Posts Tagged ‘Communication’

1. Media relationships – it’s important to make them work

   Published on Thursday, January 19th, 2012
   The Press has accused EQC of being unprofessional in its portrayal of two of its reporters – one as “schizophrenic in his writing” and another as a “rogue reporter”.

   The background to this is the EQC’s presentation to field staff on Monday reminding them of the organisation’s responsibilities to the media and that media enquiries should be referred to the designated media contact person.

   This story is evidence of natural tensions between an organisation in the spotlight (and even under siege) and the legitimate role of the media – a fact acknowledged by EQC.

   Any organisation that’s dealt with the media on sensitive issues will have some sympathy for the frustrations of the EQC at this time.  No matter how brilliantly they respond to many claims, some people will remain disaffected and will take their complaints to the media, because they feel that is the only power they have.  Whether these complaints are legitimate or not, the EQC has to accept this.

   If the EQC made a mistake in it presentation to staff, it was in overtly personalising its concerns with individual reporters and preference for others.  For its part the newspaper has over-reacted to this. I suspect there’ve been instances when its own reporters have privately characterised some of the EQC’s personnel in less than flattering terms. That’s just human nature.

   It should not be forgotten that contacts between reporters and organisations are complex human relationships.  In pressure situations there can be an added edge, and what the reporter sees as relatively straight forward is often not so, and the relationship can become prickly.

   There is a long way to go in the repair and re-establishment of Christchurch.  The Press and the EQC are two organisations critical to a successful outcome, and it is vital that they take stock of their respective roles and make the relationship work for everyone.

   For any business, dealing with reporters can sometimes be a fraught experience – never more so than in higher-stake situations such as this.  Getting professional advice is often the best course.

2. The spirit of communicating

   Published on Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
   St Matthew-in-the-City sees the Christmas season as an opportunity to spark thought and conversation in the community.  They’ve put up their Christmas billboard portraying Mary, Jesus’ mother, looking at a home pregnancy test kit revealing that she is pregnant.

   In much less dramatic ways, on one level many of us use the Christmas season to express thanks to our clients or customers, business partners and colleagues using small gifts, cards or a timely call.  It is a time for thinking about and acknowledging others.

   On a more personal level, we are out buying for those near and dear, and preparing for the occasion that is Christmas.

   All this shows that with the right imperative, we are all very good communicators.  Our challenge is to push that spirit of good communication deeper and deeper into New Year. Right?

3. Food for the nation

   Published on Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
   During the next four weeks New Zealanders’ combined spending on food, beverages and other grocery items is likely to once again break records.  Even though purse strings are tighter, people will over-compensate for fear of being caught short.

   Budget pressures aside, we forget how fortunate we are to have access to such an impressive choice of products, particularly as our Christmas falls in the summer season.  It’s a reminder of the critical role the food and grocery industry plays in NZ on many different levels, domestically and in exports.

   These important contributions were recognised at last month’s Food & Grocery Council Annual Conference, opened with a brief televised message from PM John Key.  The PM stressed the importance of the food and beverage sector to New Zealand. Now, he would say that wouldn’t he? But in fact the stature of our food industry has been recognised in a special way by the past two governments.

   When in office, Labour initiated a food and beverage taskforce chaired by Tony Nowell. Research undertaken by the taskforce started to crystallise for politicians the industry’s importance and opportunities.  This has continued under National, no doubt assisted by the foreign earnings’ contributions of food exports that are impossible to ignore in the world’s troubled economic environment.

   Our Government has set a target of tripling the country’s food and beverage exports over the next 15 years, meaning that the food and beverage sector will remain the linchpin of the New Zealand economy for many years to come.

   In its food industry, New Zealand has an enviable strategic advantage and we should celebrate our food heroes, big and small.  In the next month we’ll have every chance to do just that.

   What’s on your food and beverage agenda this Christmas?

4. Mayor Parker and Ballantynes show us how it can be done

   Published on Thursday, December 8th, 2011
   As President of the Public Relations Institute of NZ (PRINZ), I was privileged late last week to present Bob Parker, Mayor of Christchurch with the Institute’s Communicator of the Year award in Christchurch.  It is an annual award bestowed by the College of Fellows, so the selection of Mayor Parker is not simply one of popularity due to level of profile.  It was hard earned and well deserved.

   The word resilience is one I have heard a lot lately and it aptly describes the quality that has been evident across Christchurch as people adapted to these new circumstances.

   Earlier in the year I heard it suggested by one expert commentator that New Zealanders were perhaps less resilient to situations like this because we had, by international standards, such an easy life.  Mayor Parker showed that to be wrong when, as the public face of his city, he consistently demonstrated how resilient they really were (and still are). His wife who was never far from his side and who also carried a significant workload did the same.

   What has emerged is a strong and purposeful community consistently showing resilience in circumstances that none of us dreamt of dealing with.  I would also add: resourceful and proud. Recently we saw this exemplified in the containerised new City Mall that sprung to life and the reopening of Ballantynes, that symbol of classic Christchurch.

   Ballantynes is another brilliant example of the Christchurch resilience. It has shone as a beacon of hope and normality for people. From the start Ballantynes adopted a ‘business as usual’ attitude – even though their iconic store was in the red zone and their own staff were seriously affected – no workplace and in some cases no home themselves.

   It has been a remarkable story of how managing director Mary Devine and her team worked to remain accessible to customers throughout eight months of closure. Their website (online store), household mailers and special customer events held at venues around the city helped maintain precious contact.

   In receiving his award, Mayor Parker said he was not the only one who deserved this acknowledgement as a communicator. That’s undoubtedly true, but leadership through communication sets the path for others and that is what he did. Congratulations to Mayor Parker and his entire crew on being inspiring communicators.

5. New iPads for MPs

   Published on Thursday, December 1st, 2011
   On arriving for their first day at Parliament yesterday, MPs were given a goodie bag with pen and notebook, iPad 2 and iPhone or Blackberry. The iPads were preloaded with key information new members could refer to during their induction programme.

   No doubt there will be some of the usual criticisms leveled at our public servants receiving anything more than the basic tools of the trade, but in reality, issuing iPads makes perfect sense and the substantial benefits will be shared by taxpayers in many different ways.

   While Danish and German parliaments have already announced their adoption of iPads, our own New Zealand Parliamentary Services are just as forward thinking and these modern tools of the trade have been sitting in Bowen House for some time ready for their new users.

   We’ve moved a long way from the desktop computer and mobile phone to a range of items that might include a laptop, smart phone and iPad.  Excessive for some, but basic essentials for others.  Schools too are making iPads essential, and while many may balk at the cost in comparison to some prior technology innovations, it isn’t as bad as we might think.

   Particularly when you bear in mind the cost of the ear-thumping stereo systems or the latest DVD player or flat screen TV – more expensive and probably a lot less essential and multi-purpose.  Even so, here’s hoping those prices continue to lower as these almost essential life tools become as commonplace as televisions and telephones.

   It’s all about the Personal Communication Mixology; the personal customisation of information, communication and technology tools and techniques we each adopt both consciously and unconsciously. This of course is influenced by individual access and ability combined with their learning and communication style.  It’s a complex space that communication specialists like Network are constantly exploring and working in on behalf of clients.

   For MPs, where the volume of reports and information around the house could probably keep a convoy of paper trucks busy, the ability to share and access information on a small device is an opportunity we would be mad to miss.

   But we know that the opportunity is far more than this.  It would therefore be fascinating to study the use of those two items provided in the goodie bags for each MP.  Perhaps someone will do this.  Meanwhile I love my iPad, iPhone and Macbook Pro which I liberally interchange depending on circumstances.  But I am also rarely without a pen and paper.

6. Never mind policy, what’s on the tape?

   Published on Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
   

   It is hard not to feel that that the 2011 General Election has descended into farce.  We’re now ten days out from the Election, and for nigh on three days our politicians aided and abetted by the national media have given us a diet of irrelevancy about a tape of a private conversation.

   The PM raised a matter of principle about being secretly recorded in conversation over a cup of tea with the aspiring MP for Epsom, but before long our media are excusing the blatancy of this illegality and claiming the PM has something to hide if he’s not prepared to reveal what’s on the tape.  In climbing into this matter,  two of the other main parties, while tut-tutting at the secret recording, have been lavishly proffering public relations advice about what the PM should do because it “doesn’t look good” to have a private conversation and keep it that way.

   It is a sign that politicians are now more interested in doing what “looks good” than explaining the social and economic measures that will advance our wellbeing over the next years.  Is this because they judge us to be totally facile?  Are they right, and is this what we want?  Is it also a sign of the media is more interested in feeding us a diet of gossip and innuendo because they understand  people are so disinterested in policy unless it is to directly affect them?

   Surely it’s time to drop this nonsense of the tape and get back to debating the issues that matter so that we can have some substance on which to cast our votes.  This goes for the lot of them.

7. When sorry is too little too late

   Published on Friday, October 14th, 2011
   It was an outrage, but there was an apology.

   A “stupid thing” had been done and it was now deeply regretted.

   An All Black had gone out drinking (and smoking).  Fortunate for Cory Jane, he played a blinder and the match was won.

   The second apology of the week came from Costamare Shipping Company managing director Diamantis Manos.  His company owns the Rena which is causing a black tide of another type. Yesterday he apologised by video to Tauranga residents and New Zealanders for the “disastrous event”.

   Perhaps his advisers told him that New Zealanders like and accept apologies, as we’ve had a “sorries” from a veritable catalogue of high-profile offenders from current and former All Blacks, and sports commentators, to MPs and church leaders.  Sorry has become the get-out-of-jail-free card.  But not this time, not from owners and managers of the ship that is violating the Bay of Plenty.  It came too late and from too far away.

   There are times when you have to front up in person, and this is one of them.

8. Where do some of the big issues sit on your Relevance Index?

   Published on Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
   Even without realising it, relevance dominates our thinking every day.  The more relevant the communication, the more likely we are to first become engaged and then respond.

   My personal Relevance Index (RI) is based around

   • Do I have a choice in the matter? Who ignores an IRD letter or one from the Ministry of Transport? 

   • Is it something I need or want? Not always in that order either.

   • Is there something in it for me?

   • Should I be paying attention to this? Which is influenced by my values, beliefs and ‘norms’.

   Human nature means there are also a mass of confounding factors that influence where something sits on the RI , and some are ranked well outside what common sense suggests. 

   Look at Princess Beatrice’s wedding hat which offers no benefit other than entertainment, but there it was again on the morning news and featuring in today’s Herald cartoon. 

   Given the host of different demands on our relatively short attention spans, the ability to establish relevance is one of our greatest challenges. For example, for those of us who don’t live in Canterbury, how long will the rebuild be top of mind. 

   As we go about our lives we should make a conscious effort to ensure some of the big issues facing the nation (such as child abuse or the fair sharing of the pain caused by the global financial crisis) make it on to our RI.

   And if we are in the business of communicating we should take every opportunity to put the big issues up the rankings – just as I have done here.

9. New chums in a unique cause

   Published on Friday, November 19th, 2010
   

   Another deserving beach

   I’ve not been there, but New Chums Beach on the eastern side of the Coromandel has now become a political cause celebre.  I suspect that this is not so much for its beauty but its value as political leverage on the part of the opposition parties, Labour and Greens.

   Beautiful I’m sure, but New Chums is far from as unique as its protagonists would have us believe. If you don’t believe me, just get out and look around.

   That the Greens and Labour have formed some sort of coalition to save the beach is a communication triumphant for the initial advocate for banning any human habitation in sight of the beach, one Linda Cholmondeley-Smith. This New Chums champion is a descendant of a former owner who obviously received their 30 pieces of silver, but didn’t have the wit to place a caveat on building, which would of course reduce the value of the land to them.

   Cholmondeley-Smith’s strategy was invite media up to the beach and wax eloquent and tearful about its uniqueness. Of course, everyone likes a day at the beach on full pay, so they were quickly on board.

   The Greens will subscribe to anything that dips into the public purse without seeming self interest, while at the same time poking a stick in the eye of the obviously wealthy and vehicle-loving owners, so they could definitely be counted in on this campaign.

   Labour was more cautious and wanted to see which way the wind was blowing.  Understandable given they’d declined to buy the beach when in government – something we need a better explanation of. Out of government it’s a whole new ball game, and the objective now is to points-score at any cost to the taxpayer.

   The question I can’t resolve is, why New Chums?  To claim uniqueness is simply rhetoric.

   What Cholmondeley-Smith and her new found political friends are “selling” is the concept of unique – something few of us will ever visit and fewer of us could afford.  While the deficit grows by the day, I can think of a dozen other unique beaches our money could also be spent on. These I expect would be more affordable and probably easier for most of us to access.

10. “Observation is key to innovation”

    Published on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
    “Observation is key to innovation”

    These were the words of wisdom from guest speaker Ray Avery at the Salvation Army’s launch of their Hope at Christmas appeal at the Holiday Inn in Auckland last week.  He also told us that being alert to the opportunities around us can result in one person changing a single person’s life and potentially the world.

    Of course Ray is more able than many to illustrate this point. Plucked from the streets of London as a young orphan, and following a Pygmalion-like transformation by the good people who rescued him, he has gone on to restore the sight of many millions of people through pioneering intraocular lenses, implanted into the eyes of those suffering cataract blindness.

    With a 23% increase in demand for Salvation Army food bank services during the last quarter and a 38% increase in the number of families who visited the Sallies for the first time, it is clear that the impact of the recession continues to be felt. While some observers might suggest that the hard times are behind us and things are on the up, these statistics show quite a different picture.

    “Focusing solely on the details of process can divert our attention,” said Ray. It’s hardly rocket science to further add that pre-conceived ideas and attitudes will further impair our powers of observation. Too often people have already made up their minds about how they will interpret a scenario and this influences how they then receive information or respond to the situation. 

    The family who need a hand could be an example of the way we might pre-judge situations, when in reality each situation is likely very different and is not always stereo-typical.  An individual’s response to this will also be influenced by their philosophical stance. 

    Building mutual understanding between publics is at the heart of what we consistently seek to achieve through public relations, and Ray’s own experience demonstrated the opportunity that can be revealed when the walls come down.

    Following Ray’s launch of the Salvation Army’s Christmas appeal, Network PR is privileged to be able to support the Sallies’ food banks through our work with Wattie’s on the annual Wattie’s Cans Film Festival which is on next Wednesday. We’d appreciate if as many people as possible could support it also.

    Visit www.watties.co.nz for more info on this or www.savlationarmy.org.nz to support the Salvation Army Christmas appeal.