What Makes Communication Strategic?
by Robert W. Grupp, Graduate Program Director, Global Strategic Communication, University of Florida
It has been said that the term “strategic communication” is used with such ubiquity that it becomes almost meaningless. I’ll admit the word “strategic” is to communications a bit like “proprietor’s special reserve” is to wine. It sounds impressive, but does it actually describe anything truly meaningful?
In fact, it does.
Communication is strategic when an organization applies communication systematically and consistently to assist in achieving its goals and objectives. In other words, strategic communication is defined by an outcome and achieving a goal, and working back from there.
In the capstone course in our Global Strategic Communication master’s program, we emphasize this linkage to outcomes, which serves to focus communications planning, strategy, tactics and execution. In essence, outcomes achieved with the help of effective communication is the discriminator between reactively responding to events or inquiries as they occur, and deliberately contributing to and shaping conversations to achieve a purposeful end.
Viewed in this light, there is a broad array of communication that could be considered strategic. Communications professionals integrate knowledge from many areas: business, marketing, branding, anthropology and human psychology, business diplomacy, data gathering and analytics, digital strategy and platforms, all forms of research really, public affairs and politics and much more.
Using all these pieces together — or as they apply to any given objective — is what we call strategic communication.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed engaging in debate about a definition for strategic communications.
In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Christopher Paul of the Rand Corporation said he believes the definition must respect what he called “the unassailable core” of strategic communication.
- First, is a fundamental belief that it is important (and acceptable) to attempt to inform, influence, and persuade in pursuit of your objectives.
- Second, it is critical both that your objectives — the desired outcomes sought through communications – be clear. Vague goals – whether they be corporate, military, government or non-profit – do not imply measurable indicators of progress or value.
- Third, actions speak louder than words. This truism is absolutely central to an effective strategic communications construct.
Admiral Mike Mullen, the former chairman of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a critique of the U.S. government’s approach to winning hearts and minds, rather famously suggested that strategic communication needed a closer look.
“Frankly,” Admiral Mullen said, “I don’t care for the term. We get too hung up on that word, strategic. If we’ve learned nothing else … it should be that the lines between strategic, operational, and tactical are blurred beyond distinction. This is particularly true in the world of communication.”
…and here’s the important point…
“Beyond the term itself,” Adm. Mullen said, “I believe we have walked away from the original intent of strategic communications. By organizing to it — creating whole structures around it — we have allowed strategic communications to become a thing instead of a process, an abstract thought, instead of a way of thinking.”
“To put it simply, we need to worry a lot less about how to communicate our actions … and much more about what our actions communicate. Actions are the new words. We have a responsibility to educate the enterprise about how communication, behaviors and actions play in an environment that is ultimately transparent.” – Admiral Mike Mullen
Rosa Brooks, a law professor at Georgetown University, takes a view that “strategic communications is the thoughtful integration of issues of stakeholder perception and response into policymaking, planning, and operations at every level. “Strategic communication … is less about what we have to say than it is about considering how others may interpret our words and actions.”
What strategic communication boils down to, is a simple plea: learn, engage and listen; try to understand how other people view you, your cause or your organization. Think in advance about how what we do and say will be perceived, and plan activities accordingly.
The goal of communication strategy should not be merely to shape the opinion, sentiment and perceptions of audiences of individuals, but to also spur them to action and, ultimately, advocacy. When beliefs and actions are linked in this manner, it gives people confidence in the decisions they have made, and turns actions into ongoing behaviors.
The Arthur W. Page Society – an organization of corporate communicators – says it well in a seminal paper on “Building Belief: A New Model for Activating Corporate Character and Authentic Advocacy.”
After all, it is no longer sufficient to manage reputations and brands – our external personas, whether they be corporate, military, government or NGO – separately from our workforce and culture. They need to be synchronized and managed as one. It is simply impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator.
The digital revolution brought transparency to every move and action. It has empowered the world – and every individual – to demand authenticity: The product and service performs as advertised; the employer treats me as expected; management’s behavior is consistent with the organization’s stated values.
At stake is not just the efficacy of our work, but the success and even survival of our enterprises and institutions.
Now that’s strategic.
Posted: March 7, 2017
Category: Grupp's Column
