leadership communication, 4th edition by deborah j. barrett leadership through effective external...

Leadership Communication, 4th edition by Deborah J. Barrett

Leadership Through Effective External Relations

Lectures Based on Leadership Communication, 4th edition

By Deborah J. Barrett, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2014 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.


Discussion Topics

Developing an external relations strategy

Building a positive corporate image

Working with the news media

Handling crisis communications

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Steps to Developing a Strategy

Identify your major audiences or stakeholders

Draft, refine, and test your major messages

Select, limit, and coach your spokesperson(s)

Determine the most effective media

Work out the best timing

Monitor the results

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Communication Strategy Framework

Messages

Media/forum

Timing

Communicator

Purpose

Feedback

Audiences

Context

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Identifying Major External Stakeholders

1. Media

2. Analysts

3. Board

4. Customers

5. Partners

6. Competitors

7. Retirees8. State & local

governments

9. Community

10. Others

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Analyzing Stakeholders

Importance

Difficulty of reaching

Partners

Competitors

CustomersAnalysts

Media

Government agencies

High

HighLow14-6


Creating the Major Messages

Honest

Clear

Consistent

Meaningful

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Selecting the Right Spokespersons

At the right level for the problem

Able to project a positive ethos Legitimate – position or title Referent – charisma Expert – knowledge

Trained in dealing with the news media

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Selecting the Best Media/Forum

1. Web sites

2. E-communication

3. Press conferences

4. Press releases

5. Fact sheets

6. Press kits

7. Hotlines

8. Advertising statements

9. Analyst’s briefings

10. Town hall meetings

11. Editorials

Press release:June 20, 2013

Yahoo! Completes Acquisition of Tumblr

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Best Practices of Companies Valuing Reputation

Design campaigns to promote the company as a whole

Carry out ambitious programs to champion product quality and customer service

Maintain systems to screen employee activities for reputation side-effects

Demonstrate sensitivity to the environment Hire internal communication staff and retain

public relations firms Demonstrate ‘corporate citizenship’

Source: Fombrun, Charles J. Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image. Boston: HBS Press, 1996. 14-10


Working with the News Media

Understand the news media’s role and importance

Determine when to talk to them

Know how to manage encounters with them

Prepare for the interview

Perform during the interview

Follow up afterward

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Deciding to Talk to the Media

What will the organization gain or lose? Why would the media be interested? Is your story in the context of a negative story? Who is the reporter? Do you have all of the facts? Will you be able to come across as knowledgeable

and credible? Will the coverage result in additional positive

interest in your organization? Is there any way an interview could turn negative?

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Preparing for an Interview

Have content well under control Know how to dress and how to appear credible Develop your strategy Know something about the reporter’s

background Establish ground rules with him or her before

the interview starts Practice in a setting similar to the one in which

the interview will be conducted

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Conducting a Successful Interview

1. Talk from the viewpoint of the public’s interest, not the company’s.

2. Speak in personal terms whenever possible.

3. If you do not want some statement quoted, do not make it.

4. State the most important fact at the beginning.

5. Do not argue with the reporter or lose your cool.

Source: Burger, C. (1993). “How to Meet the Press,” The Articulate Executive: Orchestrating Effective Communication. Harvard Business Review. 14-14


Conducting a Successful Interview (continued)

6. If a question contains offensive language or simply words you do not like, do not repeat them, even to deny them.

7. If the reporter asks a direct question, he is entitled to an equally direct answer.

8. If an executive does not know the answer to a question, he should simply say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out for you.”

9. Tell the truth, even if it hurts.

10.Do not exaggerate the facts.

Source: Burger, C. (1993). “How to Meet the Press,” The Articulate Executive: Orchestrating Effective Communication. Harvard Business Review. 14-15


Following up after an Interview

Review the copy if possible

Provide feedback to the reporter

Thank the reporter

Record notes on the experience for the sake of organizational memory

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Handling Crisis Communication

1. Develop a general crisis communication plan and communicate it

2. Once the crisis occurs, respond quickly

3. Make sure you have the right people ready to respond

4. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience

5. Do not overlook the value of the Web

6. Revisit your crisis communication plan frequently

7. Build in a way to monitor the coverage

8. Perform a post-crisis evaluation

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Discussion Summary

Corporate reputation greatly affects profitability and overall success

Leaders must develop a sound communication strategy for managing external relations, one that includes all stakeholders (internal and external)

Working effectively with the news media requires establishing a positive relationship and always being prepared in interviews with them

All companies should have a crisis communi-cation plan and ensure all employees know what to do if a crisis occurs

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leadership communication, 4th edition by deborah j. barrett leadership through effective external...

Documents

leadership communication

external relations leadership

external relations strategy

positive corporate image

news mediaunderstand

news medias role

negative story

public relations firms