Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Being Knowledgeable

At the beginning of the 20th century, before his nomination to the United States Supreme Court, attorney Louis Brandeis was visited by a group of students who came seeking advice on how to be successful lawyers. Brandeis told them to go down to City Hall and pick out an issue that the city council was currently grappling with. The issue could pertain to taxes, sanitation, local education, or crime or a host of others. It did not matter. Select one, Brandeis told the students, and then become as well-versed on the issue - pros and cons - as a person could be. Once you have done this, Brandeis said, make a decision as to where you stand on the issue, make your expertise known, and then begin working as an advocate for or opponent of it. In giving this advice, Brandeis was subtly urging the students to become active in their community but also, on a broader scale, to become knowledgeable about issues that they as lawyers take on.

It was Brandeis' contention that by becoming well informed, lawyers or persons in any other profession become that much more effective at what they do. They are able to speak with a greater sense of confidence and authority, work more effectively with others, and ultimately have better success at advancing issues in which they believe. This philosophy can easily be applied to those persons looking to get into communications. Become knowledgeable. As is the case with lawyers, rarely do communicators work alone. Inevitably, their work revolves around representing others in some way. This is a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously and treated with the greatest respect.

One aspect of becoming knowledgeable particularly important is becoming well-versed in arguments against positions you might espouse. This requires research and putting yourself in the shoes of others; listening; being able to articulate their perspectives; and gaining an understanding of their sources of information. This knowledge enables you to better articulate your own point of view because you have developed a through grasp of arguments against it. While not everyone agrees with the advice Brandeis put forth nearly a century ago, I see much wisdom in it. From a communication stand point, it helps keep the lines of communication open between various publics and helps ensure those lines will remain civil and respectful.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

The Best of Everything

I just returned from New York City where I visited my daughter, who lives in Brooklyn. Not that I have traveled nearly as much as I would like or have seen all that many big cities in the world, but I believe it is safe to say there is no other metropolitan site in the world as the one called "The Big 'Apple." It is exciting and carries with it an electricity that is undeniable. My daughter has lived there, including her years in college in Manhattan, for over ten years. While no one knows what the future will be, my daughter says she cannot imagining living any where else simply because New York City has "the best of everything." Restaurants, entertainment, culture and opportunity are among the specific examples she sites.

While I am not about to disagree with my daughter, her comments got me to thinking about the definitiveness of "best of everything." Is there really a "best of everything" that everyone agrees upon? Do we all agree, for instance, on what is the best pizza? Is there a best religion? How about the best movie? Is there one that literally everyone agrees is the best one? (I raise that question as a guy who swears the original "Angels in the Outfield" starring Paul Douglas tops all comers.) Obviously, the answer to those questions and a million others like it is "no." There is no "best of everything." While it might make things easier on some level, I suspect it is better that we all have different opinions on what is the best of something or, for that matter, the worst.

It is certainly that way in communication. Even if there were a universally-acclaimed number one communication strategy, then I strongly doubt that one way of communicating or that one special phrase would hold onto its "best" trophy for long. For one reason, those on the receiving end of communiques are permanently shifting targets. Messages or phrases that are successful one day are more likely not to work the next time. People's perceptions change. Their willingness to listen varies from day to day. New competing communication efforts emerge every day along with various distractions that potentially detract from their effectiveness. The solution to this reality is for people to do the best they can each day whether they are making a new pizza, producing a new movie or launching a new communication strategy. In today's world, there may not be a "best," but there certainly is a "good." In fact, for our ever-changing world, "excellent" should be the new "best."

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Lines in the Sand

In order for communication to work most effectively, the parties involved must be willing participants. If one of the parties involved, for instance, refuses to talk, behave in a civil manner or engage in any kind of dialog, then whatever communication does take place is going to very limited. Granted, sometimes circumstances call for one of the people involved not to talk but the great majority of the time not only do the participants need to behave in a manner that demonstrates their willingness to communicate, but they should also behave in a way that encourages the other party to communicate as well. In other words, it "takes two to tango." Believe me when I say I have seen someone tango alone and it is not all that great.

 I share these thoughts right now in the shadow of heated health care debating that has been going on within our nation for the past year or so. Putting aside the merits of either side of this issue, one of the great problems is that far too often neither side was talking with the other. There was a great deal of talking at but not talking with. If that had occurred, then perhaps so many of the exchanges that took place would not have been so ugly or unworthy of the topic or the people involved. Far too often people, and this includes some of the people we all watch on the various cable news shows, acted as if they were not interested in true dialog or in advancing the debate at all. Instead, they just wanted to call the opposition names and hear themselves talk.

Recently, author and former speech writer for President Bush, David Frum expressed a concern that much of the communicating we have been hearing and seeing in our nation seems to have a violent edge to it. People are so quick to draw lines in the sand in which they firmly state their position and then virtually challenge or dare anyone listening to step over that line. Obviously, the chances of any meaningful communicating happening after that are almost non-existent. Drawing a line in the sand may sound like a brave and strong thing to do, but in reality it's not. Most of the time it's akin to a six-year-old taking his ball and going home or a four-year old having a tantrum in a public place. People with true conviction and courage don't draw lines in the sand. Instead, they keep the channels of communication open and keep working toward advancing their position while helping ensure those in opposition remain part of the process.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

When the President Comes to Town

President Obama came to our campus this past week. Since his historic election, this was his third visit to George Mason University and the fourth of his time as a national figure. One person joked, "If he comes any more he's going to have to get a parking decal like everyone else." Despite the comment and frequency of appearances, make no mistake, when the President comes to town it is a big deal. Always. The focus of his visit was, not surprisingly, health care. He arrived to give a speech and fire up his supporters to contact their representatives on behalf of this potentially monumental legislation. As of this writing, whether he was successful remains to be seen as Congress is still a day or two away from voting on this measure.

For those watching on television or even from the audience, this kind of event might seem fairly simple. A stage is constructed, the sound system is checked, and the President walks out and gives his speech. It is supposed to look simple. But it's not. Less than three full days earlier The White House had called to ask if the university could accommodate them by serving as a venue for President Obama. We immediately say "yes." Shortly afterward, an advance team was in our midst to meet with our events team to identify a possible site. The Patriot Center, the institution's 10,000-seat arena that hosts a range of events each year including commencement, rock stars, the circus, ice shows and sports events, was deemed ideal. But could the President draw a respectable crowd on such short notice? No one was certain, but The White House advance team felt it was worth the try.

Immediately The White House's complete advance team was unleashed to not only construct a stage but also to provide guidance on how seating within the arena should be arranged. Their group also included several key members of the President's communication office to direct how the university's own media team should work with the local, national, and even international reporters as well as security agents to work with campus police on how to deal with any possible protesters. As part of the university's media team, I was interested in seeing The White House's communication representatives up close and assessing how they worked. I found them to be competent, good humored, seasoned and oh-so-young; easily under 30.

In short, the event went by very well. Nearly 8,000 attended and, not surprisingly, his appearance and remarks dominated much of the news the rest of the day and into the next. The President came to town and it went by very well. Whether he will return remains to be seen, but our door is always open to any who occupy the highest office in the land.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Strong Boundaries

Whether we like it or not, we all live and function within boundaries. As citizens, for instance, we live under sets of laws that outline what is legal or illegal. Most job sites have sets of guidelines to which workers must adhere if they are to remain employed. Religions have their own vision that believers and followers share and strive to honor. Parents, of course, often set forth dos and don'ts for their children. The list of examples, of course, goes on and ons. The point is there is not one of us that does face the challenges of life each day without on some level attempting the navigate the boundaries before us. Many of these, it should be noted, are imposed upon us while others are ones we set for ourselves.

For many professional public relations practitioners, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has established a code of ethics. This document of boundaries, most recently adopted in 2000, represents a call to all communicators to carry out their professional duties and responsibilities within the parameters of being advocates for open and honest dialog and information exchange. That's not a bad vision as far as I am concerned. Our society functions best when communication is allowed to flourish. The PRSA supports this. It wants its thousands of members to as well.

Possibly one major flaw with the PRSA's code of ethics is that it has no enforcement mechanism. The worst that can happen to a member of this professional society is that they can be removed from the organization if their behavior is deemed to be in violation of the code. This professional, however, is still free to practice public relations. Professional public relations workers do not need a license to operate the same way a doctor or lawyer does, for example. In a way, this is too bad because it would make these men and women more accountable for their actions and encourage them to truly operate with the boundaries set by many of their peers. It may not totally eliminate lieing and purposeful deceptive but it would certainly add needed teeth to an honorable profession.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Crafting a Message

There is a classic study where a group of people are brought together to witness a singular event. The event occurs and these witnesses are isolated and asked to describe what they just saw. Invariably, numerous versions of the same event are described making one wonder what, in fact, really happened. People have their own lenses and their own biases. As a result, these traits help shape what they feel, experience and, in the case of this experiment, see. For instance, one person may perceive a particular act to be more important than another. The result is they either minimize or even omit it in their description of what they witnessed. To another person, that piece of information may be extremely important and, as a result, is given a high priority in their version.

One thing these two witnesses of the same event in this experiment have in common is they are describing what they saw from their own perspective, not anyone else's. Often times, communicators or professional public relations practitioners do not have this luxury. In putting together a particular message, it is essential communicators maintain a strong awareness of how their publics perceive a particular matter. An example would be a public issue such as global warming. When putting together a communication strategy with carefully crafted messages, communicators need to know such things as the questions and/or concerns a public might have about the issue; the perspectives the public might have; their level of knowledge; how the issue might currently be affecting them; and other sources of information on this issue to which they have been exposed.

With this insight into a particular public, the communicator can shape their message in a way that specifically addresses some of the concerns and questions the public might have. As a result, it makes the message more relevant to the public and raises the odds people pay more attention to it and possibly even support it. All this is to say messages devised by professional communicators require thought, research and an awareness of what others are thinking and perceiving. It is vital, of course, for communicators to create messages that accurately reflect their own views. But it helps when one has a strong sense of how others are perceiving that same issue. Messages should not be things that are quickly thrown together the same way a quarterback launches a Hail Mary pass at the end of tight ballgame. The quarterback takes the hike, drops back, tosses a long pass to a receiver and hopes for the best. Communicators - good ones - do that, too, from time to time, only their effort should be much more strategic.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Longevity

There is something to be said for being around for a long time. For instance, living a long time generates a certain level of respect. Having a few years under one's belt does tend to bring with it at least a smattering of wisdom and valuable experience. These are no small things. Wisdom and experience, for instance, help all of us develop a sense of what actions work better than others or teaches us how to interact with others in ways that keep unwanted conflict or resistance to a minimum. Neither one of these are small things, either. Talking with people who have obtained some degree of longevity has its benefits as well.

As part of a work-related project, I recently interviewed five individuals who have worked at the same place for forty years. That, needless to say, is an extremely long time. Think of all that has transpired in our country and world during that time: Nixon's resignation, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of social media, and the beginning of a new century. On a personal front, during that time period I became a parent, lost both of my own parents, and moved from one state to another. Yet these individuals have worked at one place for all that time and from the gist of their conversation are not yet ready to enter into retirement. I say "good for them" and for all others who choose to hang their hats at one place or in one situation for what we often call "the long haul."

Long-term connections, long-term relationships and long-term efforts very much have their place in our world. From a communication standpoint, it is my sense that one important lesson that comes with longevity is a greater appreciation of listening. Though I am not old enough to be mistaken for Father Time, I have come to learn a couple of important tidbits: often times the perspectives and insights of others make a lot more sense than mine; a very effective way to increase one's knowledge base is by listening and gathering information; talking is not always what it is cracked up to be; and the sound of my own voice - either out loud or in writing - does not always sound as good to others as it does to me. For me, at least, those lessons came about through longevity.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The State of Conversation

Recently, I was reading an article AARP's monthly magazine (Yes, I am old enough to receive that publication) about the state of conversations in our society. Generally, the author expressed concern at how the rise of such social media outlets as emails, twittering and blackberries and the in-hurry lifestyle of so many people have contributed to an overall deteriation in the quality of conversations that people have as well as in people's ability to converse in ways they used to. In short, it was suggested, we do not seem to talk as well as we used to. I tend to agree with the premise of the article though only in part. There is no question, for instance, that the various forms of social media we now know have contributed significantly to the state of communication. This includes verbal interaction between people. Further, as lifestyles do influence so much of what we do and how we do it, the fact that so many people seem to be juggling multiple balls in the air on any given day makes taking time to sit down and converse with others in a meaningful way much more of a challenge.

Having said that, however, I think people can and do talk effectively with each other - when they have and take the time. But finding the time is not always easy to do. And then there is the matter of being in a situation where conversation is welcome. For most of us to do anything where we feel safe and comfortable and free to not be at our best requires effective communication. As it is with the tango, there must be two to make it happen; a sender and receiver for communication to take wing. Specific to conversation, there must be at least two committed to helping make a shared understanding or a connection take place. Thus, face-to-face conversation as we know it remains alive. In today's frenetic world, however, there is much that competes with it. The result is we all have to work harder to make it happen.

All of us are communicators even if we do not have that label in our various job titles or job responsibilities. So, if we as members of society still value conversations, then we must continue to dedicate or commit ourselves to making sure they continue to happen as well as to playing an active part in ensuring their quality remains as high as possible. I know. I know. All of us already have enough on our plates as it is. Paying our bills. Being nice to others. Trying to be responsible citizens. The list goes on and on. Does helping keep conversations alive and well have to added to that endless list? Without question, the answer is "yes." And, just for the record, it should be at the top.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Matchmaker Matchmaker

One of the catchier and more durable tunes to come out of Broadway over the past 30-40 years is "Matchmaker Matchmaker" from "Fiddler on the Roof." Even today I think one would be hard pressed to find someone who has not at least heard of the song. In the show, it is performed by a young female who is hoping to find a true love who she can marry and live happily with forever. At its most effective, communication does much the same thing with one exception. It does not focus on romance, nor is its primary purpose to serve as a catalyst that brings people together for matrimony, hanky panky or just plain hanging out. (Although, in all fairness, none of those things can or would happen without communication.) On a more global level, communication is a primary tool for bringing together publics and, yes, even individuals to face common challenges, build on shared interests and even explore areas of mutual concern.

Town hall meetings are a case in point. These are forums in which people gather to communicate. Many have been held throughout the country over the past year regarding health care, for instance. In them, people travel to a particular location to discuss this topic, raise questions about it, voice their concerns, and make known their views on it. Sometimes the communication that goes on here is not pretty or is even off-putting. At other times, it is inspiring and informative. Either way, the communication that occurs reflects efforts to build a bridge or match people by helping them identify points around which they might rally.

Communicators are match makers. They devise strategies and message points to share as well as to elicit support and agreement. Matchmaking. People come together often on the basis of what is communicated and how something is communiated. Even if people or publics disagree about something and ultimately decide not to maintain a connection, the mere fact they have come together at all is often a good thing because more often than not greater understanding is the by-product.