COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR Issue 2/2017 EUROP E AN EDI TI O N
www.co mmunicatio n-d ir e cto r.co m
THE MAGAZINE FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Communication and collaboration Looking at the future of teamwork
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44
PR ESSENTIALS
CREATIVITY
Everything will flow
The three minute rule
From Google Docs to Slack, our favourite must-have collaborative tools
Times of change call for professionals with agile mindsets, able to turn problems into opportunities
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47
SUSTAINABILITY
FINANCIAL
Helping people to help themselves
What drives value? Numbers alone aren’t enough: professional communications can help tell the full story
Credit Suisse‘s pioneering microfinance programmes spreads financial sources
AGENDA SETTER
Content that counts A look at recent highlights in the world of content marketing
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The changing face of non-profit communications The transformations of communications in the not-for-profit sector
FAKE NEWS
Editing the political playbook
Keeping a close watch
24 FINTECH
Blockchain: the future unfolding Insurance companies are exploring this transformative new technology
27 REPUTATION
50 INTERNAL
Behavioural science How can you embed a new strategic directionin employee and management behaviour?
33
POLITICS
Fighting politics online isn‘t new; but leading with a digital-first approach is
4
30 NON-PROFIT
Since 2014, StopFake.org has been waging a war against propaganda between Russia and Ukraine
37 KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Accelerated learning A best-case example of a global company maximising its network of experts
40 CRISIS
Knocking down imaginary walls
A make or break opportunity
Brand and reputation in the new communication environment
Stakeholder mapping is critical to successful crisis management
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
54 INTERVIEW
Hugh Pope From war correspondent to director of communications at the International Crisis Group
Photos: Laurin Schmid; Gage Skidmore; Bernal Revert
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ISSUE FOCUS
CONTENTS
2/17
Communication and collaboration 60 The future of collaboration is here A new generation of social tools is transforming the way we work with each other
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76
The business case for collaboration
The art and science of mixology
Smart collaboration generates profits, loyalty, talent and innovation. So what are you waiting for?
Collaborating on brand strategy across communications and marketing departments
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80
Hubs, sensemakers and super-connectors
The pyramid of collaborative language
Better living through personal chemistry
The European Commission has taken a people-centric approach to collaborative knowledge sharing
Businesses partnerships face several challenges when working together
Communications teams come in many different shapes and sizes – and many different personality types
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COMMUNICATION READER
ASSOCIATION
5 TIPS FOR...
Books
European Association of Communication Directors
Building a strong corporate character
The latest developments in the EACD
Why companies with a durable character are more trusted and liked
New and upcoming titles for the communicator’s bookshelf
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
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PR ESSENTIALS
EVERYTHING WILL FLOW Missed deadlines, unclear objectives, miscommunications and misunderstandings – these familiar blights of team work usually result in poor quality work, delivered late. But a new generation of collaborative software promises to improve team work and increase productivity – and employee happiness. Here are 10 of the best.
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GOOG L E D R I V E An established favourite of communications teams is the cloud-based storage system Google Drive, where individual team members can work together, live, on the same documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Launched 2012 Owner Google
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
PR ESSENTIALS
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IG LO O A ready-made company intranet that is relatively simple to set up, Igloo is a quick and easy solution for companies needing a central online community to communicate and to manage work. Launched 2004 Developer IGLOO Software
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LEANKIT LeanKit is a visual project delivery tool that supports teams of all shapes and sizes to apply Lean management principles to their work. Enables a quick overview of tasks and the easy recognition of priorities. Launched 2012 Developer LeanKit
4
PO D I O Podio is a flexible and highly adaptable online hub for work and communication. We think it’s very user friendly and, given how easily it scales, an ideal choice for growing businesses with a virtual-based workforce. Launched 2011 Developer Citrix
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SUSTAINABILITY
HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES Microfinance, the provision of loans and other financial services to low income families and small business owners, is an effective way of helping people to help themselves. It makes an important contribution to fighting poverty and increasing financial inclusion around the world. Credit Suisse has been engaged in microfinance for many years through the development of innovative solutions to link the top with the base of the income pyramid and enabling people to access financial resources. BY MA N U E L RYBAC H
S
Key features of microfinance
ome two billion people, more than a third of the world’s adult population, are financially excluded according
to the World Bank. Access to capital is vital for economic activity as it enables people to afford education or healthcare, as well as build up and run their own businesses. In the field of microfinance and impact investing, Credit Suisse was the first major bank to leverage both its financing and management
500
million microentrepreneurs worldwide (estimated)
200
million
microentrepreneurs receive payments
expertise by combining the bank’s corporate citizenship and core business. The growth and evolution of the microfinance industry is closely linked to the area of investment referred to impact investing. Impact investing is about actively placing private capital in enterprises that generate a positive social and/or environmental impact alongside financial returns. Credit Suisse has been a leader and innovator in impact investing since 2002, when it co-founded social investment firm responsAbility Investments AG. One of the largest sectors of impact investing is microfinance. Since 2002, Credit Suisse, in partnership with responsAbility and
USD
50–5,000
typical size of microloans
other impact asset managers have offered has offered its clients the opportunity to invest in debt and equity investment products which
microloan repayment periods
provide microfinance institutions (MFIs) with the capital they need to offer financial services to people such as microentrepreneurs, who face difficulties in accessing credit to grow
IMAGE. CREDIT SUISSE
their businesses.
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3 months to 2 years
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SUSTAINABILITY
are organisations such as Accion, FINCA,
partners also leverage their social media
Opportunity International, Swisscontact and
communications to raise awareness for their
Women’s World Banking with whom it delivers
joint programming.
a number of programmes focused on staff
Microfinance Capacity Building Initiative
training and on new product development for clients at the base of the pyramid. One of these programmes is the Leadership and Diversity for Innovation Program (LDIP).
Innovation and new financial solutions
The percentage of women holding influential
Innovation is an important aspect of micro-
positions in the financial services sector is still
finance and impact investing. The introduc-
very low, whether in mainstream banks or in
tion of digital financial services has dramati-
In addition to its investment activities, the
microfinance institutions. Released in 2016,
cally increased the reach of financial services
Swiss bank also contributes to developing
the Credit Suisse Research Institute study The
the microfinance industry through its
CS Gender 3000: The Reward for Change states
Microfinance Capacity Building Initiative
that in the analyzed financial businesses only
(MCBI). Besides investment capital, an
11.6 per cent of management positions were
important industry need is the strengthening
occupied by women. This is particularly an
of management and strategic capabilities such
issue if a bank seeks to effectively serve female clients, as the microfinance industry does. LDIP aims at training female high-potential
“Access to financial services is vital for economic activity and to access basic healthcare, education, food and shelter.”
employees of microfinance institutions and their supervisors in leadership and gender diversity in a year-long programme to ensure that they in turn can keep women front and center of their business model.
Sharing expertise to build capacity The MCBI is part of Credit Suisse’s Corporate Citizenship and Foundations team. In addition to financial support, the bank’s own employees contribute to capacity building through virtual and field volunteering efforts, for example through the Global Citizens Program (GCP), in which they share their skills and knowledge directly with Credit Suisse’s partners in education and microfinance around the world. Since its launch in 2010, over 250 specialists from various areas of Credit Suisse’s business have shared their expertise in assignments that
as new product development. Therefore, the
last from one week to three months.
MCBI started to provide financial and human
Internal and external partnership is
resources to train the management of MFIs
also key when it comes to communications: the
and to drive further market development.
MCBI has an active internal communications
In 2016, over 4,000 local employees of
and awareness raising campaign, including
microfinance institutions were trained and
newsletters, events and participation in
over 380,000 people received access to new or
key elements of programmes such as LDIP.
improved products and services. In addition,
Externally the bank communicates via social
over 75 microfinance institutions and fintech
media with the general public and through
start-ups have benefited from the initiative.
more traditional print materials with clients
Credit Suisse’s partners in this initiative
seeking to invest in the space. Finally, MCBI
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
B AY PO RT F I NA NC I A L S E R V I C E S B OTSWA NA , A F R I CA’ S F I RST SM A RT- C E RT I F I E D M F I , B OTSWA NA Bayport Financial Services Botswana is a lending organisation with the goal of helping people achieve financial wellness through responsible access to credit. In 2015, the lender became the first African institution to be awarded a Client Protection Certification in recognition of its strong standards of client care. Bayport, which serves more than 10,000 clients, uses a mobile agent distribution model to take its services directly to the customer. It is also involved in initiatives aimed at education and dignified housing for all. Housed at the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, the Smart Campaign is a global effort to unite microfinance leaders around a common goal: to keep clients as the driving force of the industry. In 2013, the Smart Campaign launched the certification programme – a rigorous third-party evaluation – to publicly recognise financial institutions that adhere to standards of client protection. As of early 2016, institutions serving more than 22 million clients have been certified. Source: Microfinance: Building Capacity for Inclusive Growth, Credit Suisse
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AGENDA SETTER
Content that counts Last year, 40 WordPress blogs were published, 500 hours of c ontent were uploaded to YouTube and 38 million searches were made on Google every minute*. Faced with numbers like these, brands face a serious challenge to make their content stick out in 2017. For inspiration, we look at some outstanding examples of content marketing. BY JA N W I S N I E WS K I
I
n 2017, content marketing has well and truly established itself as more than just a buzz word: according to a report from the Content Marketing Institute, almost
90 per cent of brands are using the technique. Furthermore, research from Curata shows that 75 per cent of organisations increased their content marketing spend in 2016. With more than 200 million people using ad blockers according to PageFair research, communicators and marketers are aiming to attract consumer attention by spreading content that aligns with the buyer’s journey, with information designed to be valuable and relevant to consumer interests. But with NewsCred data suggesting the average reader spends just 37 seconds with an article or blog post, it’s essential that communicators get creative when planning and executing content marketing campaigns. This is evident in the following standout campaigns, recent examples of content marketing that have received widespread cover-
*Source: smartinsights.com
age and dramatically boosted brand engagement and recognition.
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AGENDA SETTER
SONOS: Music Makes It Home In conjunction with their new partnership with Apple Music, Sonos saw an opportunity to promote their smart speakers. Their aim: to display the benefits of listening to music out loud, unconstrained by headphones. Their content: the Music Makes It Home study, which used a live beta test to measure people’s physical and social well-being for a week without music versus a week with music, culminating in a comprehensive study of 30,000 people’s music and relationship habits worldwide. During the test Sonos and three journalists went to 30 homes across eight countries and tracked biometrics though Apple Watches, measured proximity with iBeacons, witnessed interactions through in-
↑ A section of the ‘Music Makes It Home’ study.
stalled motion sensing cameras and built a custom application to collect and transmit all the data in real time. This led to 515 global media placements. Registrations of Apple Music on Sonos were 18 times higher than any other service launch by the end of the full campaign. Music Makes It Home came first in the Content Marketing category at the most recent European Excellence Awards.
adidas Group: GamePlan A adidas Group took the decision to replace their blog and the‘Feature Stor’ section of the Group’s corporate website with a band new content platform. Adidas reduced target group complexity and focused on the overlap between employees, candidates and corporate brand advocates. As the first sports-inspired digital business-lifestyle magazine, GamePlan A aims to provide a hard-line focus on value-adding content and emphasis on community-building ideas. Adidas staff, partners, athletes and role models use the platform to share their experiences of a sport-infused work life, while curated third-party content, which might not be directly related to adidas but supports the sport-life balance it advocates, is also featured. According to adidias, the platform now attracts on average 21,500 sessions per week. Just three months after being launched GamePlan A exceeded the former platforms’ number of subscribers.
← GamePlan A is the first sports-inspired digital business-lifestyle magazine.
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POLITICS
EDITING THE POLITICAL PLAYBOOK Fighting political campaigns in the digital realm is not new; but leading with a digital-first approach is. Whatever the approach, simple, persuasive narratives are what win votes. A political postcard from the US elections.
T
here is no denying that this past election season in the United States was one for the record books. The major political
parties imploded for the same reasons; their leadership, ideologies and engagement strategies were out of touch with the changing values of Americans. This allowed for the rise of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and other third party candidates to easily spread their message to voters overlooked by traditional politics and politicians. As a communications professional, I am most fascinated by how messaging caught fire and ultimately drove voters to the polls.
BY DOMON I QU E JA M E S
After reflecting on the national race and the dozens of digital campaigns that I managed in 2016, the answer was painfully obvious. Campaigns and candidates were successful when they kept it simple. They controlled their narrative with clear and concise messaging, embraced technology, social media and digital advertising to drive decision making, and had a sound understanding of their target audience and the political climate. I doubt these tactics would surprise even the most junior operative in the industry,
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
POLITICS
yet, when you look at the winners and losers in
rather than stand ‚Stronger Together‘ in 2016?
society where the average adult makes 35,000
the campaign cycle, it holds true. The winners
Had we read The Culture Code by
decisions a day and the average attention
did the simple things well and the losers got
Clotaire Rapaille, we would have seen the
span is eight seconds, there is little time to
lost in the matrix. As those of us in the industry
writing on the wall. In his book, Rapaille, a
worry about the process or details. The final
work to process the fallout and determine how
social psychologist and marketing consultant,
product is all that matters and voters bought
to best lead our campaigns, companies, and
discusses what certain archetypes mean to
everything Donald Trump sold them. Trump’s
causes through an era of post-truth, alternative
societies at a subconscious level. The code for
definitive, black and white communication
facts and political polarisation, I believe that
the American president is Moses, a rebellious
style persists in his administration. You can
it is more important than ever to edit the
leader with a strong vision to lead his people to
buy into the reality that they have created
political communications playbook to focus
the promise land. He contends that Americans
or be labelled a detractor. One plus one may
on the basics.
don’t want a father figure or a saviour; they
not always equal two, but the formula is not
want someone who will stir the pot. While
intimidating.
Read your audience and the signs of the times
controversies plagued both Clinton and
I ran the digital campaign for a
Trump, according to this theory, the election
hotly contested state-wide ballot initiative
would have ended the same way. Darn.
for background checks on gun sales. The
As we look to identify future leaders
campaign narrowly passed in November and
and issues, we will need to keep our eyes
I believe that clean messaging was one of the
open to recognise trends and ears open
many factors that contributed to our success.
to hear the stories voters want us to tell.
Polling revealed that despite a split electorate,
I admit to being in the group of political and
voters believed that background checks were
public affairs professionals that did not ex-
an inherently positive thing. In fact, voter
pect the election to pan out as it did. I live in Washington DC, the nation’s capital, a hyper-educated, urban hub, and a place in which even my most conservative friends and colleagues are moderates compared to the typical stereotype of Republicans on US television. The beauty of hindsight is that it is 20/20
Winning campaigns controlled their narrative with clear and concise messaging
support fluctuated over time and as the debate centred on implementation, contingencies, what ifs, and other one-off rebuttals. In our communication plan, the team opted for shorter messaging timeframes, relatable testimonials, and all paid communication echoed the core benefits of the amendment. We kept it simple and we won.
and as historians work to situate this period
The first two questions I typically ask clients
in American history the answer is obvious
are, “what is your story?” and “what are your
As my colleagues and I build out media
as well. We outsmarted ourselves.
goals for this campaign?” The story and the call
plans for this year and beyond, we’ll keep
to action always inform the communication
a strong narrative with clear and concise
tactics.
messaging at the top of our minds.
Analysis of election results shows that we underestimated the power of rhetoric and overestimated the extent to which our
Salesmen say that “confused
urban lifestyles and freedoms represented
people never buy,” and Donald
the rest of the United States. Our intellect
Trump capitalised on this when
would not let us believe the frustrated and
it came to making his case to the
broken picture of America described by some
American people. His campaign
candidates. Experts could not figure out the
slogan, ‘Make America Great Again’,
intersectionality between race, gender, age,
was easy for voters to understand
and class at the ballot box.
and allowed him to convincingly
Exit polling by Pew Research shows
paint the picture of America as
that Donald Trump had comparable
one of lack, and he was the only
turnout to 2012 and 2008 elections by core
person capable of returning the
constituencies in the Republican party;
nation to a previous, undetermined
however Hillary Clinton received even or
state of prosperity. With such a
smaller shares of constituencies that lean
broad premise, the campaign easily
Democratic. Additional voter data shows
incorporated policy, doubled down
deeper divides by race, gender and education
on values, and positioned Trump
across party lines. How could an individual
as credible (and others as liars or
vote for ‚Hope and Change‘ in 2008, move
caricatures), all due to simplicity.
‚Forward‘ in 2012, then swing to ‚Make
Voters did not have to become
America Great Again‘ (or ‚Feel the Bern‘),
overnight political experts. In a
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
“Experts could not figure out the intersectionality between race, gender, age, and class at the ballot box.” 21
FINTECH
BLOCKCHAIN: THE FUTURE UNFOLDING? You thought insurance companies were boring? They are among the first to explore the transformative new technology of blockchain. BY ANTON Y EL L I OT T
keying, dispute processing, validation and reconciliation. With no single source of truth
B
across companies, determining the state of a lockchain promises much, from improvements to operational efficiency to fundamental disruption of existing business
models and everything in between. Separating reality from the hype is difficult when commentators, consultants and vendors are making wild claims with seductive financial prizes. There are many who wield the blockchain hammer, looking for nails, but when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. There are however certain problems for which blockchain is highly suited, primarily where multiple stakeholders without full trust in each other are transacting business
particular market (e.g. for a regulator) requires the synchronisation, aggregation and auditing of reports from all parties in that market. Now imagine the blockchain world, where all parties in a network are transacting on what is conceptually a single shared application with no boundaries, a single tamper-proof ledger and an execution environment on which shared processes can be automated. The wasteful processes are no longer required and the single source of truth can provide a fully transparent state of a market, for example how risk is distributed globally and what each individual company’s net exposure is, potentially enabling improved liquidity.
together and sharing information. In such cases, a blockchain protocol effectively automates trust, provides a single source of truth and shared environment on which business can be conducted and business
Potential benefits for customers
processes automated without the need for third parties to notarise transactions or
The potential benefits of blockchain include
maintain shared platforms or services.
reduced costs through, for example, removing
To understand how this concept
the need for third party intermediaries
delivers value, consider how business is
to provide independent verification of
conducted today: companies maintain
transactions or lower audit costs due to
similar IT systems, running similar processes
improved transparency. The technology could
and employ necessary but highly wasteful
also make it easier to automate transactions,
checks and controls like reconciliation. The
for example through the provision of smart
boundaries between companies are seldom
contracts, and could make transactions
automated, more often requiring manual re-
between companies faster and more efficient.
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
“Wasteful processes are no longer required and the single source of truth can provide a fully transparent state of a market.�
FINTECH
HOW BLOCKCHAIN WORKS: A CRYPTOCURRENCY EXAMPLE Someone requests a transaction.
A verified transaction can involve cryptocurrency, contracts, records or other information.
image credit: Blockgeeks.com
The requested trans action is broadcast to a P2P network consisting of computers, known as nodes.
The transaction is complete.
CRYPTOCURRENCY
VALIDATION The network of nodes validates the transaction and the user‘s status using known algorithms.
The new block is then assed to the existing blockchain, in a way that is permanent and unalterable.
Has no intrinsic value in that is not redeemable for another commodity such as gold.
Once verified, the transaction is combined with other transactions to create a new block of data for the ledger.
Has no physical form and exists only in the network.
Its supply is not determined by a central bank and the network is completely decentralized.
Ultimately, this would deliver better results for customers by streamlining paperwork and
B LO C KC H A I N I N SU RA N C E I N D U ST RY I N I T I AT I V E B 3 I
reconciliations for contracts, while improving the flow of information and money. Zurich believes in this potential and we’re currently taking an optimistic
••
Co-founded by insurance and reinsurance companies Aegon, Allianz, Munich Re, Swiss Re and Zurich in October 2016.
••
The members now include international companies such as SCOR, Generali Liberty Mutual, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance and XL Caitlin.
••
The initiative is a collaboration to explore the potential of blockchain technologies to increase efficiencies in the exchange of data between reinsurance and insurance companies.
but cautious stance on blockchain. While we believe the technology has the potential to benefit the insurance industry, we also
risks remain, Zurich will continue to make
recognise that blockchain remains largely
rapid but very measured investments in the
unproven outside of the now traditional value-
technology. Right now, we’re optimistic and
transfer, decentralised crypto currency use-
actually believe we can mitigate the risks, but
cases. There are many technical, regulatory
we’re not quite ready to bet the farm.
and adoption risks that continue to slow blockchain’s progression into mainstream and widespread usage, some of these risks may yet lead to outright failure. While those
B3i – a true industry initiative With this in mind, we co-founded the B3i initiative in October 2016. In the meantime, another 10 insurance and reinsurance companies decided to join, giving the initiative a truly international scope with members from Asia, Europe and the Americas. Compared to
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
25
REPUTATION
KNOCKING DOWN IMAGINARY WALLS: BRAND AND REPUTATION IN THE NEW COMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENT The distinction between brand and reputation is increasingly a distinction without a difference. This article highlights this change and what it means to help organisations benefit from the opportunities this new reality provides. BY P HI L R I G G I N S
W
e are living in a
of these same professionals (57 per cent) say
advantage of the changed nature of this
time when our
their organisation is acting on this change
relationship between brand and reputation.
understanding
by managing brand and reputation together,
of how the world
primarily to avoid reputational risk. The
works is being re-
distinction between brand and reputation
evaluated. The
is increasingly a distinction without a
rise of populism, the end of globalisation,
difference.
Why and how this change occurred
what is fact and what is fiction – suddenly,
Most communications professionals
we are trying to make sense of changes that
have yet to recognise that this new relationship
The relationship between brand and
have been developing for years, but are only
is an opportunity for companies and other
reputation has changed because the world
now making themselves clear.
organisations to build and manage brand
has changed.
The same tectonic shifts have
and reputation to not only avoid risk but to
Brand is the promise, reputation is
been occurring in the worlds of brand
also create value. It is time to highlight this
the degree to which the promise is heard,
and reputation. What was once seen as
change so that communications professionals
understood and acted on. Brand is the
separate is now blurred together. Recent
can help their organisations benefit from
expression, reputation the impression. Brand
survey data suggest that most senior in-
the opportunities this new reality provides.
is owned by the company and reputation
house communications professionals across
Examples of best practice are cited in this
is owned by stakeholders... We know
Europe do not see the change itself – 73 per
article to highlight how, today, delivering
and use these definitions in our work to
cent continue to see brand and reputation as
a successful business strategy requires
explain and justify why and how we have
very distinct concepts1 . However, a majority
recognising, understanding and taking
historically managed brand and reputation
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27
REPUTATION
separately. But the changes we are witnessing
operate under the premise that employees’
are taking a proactive, long-term approach
in information, attitudes and audiences
electronic communications could end up
to manage their reputation while investing
make these distinctions irrelevant. How
in the public domain. Building a corporate
in their brand.”
people receive and process information has
culture based on complete transparency
Moreover, there is a growing body
changed in ways that make delivering a
may seem difficult to impossible, but
of evidence on the power and importance
increasingly necessary.
of the relationship between brand and
corporate strategy – and building a brand and
•• Stakeholders vs. consumers. In the
reputation. Nielsen recently issued a study
past, communicating and engaging with
demonstrating the two-way relationship
stakeholders and consumers was done in
between corporate reputation and brand,
•• Availability of and speed of access
a segmented fashion. Now, given all the
each one driving the other – “corporate
to information. Nearly everything is
changes above, this wall has also broken
reputation makes it easier to implement
available online and easily accessible.
down. Because of social media, consumers
brand strategies” and “consumer perceptions
When someone has a positive or negative
are stakeholders and, because they have
of brand quality (positive or negative) can
experience with a product or service, it
emotional connections to brands like
influence a company’s reputation.”3 Nielsen
takes about 30 seconds for them to identify
everyone else, stakeholders are consumers.
highlights examples where brand has driven
managing reputation the old way – harder. For example:
the company behind it – for better or worse.
reputation (Samsung) and where reputation
•• Low levels of trust. Many people
has driven brand (Sears). Regardless of the
don’t trust traditional institutions or information sources. Peer to peer and self-
Why it matters
direction of the effect, the impact was the same: a more successful business strategy.
selected news sources mean people are getting a skewed, incomplete view of reality.
This is the environment into which companies
•• Confirmation bias. People tend to
and other organisations must tell their story,
focus on and believe information that
sell their strategy and market their products.
confirms their opinions and values and
Even with this more complicated setting,
to discount non-conforming information.
people still look at what a company does and
Social networks like Facebook where people
says as indicators of intent and purpose – and
receive a constant stream of “news” that
whether or not to trust and engage with them.
has been curated by algorithms, like-
Gaps between what a company says
minded friends and family only reinforce
and does, and consumers’ and stakeholders’
this tendency.
experience of these words and deeds are more
•• Post-fact world. As the US elections and
likely to be noticed and acted upon today than
Brexit demonstrate, we are living in a world
ever before. The desire for many organisations
where fact and fiction are increasingly
to talk about social purpose compounds the
blurred. People believe facts can be spun.
risk. To allow disconnects between brand
Everyone is perceived to be manipulating
and reputation threatens not only reputation
facts to their advantage – or just lying.
but also sales, employer attractiveness, and
In this new environment, perceptions,
community and government support.
feelings and experience are given more
From a management perspective,
weight than “facts” presented by “experts”.
treating brand and reputation as two faces
•• Information overload. As communicators,
of the same coin makes sense in today’s fast-
we have to contend with the reality that our
paced, emotion-over-facts world. Corporate
audiences are swimming in information.
reputation, sometimes seen as the poor step-
In fact, “information overload” is cited by
child to brand, is now considered a critical
60 per cent of senior European in-house
driver or inhibitor of brand strategy and
communicators as a source of concern in
business growth.
their work 2 . Getting positive cut through
However, what has yet to happen
is difficult, though negative information
widely is rigorously and systematically
seems to have much less trouble registering
managing them together. That, too, is
with people.
changing. A recent article in Raconteur
•• Radical transparency. The fact that
magazine entitled “Smart Companies See
electronic information, such as emails
Brand and Reputation as One” makes the
and text messages, live forever (data
argument that the two concepts are so
permanence) means companies have to
interlinked that many “smart companies
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
PH I L RI G G I NS PARTNER LEIDAR
Phil Riggins joined international communications consultancy Leidar in 2017. His work spans corporate reputation, business critical relationships/stakeholder engagement, message development and issues management for businesses, associations and not-for-profit organisations. Previously, he was co-lead of Brunswick’s Insight practice. Before joining Brunswick in 2011, Phil created and led opinion research practices in Europe, Middle East and Africa for Weber Shandwick and APCO.
1. Brunswick Insight Survey, the Future of Corporate Reputation, November 2016, p22. 2. Brunswick Insight, the Future of Corporate Communications, July 2015, p8. 3. Stand by your brand, Joan Sinopoli, Jim Llewellyn, Lynn Marocco, Nielsen, 01 November 2016 4. Brunswick Insight Survey, the Future of Corporate Reputation, November 2016, p10 5. Brunswick Insight Survey, the Future of Corporate Reputation, November 2016, p26.
FAKE NEWS
KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH “Fake: Plague Epidemic amongst Ukrainian Soldiers”; “Fake: Ukraine’s Falling Credit Rating”; “Fake: Kyiv Homeless to be Run out of Town for Eurovision”: for some people, fake news is old news. Since 2014, StopFake.org has been waging a war against propaganda between Russia and Ukraine. From photo-shopped pictures to adapted videos, StopFake.org names and shames fake stories – and provides the tools for people to do their own fake news spotting. To find out more about how to spot fake news, the weapons of propaganda, and the spread of alternative facts, Communication Director spoke to Yevhen Fedchenko, director of the project. IN TERV I EW BY DA F Y D D P H I L L I P S
“Fake news is just one of the many tools used in propaganda.”
StopFake.org’s news video channel is available in several languages
F
irst of all, what’s the difference
are also used to deliver an alternative stream
between a piece of propaganda
of information. And again, the problem here
and a piece of fake news? Do you
is that often we cannot say how genuine this
approach them the same way?
material is, or whether they can be trusted or
Fake news is just one of the many tools used
not. But people are discussing them and even
in propaganda. Because propagandists can
using these materials in their decision making
use many types of tools to persuade people.
processes on the political level, the diplomatic
For example, they can develop a separate
level, for business news and other things. It’s
narrative, which wouldn’t necessarily be fake
a multi-layered system and if people are not
but which would be organised in a way that
monitoring all this systematically and are not
forms public opinion and influences decision
taking note of all this, they definitely would not
makers. Propaganda can use real journalists
be able to differentiate the real from something
who write real articles but they might be
that is manufactured.
manipulated to present their positions in a way in which people don’t know that they have been used for propaganda. Hacks and leaks
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
How exactly does your network fact check stories for fake elements?
33
FAKE NEWS
The StopFake organisation has launched a new monthly newspaper called Your Right to Know aimed at Ukraine’s occupied territories in the eastern Donbas region / Photo: StopFake.org
We have a list of media which are most often involved in manufacturing fake news and we monitor them on a daily basis. We also have a list of indicators for potential fake news – it might be the headline, it might be the use of specific wording, provocative photos or other things. We pay attention to all these markers and if some articles are suspicious to us we send them to our fact checkers. Another option is an area of our website where people can report a fake news story. Anyone can send us a link to something suspicious and our fact checkers will look into it. We look into the sources of the information, we try to contact the sources to verify if the sources have really been saying this. If we see a translated quote from a policy maker or politician we would verify if the translation was done correctly. We also pay attention as to whether a headline and the rest of the text are about the same thing. What we do is pretty much what any
W H AT CA N C O M M U N I CATO RS D O TO B AT T L E T H E SPRE A D O F FA K E NEWS?
journalist should be doing. That is, the multilayered verification of reporting that is the basis of journalism. Once you find these examples, how do you bring it to the attention of your readers?
a lot of people are influenced by propaganda
We want to make sure that StopFake is not
You’ve analysed the system behind the
only a daily debunker but also an archive. We
creation and the spread of fake news.
upload links and other information, and we
Who is responsible for it? Have you
also include screenshots because sometimes
detected one source behind the creation
the original fake stories are removed or altered
and the spread of this propaganda?
when they become too famous. After we collect
At the beginning, it was not obvious to us how
the material, we want to make sure that these
big this system is. We’d just spot it here and
debunked stories reach different audiences.
there but we didn’t know how they might be
We use all available tools to promote the
connected. Now that we’ve had more than
website, including Russian social media
1000 stories debunked on our website, we can
networks. We also conduct a lot of lectures,
analyse them to see if there is a system behind
meetings and other types of events, talking to
them. The answer is yes, there is a system
different professional groups like journalists,
behind it, because all these fake stories are
students, policy makers, diplomats – whoever
similar across the whole Russian ecosystem
is interested in this topic. This takes place in
of propaganda. At the end of every article
all the European Union countries, and now we
we mention which media organisations were
see more interest in the United States also. We
involved in spreading this particular story.
also produce a television programme, because
Almost every time it’s pretty much the same
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just through television.
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
According to Yevhen, steps to tackle disinformation include: ••
Educating your own audiences about fake news and their negative impact.
••
Constantly monitoring and mapping propaganda sources Pushing policy-makers to take more radical steps to eliminate fake news and propaganda.
••
••
Collaborating with social media companies like Facebook and Twitter as platforms widely used for the spreading of propaganda.
••
Withdrawing advertising from media and websites that manufacture and distribute fakes and other types of propaganda.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
ACCELERATED LEARNING Global companies include networks of knowledgeable experts: but how can companies identify these experts, access their knowledge, and ensure that know-how is shared, developed and reaps positive results? Welcome to online collaboration with a purpose. BY L AU R E N C E F O UR CA D E
Operated by Keolis Downer, Yarra Trams run Melbourne’s iconic tram network / Photo: Keolis
K
eolis, an international public
Our approach was to decentralise knowledge-
transport company operating in
sharing so that every expert in the business
16 countries worldwide, has placed
could reach out to his or her peers, whether in a
digital mobility at the heart of its
neighbouring business unit or across the globe.
business strategy. Five years ago we embarked
We launched KeoShare, an online collaboration
on a formal, internal knowledge management
platform in January 2015, accessible in our
programme. One of the key objectives was to
then-14 countries of operations, which allowed
accelerate the sharing of knowledge amongst
experts to exchange between one another in
our widely spread business experts, dealing
theme-specific communities. This tool now
in areas such as continuous improvement
represents a major milestone in Keolis’ internal
initiatives, problem-solving experiments and
digital transformation, because it has now
innovation. The ambition was that this would
influenced the way we work. We have 4000
provide ongoing benefits for Keolis’ public
employees who now interact and exchange
transportation clients and passengers across
content in the form of document-sharing,
the globe.
forum discussions or calls for help, as well
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
“Online collaboration is not natural, except to the digital native.”
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KNOWLEDGE SHARING
as company social networking, following key contributors and thought leaders as they would do in their private sphere. We attribute this success to seven major decisions we took following extensive external benchmarking
6
and five months of rigorous testing of our real-life ability to adopt a digital tool:
1
We did not set out to deliver digital transformation. We designed our online collaboration tool to provide solutions. Chiefly, to access knowledge in a centralised way, give voice to experts in subsidiaries, circulate experiences in real-time and provide tools to run projects more efficiently (which the IT platform does as well with document-versioning, alerts, forums, etc.).
2
Sharing is organised in communities, and every community has at least one community manager. There is no free lunch, and nothing happens by the sheer power of the mind. Online collaboration serves a purpose, and we identified that it was best reached if we allocated the right resources to it. This is by no means a full-time job in our organisation. Most community managers allocate five to 10 per cent of their time to running their community, and many communities have two or more managers to allow constant monitoring and co-ordination, and to divide up the topics when the scope is large.
3
The creation of communities is centralised, but also supported throughout by the Knowledge Management team. This centralisation ensures all key success factors are available and that the community has an official sponsor, who designates the community manager, and ensures that clear objectives are defined as well as related key performance indicators. We feared employees would view a centralised process as too military, but they actually enjoy the special care, training and advice they receive as part of the process. And we’ve also been able to combine several online collaborative needs, emerging from different stakeholders, into a single community, to reach critical mass, widen the initial scope and optimise community management resources.
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4
Online collaboration can take many forms and is evolutionary. Some colleagues are comfortable sharing existing documents (much as they would send them as an e-mail attachment), while others prefer an informal interaction through a forum discussion, or simply will want to identify the peer that has the relevant experience, and get in touch outside of the tool. Online collaboration is an enabler, a road with several branches that all lead to an ultimate goal of higher efficiency. Depending on the individual’s profile, the itinerary will differ. We also accept that communities will evolve over time as members’ digital maturity increases.
You shall communicate relentlessly… Online collaboration is not natural, except to the digital native. Employees feel anything from ”not interested” to simply “against it” because they fear it will take the human touch out of their working relationships. It is vital to constantly communicate about the added value, success stories and testimonials from peers in every business area to convince the sceptics that it is worth diving into, and yes, putting in a little effort.
7
Buy-in must be won from experts, but top management sponsorship is vital. Sustained sponsorship by our top management has helped foster this internal digital transformation. Our leaders have clearly spelled out their vision, encouraged cross-department and inter-subsidiary efforts, included knowledge sharing into corporate objectives guidelines, and shown the way by using KeoShare themselves.
5
The deployment of the tool would be progressive in its scope. Not all business areas were represented at first. This has resulted in triple benefits: (a) change takes place more easily when employees feel they are free, and not forced, to engage. While we focused on those teams that were ready to collaborate online (b) we were focusing our training and coaching efforts on a few, doing a better job at it. This eventually led us to (c) great examples of value-creating collaboration, which in turn became great tools for – circling back to (a) – more employees wanting of their own accord to use KeoShare.
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
“We are, in fact, also reaping the results of seeds we did not intentionally sow.”
CRISIS
A MAKE OR BREAK OPPORTUNITY From United Airlines to BP, misunderstanding your stakeholder’s perceptions and sensitivities can add oil to the flames: which is why, far from being just a tool to understanding your key audiences, stakeholder mapping is proving critical to successful crisis management. BY CAROL I N E SA P R I E L
E
very period of turmoil is frightening. It challenges the status quo and threatens our comfort zone. Turbulent times,
uncertain times and crises all call for focus and steadiness. Perhaps the clichéd navigation metaphor can never be too relevant: to ride out the storm, one must hold the course. Statistics from the Institute of Crisis Management’s 2017 annual report show that 68 per cent of business crises worldwide are nonevent-related, or smouldering, crises, with the main crisis category being mismanagement. Often the problem or issue exists long before it goes public, yet little is done to address and resolve it or, worse, it is covered up, before it escalates. A single trigger - a rumour, a
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Calculative We have systems in place to manage crises
Crisis management is important. We do a lot every time we have a problem
with devastating effects. Therefore, with the majority of crises today being slow-burn, much can be done in advance to anticipate, prevent and mitigate issues before they spin out of control. Proactivity in crisis management is the name
Pathological
of the game and being prepared to respond
Who cares as long as we’re not caught?
Crisis management is a strategic discipline that is embedded in the organisation’s corporate culture, driven from and by the top echelon, and implemented across all levels and across all functions in the organisation. Communications teams’ traditional focus on media relations during a crisis is no longer enough. They are now taking on a wider strategic role in the organisation including stakeholder mapping and engagement and scenario planning to help management teams anticipate crises and alleviate their impact.
40
VI
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Reactive
organisation into crisis in a very short time,
effectively is no longer sufficient.
Y GL
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
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CRISIS
situations. Social networks, blogs and online news sites can play a big role in the unfolding of crises and scandals in the public and private sectors; the popularity of Twitter and Facebook, for example, has led to the light-speed dissemination of information and Copyright CS&A
misinformation alike. There is no clearer sign that stakeholder mapping must be high on the priority list of any well-trained crisis manager today. To
Generative
anticipate, prevent and mitigate crises, busi-
Crisis anticipation and prevention is how we do business around here
ness leaders and communicators must have a solid grasp of the climate in which they are working as well as the stakeholder scene surrounding any emerging issue. Yet stakeholder mapping is not an improvised task. It requi-
Proactive
res skills and a process.
We continuously work on problems that we still find
Stakeholder mapping consists of identifying all audience groups with a stake in the crisis and categorising them in at least three groups: allies, neutral and opposition. “Stakeholder mapping identifies stakeholder expectations and power and helps in understanding political priorities,” write
STA K E H O L D E R M A PPI NG ST E PS 1.
Identify all audience groups, no matter how small or remote to the crisis situation, that have a stake in the crisis. 2. Categorise audiences in at least three groups: allies, neutral and opposition. 3. Define each audience group’s specific issues regarding the situation, whether a group is likely to take any action, and whether the organization has any influence on this group (and if not, focus instead on the ones that can be influenced). 4. Define the desired outcome, the strategy for reaching it and the key messages to use. Stakeholder mapping is a continuous process, being reviewed, adjusted and fine-tuned as the situation develops and more stakeholders come onto the scene.
Gerry Johnson, Kevan Scholes and Richard Whittington, Ph.D., in their book Exploring Corporate Strategy. “There are different
Recognising the obvious and the not-so-obvious stakeholders Globalisation
and
the
increasing
interdependence of our societal systems are generating multiple levels of stakeholders that are a challenge to engage with in normal times but that become a nightmare to manage in a crisis. Besides employees, regulators, politicians, victims, customers and shareholders, organisations now also have to reckon with other stakeholder groups that become involved through social media networks. The multitude and diversity of these intertwined stakeholder groups are compounding the intensity of crises. Overall, we are witnessing more stakeholder outrage at corporate and institutional misbehaviour.
ways in which stakeholder mapping can be
impressing its expectations on the organisation’s
used to understand stakeholder influence. It
purposes and choice of strategies, and (2) whether
underlines the importance of two issues: (1)
stakeholders have the power to do so.”
how interested each stakeholder group is in
Recently, a major manufacturer in the automotive sector building its largest plant in India found itself thrown into the maze of a highly complex stakeholder scene with the
“We are witnessing more stakeholder outrage at corporate and institutional misbehaviour.”
Internet-based news sources allow
potential of derailing the entire project as well as other safety and environmental risks. The management team recognised that they needed to build a solid strategy and appointed a team to be trained in stakeholder mapping skills. This team embraced the approach and have been managing the issues proactively ever since with great follow-through and results, including a very effective response and engagement during a couple of incidents that had the potential of quickly escalating to crisis level. The plant is now built and operational, the most negative and opposing stakeholder groups have now by and large been neutralised. Of course, issues continue to flare up and some stakeholders are more active than others, but with a methodology in place and a team trained to manage the process, the organisation is able to be proactive
individuals worldwide to follow such
and prevent deterioration.
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
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CREATIVITY
THE THREE MINUTE RULE Times of disruptive change call for professionals with agile mindsets, able to turn problems into opportunities, who can explore the world from different perspectives and who aren’t scared to fail fast, often and forward. Communication leaders are ideally placed to awaken this creative power. All it takes is just three minutes. BY CYR I E L KORT L E V E N
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W
e live in very
intelligence and creative ability are static
disturbing
characteristics which we can’t change in
times. In most
any meaningful way. People with a fixed
industries,
mindset strive for success by comparing
the
themselves with others and try to avoid
V UC A
world (volatile,
failure at all costs.
uncertain, complex, ambiguous) has arrived.
A growth mindset, on the other hand,
The only constant is change. This is very
thrives on challenge and sees failure not as
frightening for most people because change is
evidence of a lack of intelligence but as a
happening all over the place, all the time. And
springboard for growth and for extending
the decisions that people make are dependent
our existing abilities. I call this the ‘change
upon their mindset. What’s your view of the
mindset’. People with this mindset have a
world? Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck
deep passion for learning rather than a hunger
has done a lot of research around this
for approval. Mistakes are part of the path to
mindset and has discovered that there are
learn new things.
two basic mindsets that shape our lives. The
Carol Dweck has found evidence that
fixed mindset assumes that our character,
these mindsets are manifested from a very
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
CREATIVITY
A lot of these
ladders keep us away from the change mindset because we focus only on following the early age and determine a great deal about our behaviours, relationships and capacity for happiness. The positive news is that it is possible to rewire these beliefs: if you can adapt your perspective of the world, you can adapt your mindset. If your view is mainly occupied with negative assumptions then the world is full of problems. If you can look from a more positive angle, you suddenly discover that a lot of these challenges can be turned into opportunities. What mindset do you choose when looking at the world? Communication has the power to steer people in a certain direction. As a communication professional, you play a key role in the way that people look at the world. You can help them to explore different perspectives and show them that there is no one right answer.
right procedures and making sure that we don’t make any mistakes. We collaborate with other departments and partners, but only under strict conditions and procedures in order to make sure that we can control the process. This leads to more complexity and more paperwork, which is compounded by the fact that people aren’t stimulated to think outside the box, making them stick to the relationships that they already know. This
“As a communication professional, you play a key role in the way people look at the world.”
resistance to change becomes bigger and all new ideas are welcomed with an idea killer. Idea killers are reasons why an idea isn’t going to work: “no budget, no time, we’ve already tried that, it’s nothing for our clients, since when are you
Ladders and bananas Everybody can agree that placing a ladder on top of a banana peel is not the most efficient solution to avoid slipping on the peel. But in most organisations we have installed a lot of
an expert?”
Three minutes to boost ideas and collaboration
ladders – inefficient rules, systems, procedures,
One of the fundamentals of allowing a change
assumptions – due to uncertainty, lack of trust
mindset to grow is suspending your judgment.
and fear of change.
If you can go from a ‘yes but’ to a ‘yes and’,
Here are a few real business examples of ladders:
you’ve already conquered one of the biggest challenges to change. To make it even more
“If we want to hire somebody new, we
practical, I came up with the three minute
need seven signatures from different people
rule. This rule works as follows: in a meeting,
and departments before we can even start the
explain to your colleagues that humans don’t
recruiting process.”
like to suspend their judgment, but it’s a
“Our workflow in the editorial office
necessary skill if you want to create new ideas.
at a newspaper still works in the same old way.
For that reason, you invite them – for three
We have morning meetings, editorial meetings,
minutes – to get into the ‘yes and’ mindset.
and page one gatherings – all focused on the
Instead of responding with an idea
print product while 80 per cent of our readers
killer to a new idea, they have to answer with
go for multimedia solutions.”
‘Yes and…’. You then accept the idea and even
“It takes me around an hour of work
add something to it. During the three minutes,
to fill out the right documents to get three
no judgment is allowed and quantity is more
euros of reimbursement for a bus ticket for
important than quality. You’ll notice that in
a meeting in the city.”
three minutes you will have a lot more ideas
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
See Cyril speak at this year’s European Communication Summit in Brussels on June 29 to 30: for the full programme, visit www.communication-summit.eu
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FINANCIAL
WHAT DRIVES VALUE? The world of finance is focused heavily on results and numbers. But numbers alone aren’t enough: professional communications can help tell the full story. Based on observations made during his global career, one chief financial officer calls for closer ties between finance and business communication professionals. BY K E N N Y MU R D O C H
O
ne of the great learnings in my career
is often the bridge that connects the people
as chief financial officer has been
side and the financial side, putting these
about the value that professional business
activities into a more coherent context.
communicators can add to an organisation’s
The world of finance in business is
efforts to create value and deliver its financial
focused heavily on results and numbers. Cash
targets.
flows, profits, losses, costs and valuations all
I have to admit a strong inclination to
add up to lots of digits on spreadsheets and
believe in the importance of communication,
screens. With such a quantitative tone to what
and indeed of people, in driving organisational
business does, it’s easy to lose sight of what
value. I actually had an early career interest
drives the numbers and how we can use all
in human resources before accepting the
of the assets, especially our employees’ talents
advice of a mentor to move into finance,
to help move them in the right direction.
and came to recognise that these two vital
I see the communication professionals
functions of the enterprise have become
I work with as playing crucial roles in three
unnecessarily disconnected. Communication
different ways:
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FINANCIAL
1. Supporting valuation The role of a communication function in supporting and amplifying positive perceptions of what a company and its activities are worth cannot be overstated. It isn’t often said that valuation is essentially a price applied to the overall perception of something’s value, whether it’s a house or a company. It is critical that external stakeholders are engaged with the company’s strategy/vision, current results and underlying value proposition. Communication leaders and practitioners play an essential role in ensuring that a complete investor relations story can be given that enables a proper valuation of the company. Indeed, clear, transparent and professional communication can reduce uncertainty and thereby the perceived risk when investors, analysts and banks are reviewing a company.
“Too many organisations leave the communications role to front-line managers, who are untrained for this kind of communicating and who frequently have their own interests to protect.”
2. Accelerating alignment and innovation Organisations are in a constant state of change, responding to market, technology and societal developments. Sometimes, required changes may be technical or granular. Other times they may need to be sweeping and dramatic. In all cases, internal stakeholders –employees at all levels need to understand what’s new, what’s changing, why things are changing and how the changes fit together. There is a strong link between high employee engagement and improved company returns
communication support can deliver huge benefits in framing the big picture and ensuring that leaders and top influencers understand what’s happening. By giving context to why the story is being adjusted on a regular basis and helping keep the whole business moving in a common direction, professional communication support for change initiatives can pay significant dividends, reduce friction, increase employee engagement, accelerate alignment and spread innovation.
and value. The employees are the front line to the customer and have to be fully engaged and aligned with the company strategy. Too many organisations just leave the
Thought partnership
communications role to front-line managers,
Communication professionals often have
who, more often than not, are untrained
unique perspectives into looking both at the big
for this kind of communicating and who
picture and at how to make change tangible to
frequently have their own interests to protect.
people. They also have a capacity for connecting
Making modest investments in professional
individual numbers and activities with the
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
K E NN Y M U RD O C H
Kenny Murdoch is a global finance professional, with 27 years experience built in leading blue chip companies – Rolls Royce, Schlumberger and Maersk. His last role was as the chief financial officer for a global oilfield services company, Bumi Armada, that was publicly listed on the Malaysian Stock Exchange. A global executive, Kenny has lived and worked in eight countries.
INTERNAL
BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE How can you ensure the implementation of a new strategic direction that is reflected in employee and management behaviour? A best-case study of strengthening company culture through competencies.
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Our competencies
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
INTERNAL
“Our brand and competencies enable our leaders and employees to confidently communicate with each other and our partners about who we are.”
What constitutes our Competency Model? What makes a brand? What is a culture made of? Culture is defined by the employees of the company, how they act, what ways they have to get work done and interact with each other. The employees represent Merck and by interacting with our stakeholders and by acting according to our new Competency Model, we live up to our brand promise and enable ourselves to deliver our targeted strategy. Overall, six new competencies form the Merck Competency Model which puts a stronger focus on the future of the company: •
It emphasises our contribution to improve the lives of our customers, as well as acting ethically and entrepreneurial (“Purposeful”).
technology company, the need to specify what this meant on a behavioural and cultural level
•
It underlines strategic objectives such as
became even more important. In this context,
the application of new technologies and
the need to expand the mindsets needed to
the support of digitalisation (“Future-
drive innovation, respond to digital trends
oriented”).
and foster a collaborative and inspirational
•
It lays the foundation for innovation by
environment became critical themes, calling
defining behaviours like taking calculated
for an explanation of what this requires from
risks and learning from mistakes as
employees and managers. Therefore, in 2016
necessary requirements (“Innovative”).
we updated our Competency Model to:
•
It provides a basis for the future of a profitable business in which achievement-
I
1
n 2014 , Merck began using
Articulate key themes required to
orientation and taking responsibility is
support Merck’s new strategic direction
vital (“Result-oriented”). •
its Competency Model to not only describe general desired
2
behaviours (such as improve lives,
across businesses and hierarchy barriers
those themes throughout the hierarchy
(“Collaborative”) as well as a strengthened
be entrepreneurial, work with agility, give feedback, include others, give
It ensures a successful cooperation
Define the behavioural implications of
orientation on the development of Strengthen the embodiment of the new
employees (“Empowering”) are explicitly
vision), but more specifically the key
brand and employer brand by anchoring
listed in the new competency model.
behaviours needed to drive our strategy
brand behaviours in the core behaviou-
and desired culture. The behaviours – as
ral framework
3
defined by the competencies – can then be
As can be seen, the behaviours are very specific to Merck as a company and the strategy we
used as a framework for both individual and
Our brand and competencies are highly
try to execute. In the development process,
team development, as well as articulating
important in order to differentiate us from
careful consideration was given to the most
the desired cultural elements needed to
our competitors and enable our leaders and
important elements of the current culture we
implement the company strategy.
employees to confidently communicate with
wanted to keep and therefore emphasise, as
As Merck accelerated its transition
each other and our partners about who we are.
well as elements that are more aspirational
from a pharmaceutical and chemical
They enable us to build trust and loyalty with
and therefore needed clarification and
company into a vibrant science and
valued customers, partners and our workforce.
reinforcement.
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
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INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
“We are trying to answer the question: What will politically work to end this conflict and save the most lives?” The International Crisis Group employs analysts around the world to gather first-hand information from the field in order to prevent and resolve violent disputes. Communication Director spoke to Hugh Pope, the Group’s director of communications and outreach, about global threats to peace and stability, the end of the cooperative international order, and how to get vital expertise into the hands of decision makers. I N T E RV I E W BY DA F Y D D PH I L L I PS
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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
INTERVIEW
↑ Top left: In his role as Turkey/Cyprus Project Director for the International Crisis Group, Hugh Pope (right) interviews Sabri Ok, a leader of the insurgent Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), at war with Turkey since 1984, at their headquarters in northern Iraq. 2014. Top right: Libya Senior Analyst Claudia Gazzini visiting an oil field being fought over by rival factions / Photos: International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group was founded in 1995 but would
the launch day? What aspects of the report will find their way
you agree that its communications has only recently come of
onto social media? Who’s going to write an op-ed and where
age?
will it go? Where is it most likely to be seen? Also our new The initial idea behind the Group was to connect information
website, which was launched last July, has had a huge impact.
from the field in conflict-prone countries with top policy ma-
Before it was almost painful to try to read our reports online.
kers, to short circuit what was seen as an inability to get new
Now these articles, which are long and quite high-minded,
information from the ground. The statesmen who set us up
have an average reading time of four minutes. That’s double
were trying to prevent, manage and resolve crises and the idea
what it used to be with the old website. We’re also very proud
was that they would useinformation from field analysts to beat
that it was one of the five websites that was nominated for a
on the doors of western governments, often people they knew
Webby award in our policy category this year. However good
personally. You can imagine that in this working model there
the website and communications plan is, the critical thing I
wasn’t much space for a communications plan. Our first reports
have realised now that I am in the centre of things is that you
were sometimes the length of a book, and published with the
can’t make it up from headquarters. We’re dealing with about
assumption that once the statesmen had made up their minds
70 conflicts around the world, of which 30 have an analyst
based on our information and analysis, they would do the right
who’s mostly concentrating on that. What makes the differen-
thing and fix the conflict. To give you an idea, until 2008 one of
ce is what the analyst does with the various tools that we give
our principle means of communication was sending our reports
them to influence the course of the conflict they are following.
by post to policy makers. I’m serious. I would also say that un-
Increasingly we are trying to develop a tool box that we can
til a few years ago, our top leadership was completely agnostic
teach analysts how to adapt for use in their particular country or conflict, rather than dictate to them.
about the value of social media.
Does the nature of different conflict areas call for different
What occured to change their minds? At last people have realised you have to do a lot of reaching out
approaches to communications?
to public opinion, otherwise no one is going to hear your voice
Yes. There are still countries where they want paper reports,
and, even if you do manage to persuade the policy maker, they
where they don’t really read online. There are other countries
won’t be willing to do anything because public opinion is not
where they only read on their phones. For instance, in Ve-
with them. We now have quite a sophisticated set of questions
nezuela, where we have a very strong analyst but were little
we discuss with each of regional Programmes before we launch
known, promoting on Facebook got a lot of eyeballs onto what
a report to try to work out: what are the main messages? What
we were saying. I don’t like buying ‘love’ that way but when
goal are we trying to achieve? Who are we trying to reach in par-
you’re not know to an audience, it seems to me to be a good
ticular? Who is going to write a really good series of tweets on
idea to use it to at least make people aware of you, which is
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR 2/2017
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ISSUE FOCUS
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ISSUE FOCUS
ISSUE FOCUS
Communication and collaboration 60
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Businesses partnerships face several challenges when finding solutions for working together
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I N T E RV I E W S BY JA N W I SNI E W SK I
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