The construction of frames

in interaction

December 1st, 2009

Michael Meyer

Share experiences

Introduction

Case 1: Project India

Case 2: Plant disease protection

Conclusion

Michael Meyer

• 12 strategic consultants

• Facilitating processes

• For government, not for profit, complex issues in our society

• Interaction is key in communication

Maatschap voor

Communicatie

• Communication consultant

• Management of change

• Industry, government

• Partner MvC

Case 1

Framing high impact announcement

January – April 2008

Background

De Ruiter Seeds:

– From family company to international family of businesses

– Professionalize delicate processes

• Innovation

• Safe seeds

• Close to client

– Product leadership strategy

– Assignment 2004 - 2007

Invitation secret meeting

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri

CEO Hugh Grant

More than 19,000 employees

More than 500 locations worldwide in five primary regions –Europe/Africa, Asia Pacific, India, Latin America and North America

$8.5 billion in annual sales

NYSE Symbol: MON

www.monsanto.com

A leader in the field of plant breeding,

agricultural biotechnology and genomics.

Biotechnology

Research and Development Platforms

Molecular and Conventional Breeding

Large-Scale Crops

AMERICAN SEEDS,

INC.

CORN

Branded Licensed ASI

DEKALB®

ASGROW®

HOLDEN’S/

CORN STATES

ASGROW

DEKALB

COTTON

Branded Licensed

DELTA &

PINE LAND®®

COTTON

STATES®

SOYBEANS

Branded Licensed

HOLDEN’S/

CORN STATES

ASI

AMERICAN SEEDS, INC.

Small Crops

VEGETABLE

Branded ISG

SEMINIS®

INTERNATIONAL

SEED GROUP

Monsanto Has Four Primary Crop Platforms

Communication assignment

Organize announcement well

– Key messages, Q&A, request for advice

– Take good care of the impact

• DRS promised to stay independent

• On delicate, long term processes

• Tsunami effect for competitors

• Monsanto listed company

Project India

Codenames and decoys

Crucial role communication

Geared up some extra power• Cesar Moerman, key messages trainer/ journalist

• Ferdinand Helman, international pr consultant

• My own staff

Step 1: Perception news

Interviews consultants involved

Interviews of the early informed few

How do you expect the perception to be?

What issues do you expect?

Which stakeholders to address? Change perspective.

What appointments to make?

Step 2: Frame the key messages

Key messages for:

– Announcement

– Q&A’s

– Request for Advice

Line of speech (with board of directors)

Editing

Training & reframing

Step 2a: Line of Speech

One day session

Talking

Asking from different perspectives

Step 2b: Editing

Transcripts recordings

Make it clear

Right sequence

Reality check

Relevancy check

Keep it short

Step 2c: Training & reframing

8 sessions, great ‘pull’ effect

Training in order to

– Test and reframe messages

– Elaborate Q&A’s

– Comfort stakeholders

Step 3: Organize messaging

Step 4: Follow up

Continuation communication involvement in transition process

– Frame key messages, Q&A’s

– Listen actively and solve issues in framing process

Plant disease protection

Plant disease protection

Plant diseases increasing risk agricultural economy

Low risk – low commitment issue

Strategy is to frame key messages on a high economic and or supply chain level (like tomato seeds to retail)

Way of working

Step 1: analysis

Step 2: framing

– Step 2a: high level ambition framing

– Step 2b: editing, fine tuning

– Step 2c: reframing & planning communication

Conclusions

Conclusions

Communication role can be key, if:

– Seen as key

– Done right

Interactive framing solves the issues at stake

– Involve the right people

Communication with interactively framed messages = simple to do