IABC International Conference – Lynne Lancaster

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Lynne LancasterThis year’s IABC Research Foundation luncheon speaker, Lynne Lancaster, addressed the topic Minding the gaps: Engaging four generations in an info-saturated world.

What happens when generations collide?

Generational differences can be very challenging when you are required to communicate across four generations in any one day. The magic lies in people who are able to see through the eyes of another generation.

65% if resondents to the Generations Survey conducted by Lancaster and her partners reported that generation gaps make it hard to get things done at work.

The four generations now in the workplace:

  • Traditionalists – born pre-1946 – 75 million in the USA (8 million in Canada)
  • Babyboomers – 1946-64 – 80 million (9 million)
  • Generation X –  1965-81 – 46 million (7 million)
  • Millenials – 1972-2000 – 76 million (8 million)

When approaching generational analysis, be careful not to put people in a box. The analysis is just one way to get extra insight into people.

Key issues:

  • Succession planning: As 80 million baby boomers leave the workplace, they will be followed by only 46 million Gen Xers.
  • There will be a shortage of skilled workers – 4.2 million by 2010 and 14 million by 2020. Companies like Ernst & Yonge have established programs to stay in touch with their alumni as a source of potential future recruits (*”Boomerangs”).
  • Knowledge transfer will become an issue as institutional memory walks out the door with longtime employees.

Generations in motion

Traditionalists

72% of Traditionalists plan to return to work after they retire. This is a change from traditional norms. This is driven by several factors, especially a fear of being unable to afford retirement.

60% of Traditionalists say they do not have a clearly defined career path in the place they work. Companies who address this will be able to retain or hire Traditionalists, with their strong work ethic and reliability. Wells Fargo is a company that has understood the needs of Traditionalists and is using this understanding to recruit Traditionalists to return to work.

Baby BoomersBaby Boomers set out as optimistic, idealistic people who could make things better. Today, the number one reason for boomers to stay in a job is “making an impact.” However, this have become increasingly difficult for them to do and frustration is setting in.As boomers age, they are questioning themselves, their situation and rethinking.Boomers are a sandwich generation – sandwiched between aging parents and the needs of their kids. Boomers are feeling “pretty burned out.” They want more personal time. 75% say that “more time off” is the most valuable reward they can get in the workplace.

Generation X

One of the most formative experiences on Gen X was the explosion of media. By age 20, the average Gen Xer had watched 23,000 hours of television.

They witnessed the veil of privacy on the part of public personae drop away in an “anything goes” television environment. This fueled a profound skepticism. Gen Xers believe that they have a better chance of seeing a UFO in their lifetime than they do of receiving a Social Security cheque.

Communications must respect the skepticism of Gen Xers and work with it. Moster.com has done a superb job in doing this with a television ad that plays to Gen Xers’ belief that they cannot rely on institutions to take care of them.

When dealing with Gen Xers give them short, simple, to the point information, honestly.

Millenials

The digital generation: 50% of millenials have a computer monitor in their bedroom. Consider what they have seen – unfiltered. They have tried to sort through information their entire lives.

One of the most essential functions of communicators in dealing with Millenials is to provide cues regarding the reliability and trustworthiness of sources of information.

Millenials arrive in the workforce with less work experience. Teens work less than previous generations. Additonal school requirements, divorced parents, requirements for community service, keep many out of the workforce during their formative years. Employers will have to provide much of the cues and information necessary to help them learn the workplace norms.

Millenials are impatient with the pace of communication. Voice mail demands too much time. They have moved on the immediacy of Instant Messaging.

Millenials look for information online. They have learned to live their lives virtually online. Colleges have increasingly taken their courses and the recruiting experience online. They will expect this from their employers.

However, remember that technology does not equal communication. Technology will never take the place of good research, good planning and well thought-through communication.

Organization communications standards must be flexible to try new things.

 

IABC International Conference – Jody Humble

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FedExJody Humble, regional manager of corporate communication for FedEx Canada, argues that storytelling is an effective way to communicate and shape corporate culture.She opened her presentation with a video narrated by individuals reflecting on how FedEx employees has rallied to help in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans and Louisiana.“That explains the kind of company we are trying to be.” And the company clearly is doing something right ait ranks number four on Fortune’s list of most admired companies.Key drivers of culture at FedEx include a recognition that “Our product is our people.” Layered onto this is the evolving portfolio of companies (e.g. Kinko’s) and increased competition. Finally, there is a recognition that expectations of the company are changing. For example, in the post-911 world, the company must play a role in ensuring the security of it clients.

FedEx has introduced “The purple promise: Pledge. Attitude. Behaviour.” to shape and sustain its positive corporate culture.

Pledge: I will make every FedEx experience outstanding. Experience includes experiences between employees, with customers and with anyone else the company deals with.

Behaviour: A personal checklist for action. How will I satisfy my customers today? Have I treated them in a professional, competent, polite an caring manner? Have I delivered the highest quality service? Have I processed information with 100% accuracy?

The Purple Promise is an essential business strategy. It provides a basis for empoyees to compete collectively and provide optimal customer experiences, thus improving customer loyalty.

Four elements of embedding the culture:

  • Policies, practices and tools – must be established at the outset.
  • Leadership by example (storytelling) – provides a basis in fact.
  • Communication (storytelling) – delivers and sustains
  • Recognition & reward – At the end of the day, people need a personal reason to change their behaviour.

Storytelling is a principal vehicle for propagating a positive culture based on the Purple Promise. Our world is a social place. Our view of it is created by social interaction more than facts. We listen to people we trust.

Through the intranet, employee videos, an in-house television network, face to face meetings and other vehicles, FedEx attempts to deliver a constant stream of stories that embody the Purple Promise.

For this to work, it requires an enlightened human resources director who is prepared to work closely and cooperatively with the communications department.

Performance measures have been realigned to service performance, including a bonus based on the company’s service results.

This is backed up by both monetary and nonmonetary recognition and awards. A tiered recognition program empowers managers to acknowledge positive contributions on the spot. A more formal selection process is used to select recipients of Purple Promise Awards, which carry both recognition and remuneration.

In fine David Letterman, form Jody closed with a list of the Top 10 benefits of storytelling:

10. It can be inexpensive – a great deal can be accomplished at relatively little cost

9. Adds endurance ot the message

8. Encourages listening – we all listen to stories.

7. Infiltrates ‘water cooler’ conversations.

6. It is highly persuasive – You’re more likely to believe something in the context of a story.

5. Inspires trust – increased interaction through storytelling enhances familiarity, comfort and trust.

4. Forges the bonds of common experience

3. Simplifies the complex via metaphors

2. Appeals to emotions – a good story moves you emotionally.

1. Captures and leverages institutional knowledge – a great way to share knowledge with your workforce.

In the question and answer session, one participant observed that The Purple Promise is working because it is a way of life, not merely a communications program. For a culture program like this to work, everybody must be part of it – executives, human resources, frontline service deliverers, every part of the organization.

This was a good, practical advice section that had the corporate communications people in the room taking notes.

 

IABC International Conference – Stephen Lewis

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This is a long post, but read it through to the end … please.

When the bottom line isn’t enough.

Stephen LewisStephen Lewis, United Nations’ Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in stunningly and compellingly reminded us of our corporate social responsibility in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the communication professional’s role in elevating these priorities and encouraging the instinctive compassion of individuals. Globalization is failing to deal with some of the most pressing problems: poverty, disease conflict, the environment.Faced with this, the UN established a series of eight Millenium Development Goals to be achieved by 2015:

  • To cut in half the most extreme manifestations of poverty and hunger
  • Dramatically reduce infant mortality rates
  • Dramatically reduce maternal mortality rates
  • To put all the primary school age children in the world
  • To introduce a degree of gender equality
  • To drive back the scourge of infectious diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis
  • Environmental sustainability
  • An accord between the developed and developing world, in which the former delivers on its promises.

“Six years later, while progress is being made in other parts of the world, it is clear that not one of these goals will be met in Africa – largely due to excruciating poverty and the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.”

Some hard realities. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is spreading irrevocably, ineluctably around the world. In China. In India. In Russia. Eastern and central Europe and Asia. There is no part of the world that is immune. And in the epicentre of Africa, it is astonishingly catastrophic.

“If the present level of infections continue, by the year 2012, we will have 100 million on this planet who have died of AIDS or who will die prematurely from it. … The pervasiveness of death is absolutely heartbreaking.”

Lewis spoke of a class of 10 year olds in Zimbabwe in which the teacher asked them to write what was on their minds. Eight out of ten wrote the word, “Death.” And for these children, the only solace they have is prayer. There is no other hope.

“It’s 2006, for god’s sake. How are we prepared to write off millions of people who … with help .. could break the back of the pandemic.”

Women suffer disproportionately from this scourge. Burdened by gender inequality, they are victims of irresponsible behaviour by men. Women have become an endangered species in some parts of the African continent.

And the plight of orphans … “the unsung heroes of the African continent are the grandmothers, who bury their adult children and then return to parenting their orphaned grandchildren. … And when the grandparents die, you have the extraordinary situation of households of children where the oldest assume the responsibility of caring for the youngest.”

And yet, we can beat this scourge. Simply by the governments of western countries honouring their commitments and by corporations acting on their social responsibility.

“Where is the private sector in the midst of the colossal cataclysm?”, Lewis asked. How does the Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria get adequately funded? The governments of the world have begun to back away from their commitments. Hardly a penny has come from the private sector. The only quasi private sector contribution of moment is from the Gates Foundation. Why are corporations failing their social responsibility?

There are some glimmers of hope, Some companies have begun to provide testing and counseling for their workers in Africa. They have extended this to include families and communities of their workers. But what none of these companies has done is to go beyond the self-interest of dealing with the pandemic within their own employee groups to make a contribution of consequence to a real solution to the pandemic.

Lewis is traveling and meeting with leaders of corporations to ask them to exercise their corporate social responsibility by making a significant contribution to the Global Fund. “We need at least one major, significant contribution to break the logjam of indifference.”

“If there is one company anywhere that is prepared to take the first step, there is not a newspaper in the world that would not herald this in its editorial pages. … If you could construct a contribution to the Global Fund, this would be the leverage that we need to motivate others.”

Lewis challenged communicators to respond to this need. He asked that we all consider, what we can do. And that we take action.

He suggested that the IABC Research Foundation could play a role – examining why the coverage of this situation in Africa is under-reported. Awareness translates into a compulsion to act and the invisibility of Africa in western media makes it palatable to ignore the catastrophe.

Why is the communication around prevention not working in parts of the world? There are artful efforts to change behaviour … why are we finding it so difficult to change behaviour? To communicate how to protect yourself? To communicate the impact of gender inequality and the need to correct it.

“When one part of the human family is under siege, the privileged part of must respond.”

Stephen Lewis presented a compelling case for action on a human catastrophe. With wit, erudition and passion. We should not fail to heed his message.

 

 

 

IABC International Conference – Tudor Williams & Shel Holtz

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Tudor WilliamsShel HoltzBlogs, Wikis and Podcasts- What’s Next? Over a hundred people were interested enough in the answer to this to show up at a 7AM(!) presentation by Tudor Williams and Shel Holtz.

In the past year, blogs and podcasts have emerged as important communication vehicles. They have not yet become mainstream, but the pace of adoption is accelerating.

Several members of the audience talked about a variety of experience with blogs and podcasts. Experience ranged from people whose companies had not yet begun to explore social media through to active podcaster Donna Papacosta who both blogs and podcasts.

Williams and Holtz suggested that blogs, wikis and podcasts should be introduced only as elements of a comprehensive communications strategy. If they are introduced as “neat new technology,” they will surely fail.

Social media reflect the natural evolution of communications from the sender driven, one to manyh controlled communications model established in the twentieth century. Today, we can have one to one communications controlled by the receiver in which everyone can participate.

Social media have a profound impact on our communications strategies. The immediate availability of information requires immediate response. Communications tools are now integrated on the web and readily interchangeable. Collaboration has become possible at an unprecedented level. We can share information, not just disseminate it. And with all of this, scope of access to information is expanding rapidly to include not just text, but video and audio. Podzinger is an early example of an application that enables the content search of audio files.

Immediacy: The attitude of the day is that “I want it and I want it now.”

Integration: Devices have been integrated and the telephone/BlackBerry has emerged at the centre.

Access: Search engines have created an attitude that “If it’s out there, I can find it.” And the engines continue to evolve and be supplemented. Tudor pointed to Clusty as an example of another new search engine.

Collaboration: Blogs, wikis and podcasts are user friendly collaboration tools. Anyone can do it – without knowledge of coding. And it is not necessary for people to be in front of their computers to access and use these tools. Blogs can can be accessed from web enabled phones. Podcasts are ideal for communication with distributed sales forces who can download the podcast and listen to it at their convenience, in their cars, at home or anywhere else.

One questioner asked whether companies would ever accept the threat to confidentiality that blogs represent. Williams and Holtz pointed out that companies have learned to live with innovations like the fax that have in the past been seen to represent a similar threat. Companies must develop policies for the use of this technology that ensure the security of data.

What is next?

Trends in communication:

  • More individual publishing
  • More noise
  • More media outlets
  • More direct communications
  • More accountability for results

Trends in marketig

  • Customer empowerment
  • Atomization of media
  • Fixation on ROI
  • Integration of marketing communities
  • Quest for the cult brand.

Trends in internal communications

  • Democatization of information
  • Strategy shift – information to influence
  • Focus on engagement and loyalty
  • Focus on ROI
  • Globalization
  • Simplicity
  • Personalization

What are the implications of these trends?

  • Demand for collaboration, access and integration will increase.
  • Need for consistent strategic management of the metrics
  • Evolution of the social marketing.

Implications for communication strategy

  • Collaboration – strategies to share and interact
  • Access – strategies to network and connect
  • Integration – merging of the three major functions of the internet

Other concepts to watch:

The wisdom of crowds and tagging.

Edgeio

A good session. Unfortunately, the session ran overtime. The people around me had many questions and observations. More time would have enabled them to jump in.

 

 

IABC International Conference – Tuesday afternoon sessions

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Lynne LancasterAt this year’s IABC Research Foundation luncheon, Lynne Lancaster will speak about Minding the gaps: Engaging four generations in an info-saturated world. “Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X’ers, and Millenials … Each of these generations has unique expectations for how messages should be delivered, and which hot buttons are most important to hit. … savvy communicators need to know what’s important to each generation of listeners and how to make an emotional connection.”

Both of the afternoon sessions I’m planning to take in focus on employee communications.

First, David Grossman will discuss Making the most of leaders through effective leadership communication. The programme promises that the session “will explore a proven four-step leadership communications model and teach the skills necessary to coach leaders to drive business results and improve performance through effective leadership communication.” Something which I know that the folks back at my office would like to teach me! Later, it’s back to the online world: Intranets on the cutting edge: A look at what’s possible now and probably tomorrow, with Donna Itzoe and Jerry Stevenson. A look at “one of the most technologically advanced intranets on the planet – Verizon’s Digital Workplace.” Hmmm. I’m not sure it’s in this fiscal year’s budget. But I can always dream.

 

IABC International Conference – Tuesday morning sessions

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Tudor WilliamsI thought the 7:15 start to Monday was tough. Today, we’re going at it 15 minutes earlier. But at least a continental breakfast is included. I’m planning on joining Tudor Williams’ breakfast discussion of Blogs, wikis and podcasts – what’s next?

Stephen LewisWell, Stephen Lewis is next. The United Nations’ Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Commissioner for the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, Lewis will address “the role of corporate social responsibility in addressing global problems and the communication professional’s role in elevating these priorities and encouraging the instinctive compassion of individuals.” Serious topic. Passionate speaker.

FedExI’ll close out my morning with Jody Humble’s presentation on How the ancient art of narrative can inspire culture change. Jody is the communication manager who worked with FedEx Canada’s President Rajesh Subramaniam on his Excel Award-winning communications initiatives.   

 

IABC International Conference – Tod Maffin

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Tod MaffinTod Maffin. Let’s say that again. Tod Maffin. That about says it all.

Podcaster, blogger and CBC radio broadcaster Tod Maffin provided a “roll-in-the-aisles funny case for the power of social media. Solid ideas illustrated by real world examples. 

And he made a great case for buying the IABC DVD video of the keynote presentations. I just couldn’t stop laughing long enough to catch up with Maffin’s delivery.

Agents of the old order, be very very afraid. Cause Tod Maffin and his blogging legions are ready to swarm.

“Bottom line: Tod Maffin. Nuff said.

Oh, and one more thing. Remember the keywords. Right, Tod Maffin?

IABC International Conference – Shelly Lazarus

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Shelly LazarusShelly Lazarus, the Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather addressed the issue of Building brands in China: Challenges and opportunities.

Highlights:“This is not your parents’ China” China is emerging as a world force.

60 million downloads of a Motorola viral marketing video clip by the BackDorm boys

James McGregor: China is the largest startup and the largest turnaround the world has known.

“You must read your history if you want to have an effective China strategy.”

China is building a modern economy from scratch.

“In China it’s happening all at once. … What would take 50 years in other places happens in China in 20 years. … This is the economic equivalent of Formula 1 racing.”

Of Ogilvy’s 1,000 employees in China, 90% are Chinese.

50% of the work that Ogilvy does in China is for local brands.

Ogilvy also does work for global brands. “But the work is a very delicate balance. You have to take the global brand and make it relevant for China and Chinese culture. Lazarus showed a KFC commercial produced in China and directed to a Chinese audience that echoed themes of family and social responsibility – with very western music.

Ogilvy operates as an integrated communications company in China. This fits both the company’s desired 360 degree positioning and the Chinese condition. The Chinese did not have a history of advertising and PR and other marketing disciplines working in isolation. So, it made sense to integrate them.

Ogilvy’s PR discipline in China represents a proportionately larger share of the company’s revenue than in any other part of the world.

“The best advice I can give you for your China strategy? Focus on your brand.”

“We are the new. We are the future. We are Lenovo. That might be the message for all Chinese brands.”

China Mobile has 250 million subscribers. It has been ranked as the fourth most valuable brand in the world by Milward Brown.

“The 2008 Beijing Olympics will be the biggest coming out party the world has ever seen.”

“Talent is the number one issue in China. … There are not enough experienced people for all the growth. … Ogilvy conducted over 3,000 interviews to hire 345 people. … We’ve had to be very creative and aggressive in our outreach. … Outreach is only a start. Retention is the really hard thing. It’s the biggest problem we face. … We train them. And they they’re stolen for twice the salary. … You have to promise them a career path.”

Interesting presentation from a razar sharp mind.

 

 

IABC International Conference – Tom Keefe

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UPDATE: Tom Keefe has posted his slides for this presentation at the IABC Cafe.

Tom Keefe

Tom Keefe tackled the subject Building and online community: New medium, new challenges?

He cited the June 2006 Fast Company cover story, observing that social media sites are growing up and technical barriers are going away.

Most importantly, people are interacting with other people, not just with computers.

Keefe identies three key elements that must be present for community: people with common interests, common location and interaction.

  • Traits that build online community include:
  • Trust: Trust is necessary in both a living and a virtual community. In an online community, trust is built through taking a person’s word that they are who they are.
  • Support: In an online community, one of the biggest things that we give to one another is support. Technical. Practical. Intellectual.
  • Commitment: People must have commitment to post and maintain their content as fresh.

The common element to all communities is communication – communication which spans social, emotional and intellectual dimensions.

He pointed to tagworld, friendster, linkedin as examples of online communities. In particular, ebay has been particularly successful in creating a community with a high trust quotient.

He pointed to the RSA (Royal Society of the Arts) as an example of a successful small-world network.” The small-world network has many advantages over hierarchy:

  • better connected
  • faster responding
  • more fault-tolerant

Social media are being integrated into companies. However, not all forms make sense in all situations. “Walk before you run (or you’ll risk chasing your management away from the idea.)”

He illustrated the challenge of introducting social media into companies by referencing his employer Volkswagen Credit. Externally, Volkswagen Credit is podcasting and has a MySpace presence. Internally, they have RSS availability and some Sharepoint services.

Volkswagen introduced podcasting at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. Results? They saw a 31.6% click-thru rate for an emil to owners announcing our podcast project. Interveiw podcasts received 13th rank in A&E category

The company produced another podcast for the April 2006 New York AutoShow.

Volkswagen’s presence on MySpace was used for the GTI campaign. They also created MySpace profiles for fast and Helga.

The IT Department has not been enthusiastic about social media. It is important for communicators to work with IT to explain to them how social media can be a benefit to the company.

At present, Volkswagen does not encourage employees or managers to blog. There continues to be a concern about confidentiality within the company. Tom’s own blog is a personal blog.

IABC International Conference – Carol Kinsey Goman

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Carol Kinsey GomanCarol Kinsey Goman provided an overview of research that she recently completed comparing the grapevine with formal communications channels.The Grapevine is a powerhouse communication medium in every organization.The grapevine is pervasive. It is present in every organization.According to Goman’s research, when confronted with a major difference between messages delivered by in a speech from senior leadership or the grapevine, 47% of employees would believe the grapevine compared to 42% who would believe the leadership statement. 11% would attribute a blend of credibility to the two sources.Looking at a major difference between a message delivered in an official newsletter (online or print) or the grapevine, only 40% would believe that grapevine compared to 51% who would believe the official newsletter. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many people trust the written word – “Ïf it’s written, it must be true.”

74% indicated that they would choose to believe a direct supervisor compared to 24% who would believe the grapevine. It all depends on the quality of the relationship. People will believe supervisors with whom they have a good relationship. Other supervisors will not be credible.

Finally, 89% would trust a trusted co-worker over the co-worker. Trust is the operative word here, “I don’t gossip with co-workers I don’t trust.”

We can’t stop the grapevine. It is pervasive. It has speed. And now blogs are like the “grapevine on steroids.”

While formal communications are effective to an extent, the grapevine should not be ignored. It will play a role for some people much of the time. Seen this way, the grapevine could be a powerful vehicle to align the company around communications.

The grapevine accelerates

  • When there is a lack of formal communication.
  • Anytime there is an ambiguous or uncertain situation
  • When there are no sanctioned channels for venting
  • When change is impending, and
  • When there are heavy-handed efforts to shut it down.

There is a gap between senior and lower management. Lower managers are more likely to recognize both the existence and the effectiveness of the grapevine.

Managers can influence the grapevine by

  • Understanding the conditions that increase grapevine activity
  • Respecting employees desire to know
  • Increasing participation and influence
  • Sharing the bad news as well as the good,
  • Monitoring the grapevine, and
  • Acting promptly to correct mis-information.

The grapevine may in fact be a powerful tool for communicators.

  • There is some information that people can only get from the grapevine. Soft information about people’s predilections and propensities.
  • Spot problems early and prepare
  • Seize opportunities
  • Build a reputation. The grapevine will boost better performers, but be harsh on others.
  • Bond with co-workers. The grapevine is an embedded survival mechanism. We learn the rules of engagement.
  • Weed out cheaters and liars. They will be exposed by the people who have been directly affected by them.
  • Let off steam
  • Gain power and control. People who are connected to the grapevine gain knowledge and influence.

Look at the grapevine not as a competitive communication channel, but as an additional resource to be monitored and harnessed.

One study has suggested that people receive 70% of their information from informal networks vs. only 30% from formal communications. Yet, most employee communications programs focus almost exclusively on the formal communications, ignoring the informal networks.

Organizations that recognize the value of informal communications get people together. For example,

  • Caterpillar created a Piazza in their European Headquarters to provide a gathering point for informal gatherings and conversations.
  • PARC Xerox wired the coffee pot to people’s desks, providing prompt that would draw people to the coffee maker when there is a fresh pot of coffee. They installed whiteboards beside the coffee pot.

Every company should ask, “Where is the ‘water cooler’ in our organization? E.g. Smokers gathering spot. A van pool for commuters.

The law of the few: If you want effective, sustainable communication in any organization, you must reach a small number of people who are responsible for most communication.

How do you find the small number of employees who are really influencers?

  • Self-selection: Pitney Bowes (PB Voice): Employees volunteer to be ambassadors for communication.
  • Nomination: Disney’s Communication Ambassadors
  • Identification: Social Network Analysis.

Social network analysis starts with a survey of people in a network, asking who they rely on for information, who they find most credible, who they trust, etc. This information is mapped to identify the key influencers who are connectors at the centre of nodes. Once the social network is mapped, it provides the basis for analysis of the nature (positive vs. negative) of the communications, the nature of the influence and other factors.

To influence the influencers,

  • Find out what they think, feel and are currently saying about the organization.
  • Train them to maximize their communication skills
  • Inform them upfront about the back story (what got us to this place)
  • Solicit their opinions, ask their advice and utilize their feedback.
  • Influencing the conversation: “You must encapsulate the spirit of your organization, package it in strategic statements and then emphasize those statements repeatedly – so the message becomes part of the conversation.” Paul Danos, Dean, Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.

The question for communicators: How do we engage the grapevine around conversations that matter?

  • Have your senior executives talk about the elephants in the room – the big issues that execs hope nobody will notice or bring up.
  • Future forecasting: talk about trends and what it might mean for your company.
  • Business literacy: You can’t have a conversation about the organization if people don’t know what it takes to make a buck in business.
  • Change communications: facts – fast – frequent
  • Starting rumours: The most powerful rumours are those based on executive behaviour that is symbolic and authentic. So walk the talk.

Carol Kinsey Goman packed her presentation with insights and practical advice. A great session.