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Presentation by Robert Hastings at 2013 National Summitt on Strategic Communications, Washington, DC.
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STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATION
A Business Perspective
Robert T. HastingsSenior Vice President
Communications & Gov’t AffairsChief of Staff
Bell Helicopter
Assistant Secretary of Defensefor Public Affairs (acting)
2008-2009
The Birth ofHuman Communication
4000 BC
The Evolution of theStrategic Communicator
The Golden Age ofAdvertising
1930’s – 1970’s
The Evolution of theStrategic Communicator
The Age ofPublic Relations1990’s-2000’s
The Evolution of theStrategic Communicator
The Dawn ofInformation Operations
2001+
The Evolution of theStrategic Communicator
The Evolution of theStrategic Communicator
Today - The Age of Strategic Communications
Strategic Communication
The Information Environment is Changing…… Every Day•News has become hyper-competitive•Perceptions drive customer behavior•Everyone is trying to influence everyone•All information reporting is biased•There is a journalist on every corner and a camera in every pocket•Consumers choice their source and give it credibility•Institutional trust is down – whistleblower trust is up•There is no longer a news cycle – speed is paramount•Tactical actions can have immediate strategic consequences•“Reporting” is faster than operational reporting•We are competing with many voices•Technology equalizes big and small voices
Strategic Communication
Strategic Communication
“Strategic Communication is the synchronization of actions, images, and words to achieve a desired effect.”
The strategic communication process is designed to synchronize - and thus maximize the impact of - efforts to achieve one or more of the following:
• Improve U.S. credibility and legitimacy;• Weaken an adversary's credibility and legitimacy;• Convince selected audiences to take specific actions that
support U.S. or international objectives;• Cause a competitor or adversary to take (or refrain from
taking) specific actions.
Strategic Communication Joint Integrating Concept; 2009
Strategic Communication
Gentle/Indirect Forceful/Direct
Inform Educate Influence/Advocate Induce/Coerce
PSYOPSThe Information Operations Spectrum
MILDEC
Info OperationsPSYOPS
Public Diplomacy Public DiplomacyPublic Affairs
Public Affairs Strategic Communication
Effective strategic communications are……
• Leadership driven: leadership provides clear intent, direction, and engagement.
• Business focused: derived from the business’ goals and objectives and short and long-range strategic plans.
• Strategic: focused on understanding and shaping the environment through sound research, analysis, planning and assessment.
• Credible: honest, timely, and as transparent as possible.
Hastings Principles ofStrategic Communication
Effective strategic communications are……
• Thoughtful: engaging the right audience with the right message at the right time.
• Results oriented: undertaken to achieve specific outcomes.
• Dynamic: persistent, continuous, adaptable and agile
• Employee centric: well informed and engaged employees are a competitive advantage.
• Coordinated: synchronized and coordinated across the business, horizontally and vertically.
Hastings Principles ofStrategic Communication
Lessons Learned………•Strategic Communication is a leadership function•It must be embedded in business strategy•Influence is name of the game•Think bigger than media, but don’t forget about it•Use every tool, every channel, every opportunity•Listen, understand, know audiences•Act first and communicate first - Imagery and speed win•Credibility and legitimacy are paramount•Research, assess and measure•Be prepared for “casualties”
Strategic Communication
