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RiskComm 2.0 - Leadership Considerations for High Stakes Issues and Events In Today’s Communications and Social Media Environments

APEX

March 10, 2010

Tim Flaherty, Principal

Dr. Tim Tinker, Senior Associate

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Today’s Communications Environment

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.”

- Warren Buffett

• Changing Reality • Changing Readiness • Changing Rules

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Strategic communications provide a key success factor to the effective facilitation of transformation and change

“The proactive and targeted development and delivery of key messages, and engagement of key stakeholders at the right time, in the right manner, with the right responsiveness”

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Developing a compelling case for change that drives consistent messages across an organization to achieve desired business goals

Partnering with key influencers to create custom communications solutions and deliver the compelling case for change

Predicting reactions and developing strategies to mitigate resistance and encourage action

Advising leaders and project champions on tactics to influence the behaviors needed to achieve success

Leveraging multiple tools and tactics to best reach and influence stakeholder groups

Communications Is… Is Not…

Crafting a one-way dialogue from leaders to employees

Creating only tactical materials like plans, newsletters, and memos

Developing a “one size fits all” approach or tools for all audiences

Implementing communications as the one and only tool for change management

Creating communications in isolation from management and project workstreams

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Defining Change Communications

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Typical change communications follows a classic lifecycle model

• Understand corporate culture

• Understand nature, timing,

objectives of change initiative

• Identify and access change communications

benchmarks• Determine how

stakeholders can assist with strategy

• Develop strategic & tactical

comm plans• Define target

audiences and unique needs

of each

• Tailor messages• Determine optimal delivery channels

• Determine optimal timing of delivery

• Determine feedback

loops & strategies

• Engage & train change

champions• Concurrently

deploy multiple tools and tactics• Adapt message

& delivery in response

to feedback• Provide business experts as needed

• Keep feedback loops current

• Routinely evaluate

communications effectiveness

• Use independent parties for

measurement• Communicate

results of evaluation• Redirect

resources as necessary

• Remain open to stakeholder input

PlanningResearch Implementation Evaluation

ONGOING INTERNAL & EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER INPUT

• Develop initiatives, programs, and

products which assist the organization in

meeting its strategic communications

goals

Development

ONGOING INTERNAL & EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER INPUT

COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING LIFECYCLE

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Basic Concepts for Communicating in Times of Change

Targeted Development and Delivery of Key Messages

Stakeholder analysis should inform more than user needs, business processes and preferences Thorough stakeholder analysis uncovers values, attitudes and concerns Key messages begin here and evolve as initiative progresses and stakeholders react to change Reaching this level of early understanding can be a key success factor

Engaging Key Stakeholders at the Right Time and in the Right Manner

Accurately identifying those impacted by the initiative often means “casting a wider net” Traditional cascade approach of securing executive buy-in first and cascading down through organization

often misses organizational pulse While senior leadership buy-in and sponsorship is key success factor, open and deliberate efforts to start at

the point of impact and leverage peers to build buy-in can be wise investment Important to identify appropriate channels and forums for this involvement

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Representative Communications Tools

In-PersonCyber Engagement/Multimedia

Hard Copy Publications

Specialty Items

Small group Strategy meetings Outreach visits Staff meetings Brown bag lunches Interagency communications working

group Focus groups Roundtable discussionsLarge group Town hall briefings Outreach visits Conferences (organizing/sponsoring) Speeches to professional

associations Speakers Bureau and associated

training – to promote, enable cadre of surrogate speakers

New Employee Orientation briefings

Intranet web site Public web site Global e-mails Blog Wiki postings Workforce surveys online Interagency shared folder

system Corporate Calendar Net meeting chat software CD ROM Video Conferencing DVD Gaming Video

Office newsletter Articles Official documents Speakers kit – one stop

corporate message” shop Press releases Question box Articles in trade, professional

and outside publications Posters Flyers, brochures, handouts Fact sheets FAQs Welcome guide

Videos Magnets T-shirts Key chains Bookmarks Mugs Wallet cards Badge buddies

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Communications Tools By Level of Engagement

CATEGORY FACE TO FACECYBER ENGAGEMENT/

MULTIMEDIA HARD COPY

PUBLICATION

SPECIALTY ITEMS

Communication direction between communicator and audience

Communication direction between

communicator and audience

Reachand richness

Advantages

Disadvantages

Low reach/high reachness

Largely considered to be most effective means of communication

Time consuming One-time event, not repeatable

unless recorded Requires qualified speakers Requires physical space Limited audience size

One-way or two-way

High reach / richness varies

Efficient, fast to disseminate, update ( systems are compatible) Easy interaction with audience Usually easy to publish 24/7 availability

Labor/time intensive (to produce/review/clear)

Not all graphics/layout compatible with technical means of delivery Technical capabilities not always at all sites

One-way (messagemoves from communicatorto audience)

High reach / richness varies

Provides for easy/desk side reference/referral

Great designs have visual impact Portable (easy to carry home)

Labor/time intensive (to produce/review/clear)

Snail-mail distribution Disposable Unchangeable

One-way (message moves from communicator to audience)

High reach / low richness

Creates “buzz” Supports branding Amplifies “message” Leaves lasting record of personal appearance

Relatively expensive Often must be produced in-house Rules about gift-giving may

restrict distribution

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Feedback and two-way dialogue allow for key message and theme refinement

Feedback Approach Objective

Feedback email form on web site(Intra/Internet Survey)

Allows the organization service providers and employee customers to give feedback on the program and on the communications materials received

Focus Groups Used to evaluate the effectiveness of the demonstration project; to test impact of change; and to obtain group feedback on communications and/or program components

Comment cards questionnaires at road shows and other gatherings

Provides direct and immediate feedback with little effort required of the developer or the respondent

Steering CommitteeProvides timely and consistent feedback from a well-informed and important set of stakeholders;

also provides an opportunity to address issues face-to-face with representatives of major stakeholder groups

Surveys/Data Collection Questionnaires Provides quantitative data. If done anonymously, respondents feel less pressure to give the socially acceptable answer and may provide more honest feedback

Town Hall Meetings Provides an opportunity for two-way dialogue with stakeholders. If the same questions are repeatedly asked, this indicates a flaw in the messages being sent

Roundtable Discussions Small group atmosphere allows deeper discussions, and will indicate if messages have been sufficiently customized. Additionally, provides focused feedback on localized issues

Feedback link available on theorganization intranet

Provides open invitation for feedback from all internal stakeholders, and allows for personalized response which will instill confidence that concerns are “being heard”

Example Feedback Mechanisms

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Communicating Change Scenario

A major IT program under your jurisdiction will change the way in which your workforce manages its budget process and financial reporting. You are now ready to implement the program---despite being a million dollars over budget and two months behind schedule. Meanwhile, your public affairs office was monitoring mentions of your program online and informed you that someone posted the frailties on Twitter and an industry blog.

A major IT program under your jurisdiction will change the way in which your workforce manages its budget process and financial reporting. You are now ready to implement the program---despite being a million dollars over budget and two months behind schedule. Meanwhile, your public affairs office was monitoring mentions of your program online and informed you that someone posted the frailties on Twitter and an industry blog.

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The account was traced to several of your employees who exaggerated the dollar amount and cited a year delay. Worse, the employees predicted a failed launch because few of the expected users of the new system knew much about it, how to use it, and that “the current system worked just fine.”

While nothing has been mentioned in the traditional media, it’s clear that rumors and misconceptions may threaten a smooth launch.

The account was traced to several of your employees who exaggerated the dollar amount and cited a year delay. Worse, the employees predicted a failed launch because few of the expected users of the new system knew much about it, how to use it, and that “the current system worked just fine.”

While nothing has been mentioned in the traditional media, it’s clear that rumors and misconceptions may threaten a smooth launch.

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The Communications Challenge

How would you begin to counter the rumors and misconceptions?

Is the source of the misinformation a concern?

What types of actions might you employ to get the program back on track?

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Underestimating the degree of culture change vs. structure and process change

Approaching stakeholder involvement as a “Decide/Announce/Defend” strategy

Not recognizing the need to tailor the message and the delivery channel

Not calibrating the level of engagement stakeholders desire

Underestimating the depth and breadth of stakeholder interests

Creating a robust and targeted communications strategy but failing to prepare to implement

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Why do so many initiatives fail?

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Traditional Media Social Media

Audience People

Edit then publish Publish then edit

Version Release Constant “beta”

Web as Information Participatory Web

Website = Product Website = Service

Centralization Decentralization

Front page of theNew York Times

Front page of the Huffington Post

Encyclopedia Wikipedia

Mass Media My Media

We are all part of the media ecosystem

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But the Internet—and social media—have given people the opportunity to rejoin the conversation

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Greater access + speed of information = changed world

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Knowing your stakeholders

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Knowing when to wait to engage

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High Stakes Communications

An event or issue that can occur at:

at ANYTIMEANYWHEREto ANYONE…

And can cause GREAT PAIN!

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Rule of 3

3 Minutes 3 Hours3 Days 3 Weeks 3 Months

APP – Anticipate—Prepare—Practice

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Recognize Me? – I’m Your Worst Nightmare

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Recognize Us?

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RISKThreat

Probability

Vulnerability

Consequences

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Rule of 3

3 Minutes 3 Hours3 Days 3 Weeks 3 Months

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Today’s High Stakes Scenario

At 7am on Friday, March 11, 2011, you receive a call from your CTO informing you that the agency’s network has been hacked and infected with a malicious virus targeted at system files and user data. In addition to accessing and corrupting large amounts of highly sensitive information, the virus is rapidly spreading outside the network and threatening to bring down the entire system. At 8am you arrive at the office where you find voice messages from a host of mainstream (e.g., Washington Post) and online media outlets inquiring about the incident.

Your first step is to…?

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The First 30 Minutes

Ultimate Outcomes – Best Case, Worst Case, Most Probable?

Audiences – Allies, Adversaries, Ambivalents?Messages – Employees, Influentials, Media, etc.?Media – Offline, Online, Sideline?Traps & Pitfalls – Speculation, False Allegations,

Guarantees?Readiness – Scale of 1 to 10?

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Message Development Best Practice

27/9/3 (Rule of 3)

AGL-4

1N=3P

P/R

Triple T (Repetition)

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Social Media

Within 10 minutes – Content posted on Twitter, etc.

15 minutes – Time hacking occurred, speculation of what happened, who’s responsible, other important details

30 minutes – CNN/FOX “breaking news story”

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Rule of 3

3 Minutes 3 Hours3 Days 3 Weeks 3 Months

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Contact Information

For more information, contact:– Tim Flaherty

(flaherty_timothy@bah.com)/703-902-7042

– Tim Tinker (tinker_timothy@bah.com)/301-444-4034