sphere.  Unlike other platforms, LinkedIn is a “personal” free zone, it is entirely focused on professional networking.

     Next, let’s examine the benefits of Instagram.  This mobile photo sharing application is now part of the Facebook family and it goes without saying that the acquisition led to an increase in users.  Instagram is all about visual content.  The adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words” rings quite true for this platform.  A professional could quite possibly turn that adage into: a picture is worth a thousand likes or shares.  Additionally, Instagram has capability for 15-second video uploads.  There is even the capability to embed these short clips to website and/or blogs.

     Speaking of blogs, the blog remains an extremely effective tool in the development of a strong professional strategy.  The key item is content, content, content.  A professional blog can help establish authority, which in the world of persuasion leads to credibility with your audience.  This is a winning combination for today’s professionals.  Additionally, a successful professional blog can be profitable in and of itself. 

     Let’s consider the advantages to a professional strategy using the Twitter platform.  A social networking platform that consists of “microblogging” real-time posts called “tweets” of 140 characters or less.  As with all things internet related Twitter has evolved and that change has been a content related shift toward more current news and trending topic discussions.  This site encourages connections of like-minded individuals with similar interests and the following of leaders in industry.  Additionally, photos can be uploaded for visual “tweet” enhancement.

     Finally, there is Facebook, that multipurpose social networking platform that can no longer be considered a social connection site only.  No, this mega-web service site keeps adding on to the services available to users.  From the initial status updates to Facebook live there are numerous tools for developing your professional brand and strategy.  Joining professional groups that align with your business interests can help generate connections, provide useful information, and offer a place to engage in industry related discussions.

     Now that we have covered the basic premise for a few social media platforms let’s consider how to develop an individualized professional social media strategy in a general sense.  An article written by William Arruda entitled, “Three Elements of an Effective Social Media Strategy,” provides that an effective social media strategy should be built on these tenets: “Be real.  Be focused.  Be consistent” (Forbes, 2013).  Sure there are many more “how-to” references for developing your own professional social media strategy but these three elements are clear, concise and at the core of everything I’ve come across in my readings and research.  However, it should be noted that these were developed with a personal strategy in mind.  That being said elements two and three remain unchanged.  Element one requires the slightest adjustment if we keep in mind what Soumitra Butta said in his “Managing Yourself: What’s Your Personal Social Media Strategy?” piece (Harvard Bus, 2010).  He clarified, “It helps to look at the two spheres of social media activity – personal and professional – against the target audience – private and public.”  

     The first element of an effective professional social media strategy is to “Be real.”  There is absolutely no substitute for authenticity.  Arruda asserts that “your virtual world brand must match who you are in the real world” (2013).  Even for a professional strategy your professional brand should be an actual reflection of who you are and what you hope to one day become.  I feel that in all we do there should be some evidence of who you really are.  The objective is to be the real you, focusing on the professional version of the real you when executing the various stages of your social media strategy.  Emphasis should also be placed on keeping your personal profiles separate from your professional profiles.  Each type of profile has a distinct objective and equally distinct strategy.

     “Be focused” means set clear objectives and stay the course with your chosen platform(s).  The internet is unquestionably vast and one of the keys to the successful implementation of a professional social media strategy is honing in on the business community that will serve you and your career the most.  In addition, being focused can relate to being selective.  You’re developing a professional strategy, keep this in mind with each friend request/follow/connection/retweet/like, etc. you consider.  Finally, the third element is to “be consistent”.  This covers time management, the actual scheduling and prioritizing of time set aside to upload, post, tweet, blog, follow, like, and/or comment.  Because of the vastness of the internet there is literally no way to have a presence on everything, everywhere, all of the time – so set your goals, pick a few platforms that work for you, and professionally navigate your way through the social media seas.

Strategically Yours,

Autumn

*Bonus Share* I was fortunate enough a few months ago to attend a workshop in Napa Valley where I met and became friends with a truly inspirational woman.  She is indeed an innovator, but she is also diffusing her innovation.  Lynda Nguyen is coming in to her own as founder/CEO of newly launched  www.friendtier.com a site where “We are dreamers doing. We connect and create.”  And this site, all about connecting and creating, is linked up to all of the biggies – follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

  

A few more pics of our once-in-a-lifetime kind of family vacation:

Works Cited

Arruda, W. Three Elements of an Effective Social Media Strategy. Forbes (2013)

Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2013/08/27/three-elements-of-an-effective-social-media-strategy/#266b1f227543

Duuta, S. Managing Yourself: What’s Your Personal Social Media Strategy? Harvard Business Review (2010) vol 88 issue 11 Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/11/managing-yourself-whats-your-personal-social-media-strategy

Ollier-Malaterre, A. and Rothbard, N. How to Separate the Personal and Professional on Social Media. Harvard Business Review (March 26, 2015).  Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/03/how-to-separate-the-personal-and-professional-on-social-media