Advice From George Washington

When George Washington was president two of his all-star cabinet members were Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. By any standards, any president would be lucky to have two individuals of such high caliber on their team. Unfortunately, Jefferson and Hamilton did not get along. As a result, the two were always nipping at each other's heels and causing Washington a great deal of anxiety over their constant bickering. One day, after hearing complaints from each about the other, Washington called the two into his office and urged them to begin looking at each other with "greater charity." While that advice did not totally cool the negative feelings Jefferson and Hamilton felt toward each other, it did cause them to lighten up a bit.

Fast forward to Washington, D.C. today and it seems as if a number of politicians, political pundits and observers could and should follow our first president's directive. The latest example revolves around President Obama's first nominee to the Supreme Court: Sonia Sotomayor. Since her nomination was announced less than a week ago as of this writing, this woman's critics have erupted like a pack of mad dogs. Among other things, she has been called a bigot, not bright and a liar. Wow. The meanness of these attacks is absolutely breath taking. While I am not saying there are not a few public figures on our landscape who do not deserve those labels, I do suggest that those kind of individuals are rare. Sotomayor is not one of them, nor has she done anything to warrant the visciousness of attacks of this nature.

A major part of effective communication is very much in the spirit of Washington's advice to Jefferson and Hamilton. True, we all make mistakes. From time to time we all say things we wish we could rephrase. We even have perspectives with which others disagree. But none of that makes us bad people or, more specifically, liars, bigots or stupid. Instead, they make us what we are: human. Viewing others with charity helps foster better relations and, in the end, helps generate better opportunities for sustained dialog. It is an important attitude that we as communicators need to carry inside of us at all times.

Fantasy Commencement Remarks

It is that time of year when tons of commencement addresses are being given to high school and college graduates throughout the country. I confess from time to time I fantasize about giving such an address, particularly to a group of men and women who are about to enter the communication field. While I have not worked out the specific or complete text, here are some highlights I would attempt to touch on:

* As professional communicators, communication is not something that can be turned on and off. Effective communication is as fundamental to life as is effective breathing. If our lives are to enjoy any degree of quality, then making stronger, more lasting and meaningful connections with others is a baton with which we must run for as long as we have breaths in our body.

* Effective communication is a long distance run, not a sprint. We may have relationships that do not last very long, but whether they do or not, each must be treated with respect. Whether they are brief or long-term, all communication efforts leave an impression.

* Not all communication efforts will be successful or help achieve the goals we may seek. Nevertheless, it is essential that they be launched and carried out with honesty and integrity. No trickery. No deception. No shell games. How each of us communicates says volumes about us as a person. As a result, being as ethical as possible must be the banner under which we operate. When it comes to communicating, how we play the game is as important as the results we may generate. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

* Communication is a two-way street. It involves talking-with as much as talking-at. If you are not listening, then you are not adequately communicating.

* Practice. Practice. Practice. Not all communication efforts or scenarios are the same. We all change, even if it is slightly, from day to day. Don't lose sight of that. Consequently, communication should not be taken for granted.

* The nature of communication requires that you keep seeking ways to stay sharp and grow as a person and professional. The broader your own horizon the better the chances of your being able to connect with those around you.

I realize the day when I find myself standing at a podium with a room full of graduates staring at me may never come, but if it does, then my guess is these points will be as relevant then as they are now.

Reconciling Perspectives

We all have different perspectives on everything. For instance, right now the weather man is predicting rain for later today. From my perspective, that is not a bad thing because the grass can always use the shower and I have indoor reading to catch up on. But for the family that is preparing a cook-out to help celebrate Memorial Day, then their perspective might be that the rain, in the words of Winnie-the-Pooh, is a "bother." Here is another example of varying perspectives that remain very much in the news these days: water boarding. There are those who view it as torture and those who see it as being little more than having water poured over one's head.

When people of different perspectives get together, can consensus be reached? Is there even a possibility of agreement coming out of honest disagreement? The answer is "yes," but it is not always easy, nor should one expect a so-called middle ground to be reached each and every time people do voice opposing views. Reconciling perspectives represents a special communication challenge. Good communication does not necessarily result in agreement, but what it can do is identify common ground, foster mutual respect, and keep dialog going. Maybe none of those things is quite the same as reaching agreement, but collectively they help facilitate advancement and that is no small thing.

One vital key to good communication, especially when people from different perspectives butt heads, is active listening. Without question it is important to be able to articulate one's views in a reasonable and understandable way. But active listening can help you better understand another point of view, foster greater empathy, and even motivate one's creative juices as a way of identifying common ground. A great example of that was demonstrated recently by President Obama on the topic of abortion. Without question, there are many different perspectives on this particular topic. In a speech, he acknowledged the perspectives, then suggested two common elements that many on both sides of the issue share: it is a very difficult decision and a mutual support for adoption of unwanted babies. Those common elements may not settle the abortion issue, but they do help open the door to identifying other common elements as well as advance the conversation so that advancement can occur. In fact, if I really wanted to sound like a cockeyed optimist, then I would add different perspectives can even serve as an opportunity to initiate good communication skills in order to strengthen our interactions with others.

A Few Reflections on Teaching Public Relations

It has been my good fortunate to teach public relations for over ten years now. While those teaching experiences have not always been at the same college, I must say with each passing semester I cherish the opportunity more and more. Generally, I have found students to be caring, bright, fun and genuine about wanting to do well in class. As a teacher, I do not look for perfection from the students as much as I do attitude and effort. Students, after all, are no different than the rest of us in they are works in progress who respond favorably to fair treatment, sincere assessment, respect, and encouragement.

As an instructor, one of my constant challenges is keeping the students engaged by generating class discussions that are stimulating, devising challenging projects, and connecting with them in ways to which they most relate. Perhaps like many other instructors, some days I do better at this than others. Certainly in my case, I consider myself to be like the students in that I, too, am learning and trying to do better than I did the day before.

The fact I am teaching public relations makes this reality even more pronounced because as a part of the field of communication, it is a social science that is always shifting, ever-changing. The same, I might add, can be said of the students themselves. These student, no matter their major, will become active citizens of the world. As a result, the communication skills they learn in school have the potential to bring benefit to us all. In many ways, it is too bad the fundamentals of communication are not part of every student's academic program simply because it is so vital to how well one does in life.

Finding An Audience's Comfort Zone

Perhaps like you, every so often I like to flip through channels to see what movies are on. Almost inevitably I will come to one I have already seen but enjoyed and end up watching at least part of it all over again. Why is that? I may like the stars of the movie. And the story-line may be enjoyable as well. But I believe a more underlying reason is this old movie taps into my comfort level in a very fundamental way. Consequently, I easily let it in once again much like I might let in a friend who unexpectedly comes knocking on my door inside.

Getting "inside" is the first goal of any effort to communicate; having the audience or receiver of a message open their internal door so that the communique itself can come in and be heard. From the perspective of the sender or communicator, the challenge is in how to do that. What ingredients go into designing a message that will be heard or accepted? I believe an important clue can be found in an old movie that many of us do not mind watching again and again every so often. That old movie is not offensive or off-putting. It resonates with us in a way in which we prefer to be approached.

The communicator needs to design a message that comes as close as possible to melding with the audience's comfort level. Doing this will most likely result in the person or persons to whom you are speaking being receptive to what is being said. This is important because as it was with the encyclopedia salesmen of long ago, if you can not get your foot in the door, then it does not matter how good the product or message itself is. How best to do this lies in those three magic words in the field of communication: know your audience. How do they best like to be approached or talked with? What are they most interested in? What are their chief concerns or dreams? The more one can do to find answers to these and similar questions, the better the chances are the message one seeks to impart will be heard. Of course, while this does not necessarily result in agreement, it is a vital first step toward making a connection. A successful first step is where all good communication efforts begin.

Borrowing From Lincoln

One of my favorite insights from Abraham Lincoln pertains to human nature and power. Lincoln said one way to get a good measure of an individual is to give that person power and see what they do with it. Do they share it? Give it away? Use it to make the lives of people around them better? Do they use it to generate more power for themselves? Do they use it do harm to others? It is an interesting litmus test and one, in my own limited experiences, I have found much truth in. It is easy, of course, to apply these questions to public figures - past and present - but this "power test" can also be applied to those around us, including ourselves, who are not famous yet who wield influence on some level or levels.

A similar "test" can also be applied in the area of communication. Every day we all have opportunities to communicate with others. Even if it is just with one other person in writing or face-to-face, we have forums in which to speak and be heard. A question that helps define us as individuals when those communication opportunities arise revolves around what we do with them. Do we communicate in ways that mislead or spread the truth? Burn or build bridges? Reach out or turn away? Belittle or encourage? When communicating, the choices we make when we come to these mini-crossroads define us as individuals as much as the choices we make when it comes to utilizing power.

In my own life, I see friends and colleagues makes these choices every day. This includes me, too. None of us make the right or best choices all the time. I certainly don't. Perhaps one reason for this is because we do not fully appreciate that communication choices we make say as much about us as to our values and moral integrity as do the quality of the messages themselves. That, of course, amplifies the importance of communication beyond being a mere exchange of information or messages. A person other than Lincoln said "we are what we eat." I will take that a step further by observing how we communicate is also who we are.

Newspapers Today

There has been much talk lately that newspapers are on their way out. One United States senator even went as far as to call them an endangered species. Sadly, there seems to be much truth to this characterization. Overall, readership of newspapers across the country is down. A number of newspapers, big and small, are either folding, going totally on-line and no longer printing, and laying off significant numbers of staff. Collectively, these are highly disturbing trends for a profession that not only been the primary chronicler of our nation's history but in many ways has shared that same history in significant ways.

As a former journalism major in college and professional newspaper reporter for several years, this industry has always had a warm spot in my heart. Newspapers are as much apart of my days as anything. If they, in fact, do disappear, then it will be a very sad day in my life. But having said that, I believe what is happening with newspapers today must be viewed in the larger context of the evolution of communication itself. The decline of newspapers should not be interpreted that people are less interested in news and information. I argue that, in fact, people are more hungry for those commodities than ever before. In fact, the public's taste for the latest in national and international news, sports, weather, entertainment scoops, etc. is exhibiting itself in the creation of the many new forms of communication that seem to be popping up almost weekly.

These new forms of communication suggest that not only are people more hungry for the latest in news and information, but more and more they want to be part of it. Take my blog, for instance. Each week I comment on a profession of great importance to me. In a nutshell, I do this because I wish to more actively involved in its existence and ultimate growth. This blog provides me with one way of actually being out on the playing field rather than on the sidelines simply cheering along. So, let us continue to support newspapers as best we can, but at the same recognize that their possible demise is more reflective of our growing desire to play a participating role in the exchanging of information that goes on around us each and every day. In short, more and more we seem to be recognizing that newspapers are not meeting this new need of ours.

Benny Goodman and Communication

Not too long ago someone pointed out that when I talk about communication I seem to make a lot of analogies between it and music. I never really thought about it, but now that I do I have to agree. The reasons are simple: I love both and see each as being universal. This leads me to the late, great Benny Goodman. Goodman was an outstanding jazz and classical clarinetist and a real giant in American popular music, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century. Besides being a great musician, one of the reasons for this is he was a genuine pioneer in paving the way toward the integration of big bands, orchestras, and smaller ensembles. As a person, Goodman was also a shy, introverted individual. And this leads me to a story about Benny Goodman and his connection with communication.

One time at a celebrity function in the 1940s, while everyone was partying after a benefit concert in which Goodman and his group participated, Goodman was off in a corner by himself softly running scales on his clarinet. One of his peers came over to urge Goodman to put down his instrument and join the others for drinks. Goodman nodded but kept playing. Finally, the other person asked, "Benny, how come every time I see you, you are always practicing?" Goodman stopped playing and said, "I keep practicing so on those days when I am not great, I'll at least be good."

This very much applies to communication. All of us communicate every day in many different ways, of course. But the reality is from time to time none of us communicate as well as we should. We are flawed. We get flustered. We misread our audience. The proper words do not quite come to mind. The reasons are endless. But this is no way compromises the importance of communication, nor does it represent reasons why we should not continue to keep trying to communicate with others as effectively as we can. Like Benny Goodman, we need to keep practicing every day because not every time we speak or act or write we are going to be great. But if we practice enough, we'll at least be good.

Prevention Communication

Talk of swine flu is sweeping much of the world these days. Let us hope that, in the end, it turns out to be the talk that ends up having more of an impact than the flu itself. But talk is important, particularly if it informs, helps to solidify relations among various publics, contributes to positive actions on the part of its participants, and does not lead to irrational or destructive behavior. Within this context, this swine flu situation is a good example of what I would term prevention communication rather than the more traditional crisis communication. Crisis communication pertains more to when the crisis is present while prevention communication revolves around the preparation for a possible crisis. Given that context, how is our federal government doing thus far? Is it helping or hurting?

Whether it is prevention or crisis communication, the key element they both share is information. It is this ingredient during times of impending uncertainty that often spells the difference between calmness and panic, insecurity and confidence. At the same time, information must be coupled with credibility and guidance or negative consequences can ensue. I believe this is what we are seeing in parts of our country and world right now. Federal authorities, overall, are doing a good job of providing us with valuable information in terms of symptoms to look for and what do if we or family members begin not feeling well. Another positive is that our current leaders have given us no reason not to believe what they are saying unlike the previous administration. But it is in the area of guidance where we are witnessing possible breakdowns.

There have been a number of reports of panic and misguided interpretation of information in various parts of the country, particularly in Texas. Emergency rooms are being swamped with parents and their children. Schools are being shut down. Perhaps this is understandable given Texas' very close proximity to Mexico, the start of the swine flu breakouts. Nevertheless, authorities need to view these occurrences as reasons why information before the fact is essential so that people are better able to handle themselves should the "real thing" occur. Remember all those fire drills so many of us used to participate in when we were in elementary school? I sure do and I am way beyond those years now. Given this swine flu situation, perhaps it is time for authorities to use this as a good reason to begin developing similar strategies that instill within us the tools and information we need to minimize behavior that only adds to a potentially negative situation.