Instead of writing an apology letter to Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas per the request of her high school principal, 18 year old Emma Sullivan was commentating on first amendment rights and social media to CNN.

Twitter, the social media platform, shed light on Sullivan’s comments regarding the governor last week when he spoke to [...]]]>

Instead of writing an apology letter to Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas per the request of her high school principal, 18 year old Emma Sullivan was commentating on first amendment rights and social media to CNN.

Twitter, the social media platform, shed light on Sullivan’s comments regarding the governor last week when he spoke to Shawnee Mission East High School students.  Sullivan tweeted “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot” to her 65 followers.  Before the advent of such public facing social media, no one would have been privy to criticism shared between a high school student and her friends.  But now, increased transparency reflects the diversity of all participants and a tweet like this can have the power to rise to the top of public discussion.

Gov. Brownback’s staff, who monitor tweets referencing their boss, identified this tweet as problematic.  Instead of engaging with Sullivan — or ignoring her tweet completely — they went to the school principal.  Sullivan was then instructed that she needed to write a letter of apology to the governor for her comments.

This begs the question, since when should someone apologize for expressing an opinion about a politician?  Isn’t that what social media is all about?  Engaging with new audiences of ALL opinions and persuasions is now standard for organizations, corporations and social movements.  As encouraging individuals to share own thoughts, ideas and opinions is a keystone of democracy, political uses of social media have been common place for years.  And it doesn’t mean that all of the participants are going to agree with you or like you.

Monday, Sullivan tweeted “I’ve decided not to write the letter but I hope this opens the door for average citizens to voice their opinion & to be heard! #goingstrong” to nearly 15,000 followers. Meanwhile, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback apologized for his staff’s “overreaction” to the tweet in a statement made at the State Capitol, as well as on his Facebook page, noting “My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.”

Thoughtful and deliberate policies and procedures for social media communication are needed across the board. This means the strategists monitoring and curating social media content should have clear internal guidelines about how to handle feedback — the good, the bad and the quirky — for the organizations and entities they are representing.  This also means that online participants should have access to an established set of public guidelines, which can be placed on the “Contact Us” or “About Us” sections of websites.  Ragan.com has more great tips about how to handle social media interaction.

If engagement and two-way communication is what democracy needs, then transparency, honest interaction and difference of opinions should not only be respected, but upheld.

In Sunday’s New York Times, the third richest person in the world penned an op ed asking President Obama and Congress to raise his taxes. Since then, Warren Buffett’s op ed is appearing everywhere. Political commentators are discussing the viability of his recommendation to tax the wealthiest in the U.S., media outlets are writing stories [...]]]>

In Sunday’s New York Times, the third richest person in the world penned an op ed asking President Obama and Congress to raise his taxes. Since then, Warren Buffett’s op ed is appearing everywhere. Political commentators are discussing the viability of his recommendation to tax the wealthiest in the U.S., media outlets are writing stories examining his perspective and, arguably most important, everyday people are using social media to share Buffett’s recommendation that the nation “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich.” Links to Buffett’s op ed are appearing over and over again in my Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn news streams.

Photo courtesy of MedillDC on Flickr

What makes this op ed so special? It offers the elusive op ed trifecta: timeliness, an element of surprise and byline credibility.

1. Buffett’s topic is timely and relevant. Many valid opinions exist about how best to address society’s ills, but only the most timely can make it into the news cycle. Buffett’s op ed comes on the heels of the debt ceiling debate and the tensions between balancing the budget and raising taxes.
2. Buffett’s position is surprising and intriguing. What really catches readers’ attention, though, is his unlikely opinion about taxes. Buffett expresses an eager willingness to pay higher taxes to generate more government revenue, which is likely not an opinion shared by many of his fellow billionaires. Buffett, whose individual wealth could cover a significant portion of the United States’ debt, gives permission to U.S. policymakers in his op ed to tax wealthy Americans like himself at the same rate as the working public.
3. Buffett is perceived as a credible expert. Attaching Warren Buffett’s byline to this op ed makes people want to read it and later discuss his surprising opinion with others. People know Buffett understands economics and the current financial crisis better than many, so when he goes on the record with recommendations about what the government should do to generate revenue, people will listen.

Sharing op eds and news articles now is so easy with social media, offering new opportunities to get a position out to a larger audience, as Mr. Buffett discovered. I suppose the rest of us taxpayers are so pleased by his willingness to share the tax burden, we’re sending his message to our friends and followers on social media. Buffett’s message spread via social media because his ideas validated what some Americans think about increasing taxes on the rich. Whether his plan is a good idea or not, Buffett’s op ed struck a common nerve; when your op ed is able to articulate a sentiment shared by many, you expand the number of people reading and recommending your op ed to their family, friends and colleagues with the click of a button. While people tend to also share op eds or articles they disagree with on their social media profiles, favorable positions tend to put an organization in the best light and generate positive responses from the social media community.

The increased integration of social media is raising the stakes for op ed success: Whereas the op ed trifecta used to be necessary for just getting your op ed placed, it is now essential for ensuring sharing via social media.

As communicators for social change, we know that our work won’t produce instant results, won’t necessarily earn us millions and won’t always be valuable in certain people’s eyes. As a green business pioneer Ray Anderson said, “Well, it’s hard. It’s the work of a lifetime. It takes an awful lot of patience and stick-to-itiveness.”

As communicators for social change, we know that our work won’t produce instant results, won’t necessarily earn us millions and won’t always be valuable in certain people’s eyes. As a green business pioneer Ray Anderson said, “Well, it’s hard. It’s the work of a lifetime. It takes an awful lot of patience and stick-to-itiveness.”

Photo courtesy of whiteafrican on flickr

Anderson passed away Aug. 8 at age 77 from cancer. In 1994, he read Paul Hawken’s book “The Ecology of Commerce,” which explains the environmental havoc that businesses and industries wreak. The book shocked him into reforming his carpet business, Interface. His goal — “Mission Zero” — was to produce zero waste, have zero impact and leave zero carbon footprint by 2020. A self-proclaimed “recovering plunderer,” he wanted to “take from the earth only what can be renewed by the earth naturally and rapidly, not another fresh drop of oil, and to do no harm to the biosphere. Take nothing. Do no harm.”

While some people might think those views would be terrible for big business, Anderson effectively communicated that his reforms had the opposite effect. His costs went down and he attracted more customers because they wanted a company that was doing good by the environment. In addition to speaking about his work, Anderson wrote two books. He said, “Our people are galvanized around this shared higher purpose…[a]nd the goodwill of the marketplace is astonishing.”

This view also stands true in social change communications. PR agencies frequently get a bad rap for having soft drink and apparel clients, caring only about the bottom line and only doing “corporate social responsibility” to make a good impression. I’m proud to work at an agency that is galvanized by this shared purpose. Whether it be environment, education or mental health-related, it’s amazing the quality of work that emerges when employees are motivated by the power of positive social change.

Some people communicate for social change with garden shears, slowly trimming the landscape to a more pleasing picture. Others communicate with a machete, lopping off deadwood and anything else that gets in the way of change.

Photo courtesy of NIH

Bernadine Healy, who died Aug. 6 at 67 of a recurrence of brain cancer, was [...]]]>

Some people communicate for social change with garden shears, slowly trimming the landscape to a more pleasing picture. Others communicate with a machete, lopping off deadwood and anything else that gets in the way of change.

Photo courtesy of NIH

Bernadine Healy, who died Aug. 6 at 67 of a recurrence of brain cancer, was one of the latter.

Healy’s career goal of medicine was established by age 12. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, she became a cardiologist and held positions at Johns Hopkins University and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, among many other prominent organizations. Calling medicine the most noble of endeavors, Healy took the established medical culture and whacked away at the old, established ways of looking at patients, particularly women in mid-life and older. She later became the first woman to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you see a public service announcement outlining all the symptoms that can mask a woman’s heart attack — such as fatigue or indigestion — you can thank Healy, who communicated loud and long that women were not just miniature men, and in fact needed their own course of study, which became the $500 million Women’s Health Initiative at NIH.

Like many outspoken communicators, Healy was not universally beloved and her knack for ruffling feathers in “old establishments” led to the end of her relationship with several organizations, including the American Red Cross right after the September 11 terrorist attacks. But her communications style cleared the path to a better understanding of women’s health, and her innovative policymaking has certainly saved countless lives through prevention.

Healy once said of her professional accomplishments: “I am proud that I never compromised my core beliefs, never wobbled on what I believed to be the right path and had the strength to endure both.”

What a terrific message for medicine and communications.

Living in the era of “Intervention” and “Celebrity Rehab” reality TV shows and pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness, it’s hard to remember there was a time when society viewed seeking treatment for addiction as shameful and battles with breast cancer were kept secret.

Photo courtesy of dbking on Flickr

Former First Lady Betty Ford, [...]]]>

Living in the era of “Intervention” and “Celebrity Rehab” reality TV shows and pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness, it’s hard to remember there was a time when society viewed seeking treatment for addiction as shameful and battles with breast cancer were kept secret.

Photo courtesy of dbking on Flickr

Former First Lady Betty Ford, who passed away on Friday at the age of 93, changed that. During this time of mourning, we remember her as a masterful communicator who used persuasive storytelling to educate the public about critical social issues, such as addiction and breast cancer awareness.

By publicly sharing her own struggles with alcoholism, Ford began to lift the curtain of stigma for people and their families dealing with substance use and addiction disorders. Her courage to openly talk about her own challenges and hope for recovery empowered others to face, and treat, their own addiction issues as well.

While in the White House, she would answer reporters’ questions candidly about drugs, sex and other social topics perceived as taboo. Following the Ford presidency, she founded and served as the first chairwoman of the board of directors of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction, which started the movement for similar facilities to open around the country, offering patients and their families the hope of recovery. She reinforced the belief that if the First Lady of the United States could successfully receive treatment at a rehabilitation clinic, then the average person could seek recovery too.

After undergoing a mastectomy for breast cancer shortly after becoming First Lady, Ford’s openness about her surgery and illness raised the visibility of breast cancer, a disease that few Americans were comfortable talking about at the time. She understood the power of using her own story to get news headlines and create a more inclusive, open dialogue about these pressing social issues.

Upon learning of her death, former President George H.W. Bush in a statement said of Ford:

No one confronted life’s struggles with more fortitude or honesty, and as a result, we all learned from the challenges she faced. The Betty Ford Center, which already has helped change the lives of thousands of people, will be her lasting legacy of care and concern.

President Bush is right; Betty Ford used her life as a classroom and demonstrated that sometimes the most persuasive argument for change is one drawn from personal experiences. When communicators share life lessons this personal, passionate and honest as Ford did, we give social issues a human face and voice.

If we’re lucky and follow her model, we too can hopefully change a few lives for the better. Hers is a powerful legacy laid by an extraordinary communicator.

Is it possible for one video to launch a social change revolution? Can one YouTube video inspire others to take action and become activists?

President Obama proclaimed June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month and launched a new section on the White House website dedicated to the policies and issues impacting the LGBT community. [...]]]>

Is it possible for one video to launch a social change revolution? Can one YouTube video inspire others to take action and become activists?

President Obama proclaimed June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month and launched a new section on the White House website dedicated to the policies and issues impacting the LGBT community. Both are landmark civil rights statements never before made by a sitting President. One of the sections of this White House microsite worth noting is called “It Gets Better.” Sound familiar? It should. The section name is a tip of the hat to the successful It Gets Better Project launched to reach out to LGBT teens contemplating suicide due to bullying and prejudice.

The message discusses the happiness, potential and positivity that awaits youth after the difficult teen years. This project — started with a single YouTube video by columnist Dan Savage and his partner Terry in September 2010 — turned into an international movement, inspiring more than 10,000 user-created videos by world leaders, celebrities, activists and others. It has been viewed more than 35 million times and has inspired people around the globe. Watch Google Chrome’s recent tribute to Dan, Terry and their video:

What can we learn from the success of the It Gets Better Project for launching a social change revolution?

1. Be honest. Both Dan and Terry shared their personal stories regarding difficult teenage years. It was their personal accounts that made the video so engaging and inspired others to share stories.
2. Keep it simple. The majority of It Gets Better tribute videos have something in common — creators used a simple web or video camera to record testimony or a pledge of support. Most didn’t use fancy editing or production. The personal nature of this  format eliminated those distractions, allowing users to just focus on the messenger and the message.
3. Use your connections. Dan Savage is a well-known journalist with a syndicated column, a weekly podcast and a spot on “This American Life.” To say that Dan is well-connected is an understatement, and he shared his video with as many people as possible, spreading his message far and wide. Like Dan, we all have family, friends, neighbors, co-workers or like-minded people in our lives who would be willing to share our message and call to action. Reach out via e-mail and social media to get your message to the right people.
4. Don’t overthink it – just act. Dan and Terry recorded their video in response to a wave of LGBT teen suicides headlining the front pages of newspapers around the country. To be responsive to the growing issue, they quickly acted by recording their video and posting it to YouTube. They were able to capitalize on a news cycle still covering this topic and received more exposure than if they had waited and posted the video a few weeks later. As my mom would say, “You have to strike when the iron is hot.”
5. Believe the sky is the limit. Did Dan and Terry know that a few months after posting their video, President Obama, Pixar employees or the World Series champion San Francisco Giants would make videos of their own? Probably not. They may have only intended their video to let LGBT teens in crisis know they aren’t alone, but by placing no limits on their efforts, their video led to a movement of love and support and a new non-profit organization focused on sharing that message of inclusion with others in need. Change is always possible with commitment, passion and a willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish your social change goals.

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said: “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” In the case of June’s LGBT Pride Month Presidential Proclamation and It Gets Better Project, a moving campaign to help youth live for a brighter future can begin with a single YouTube video.

When communicators organize and stage a press conference for their organizations, the stakes are pretty high. We hold press conferences to support a variety of objectives — such as to address recent challenges or issues or to launch new programs — however, rarely do we have to think about how our press conference will [...]]]>

When communicators organize and stage a press conference for their organizations, the stakes are pretty high. We hold press conferences to support a variety of objectives — such as to address recent challenges or issues or to launch new programs — however, rarely do we have to think about how our press conference will negatively impact the U.S. economy. Well, that’s what the public affairs staff at the U.S. Federal Reserve is thinking about today as they plan their first public press conference to be held this week to discuss the new policy statement of the Federal Open Market Committee.

Photo courtesy of MedillDC on Flickr

What is said during the press conference by Chairman Ben Bernanke, whether in his opening statement or in responses to reporters’ questions, could sink the stock market in minutes — a hit that would further hurt the already floundering economy. A lot of pressure? You bet. Great advance thinking and planning by the Federal Reserve will help manage this press conference and its impact on the market.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal today, the Federal Reserve communications team has already taken steps to manage the message from Wednesday’s press conference. Many of their precautions demonstrate procedures that we should consider when planning our own press conferences as well.

1. Conduct research on similar events before planning your event. Since this was a first for the Federal Reserve, their team wisely spoke with other banks and global financial institutions with press conference experience to identify lessons learned from these events in the banking industry. Understanding and applying these tips and tricks prior to planning this press conference will help the Federal Reserve limit the pitfalls and challenges they might have faced without such important research. Learning from others’ successes and failures should always be the first step for communicators when planning press conferences, or any type of event.
2. Keep event agenda focused on communications goals. To keep on message and force the attending media to cover those key messages, construct the press conference agenda with the event’s communications goals as a guide. The Federal Reserve is planning for brief remarks by the chairman followed by a time-restrained question-and-answer session to keep reporters focused on their key messages and limit tangents that might have occurred if Bernanke delivered longer remarks.
3. Set rules for who attends and how people participate. While there is much  interest from financial industry people in this press conference, the Federal Reserve decided to limit press conference attendees only to invited media. To attend, the Federal Reserve has stipulated that reporters must work for a media organization recognized by Congress and that each outlet may only send one reporter. By laying the ground rules early about who can attend, event organizers are creating a controlled environment, establishing expectations for how the event is going to be run and establishing their guidelines for how media should be covering the event.
4. Prepare the event spokesperson for everything. In the past when speaking with a room full of reporters, Chairman Bernanke answered questions received on notecards. At this press conference, the Federal Reserve is going a more traditional route calling on reporters with raised hands to ask questions. In either scenario, preparing the spokesperson by discussing potential questions and familiarizing them with good answers is key to help Bernanke feel (and look) comfortable during the press conference. Also, this preparation is the best way for the Federal Reserve to control the message and limit negative fallout impacting the New York Stock Exchange before the closing bell.

While communicators, like those working for the Federal Reserve, may not have control over what reporters ask, there are preventive steps we can take in the research and planning phases for press conferences to create an environment that offers the greatest potential for desired outcomes for an organization’s communications goals and messages.

Photo by nanpalmero on Flickr

This past month, Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) made a critical mistake on Twitter. Out of the blue, he blocked several local reporters from reading his tweets. Members of the Texas media, including Tom Benning from the Dallas Morning News, received the blocked notice when they attempted to view the [...]]]>

Photo by nanpalmero on Flickr

This past month, Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) made a critical mistake on Twitter. Out of the blue, he blocked several local reporters from reading his tweets. Members of the Texas media, including Tom Benning from the Dallas Morning News, received the blocked notice when they attempted to view the Governor’s Twitter feed. When asked about the message, Perry’s press office admitted to reporters that the governor is solely in control of his own Twitter feed, confirming  that he personally blocked these reporters from his feed. As a result, Perry is the brunt of jokes and more news stories than his press office can handle.

While any social media platform user can block specific people from seeing content or information through privacy settings, it’s not the best approach. Unless your personal safety or security is in jeopardy, your social media profiles carry unstated “open door” policies. When you “open the door” and create a profile, you need to keep the door open and be transparent with your followers regardless of who they are. Pulling back, placing limitations or blocking access, especially when you are a pubic figure, fuels the media and the public to assume information is being hidden from them.

If you feel you need to build a wall around your social media presence, think twice about creating profiles in online communities. Public figures like Perry should think three times. The public expects access to public figures, thus they shouldn’t pick and choose who accesses their profiles. By doing so, their actions could undermine their credibility and lose the public’s trust.

Whether it was his intention or not, Governor Perry just placed a spotlight on his tweets. Now reporters, opponents and constituents will be paying more attention to what Perry says online. This incident gives further credence to why Twitter hired former Capitol Hill staffer Adam Sharp to represent Twitter in Washington, DC and help policymakers understand and use the platform.

Social media is not for everyone. It’s just one of the new tools we can use to communicate with others. If you, or your organization do not feel comfortable with its openness, avoid participating. It is better to find other ways to communicate with key audiences than publicly closing your social media doors, which could build suspicion and distrust among your followers.

Romanization of character language systems, such as Chinese, can pose cultural and linguistic challenges for communicators. Photo credit: Our Signature by 2493™ on Flickr

Have you noticed in the coverage about the protests in Libya that the name of the country’s leader is spelled differently depending on the news organization? I’ve seen his name reported as Muammar el-Qaddafi, [...]]]>

Romanization of character language systems, such as Chinese, can pose cultural and linguistic challenges for communicators. Photo credit: Our Signature by 2493™ on Flickr

Have you noticed in the coverage about the protests in Libya that the name of the country’s leader is spelled differently depending on the news organization? I’ve seen his name reported as Muammar el-Qaddafi, Moammar Gadhafi, Muammar Qaddafi or Muammar Gaddafi. Are some reporters spelling his name incorrectly? If so, which is the correct spelling?

Slate recently posted an article exploring this issue. The answer? All of them are correct. According to Slate, each version is an acknowledged transliteration — changing letters or words from one alphabet into the corresponding letters or words from another alphabet — or Romanization — converting a language from another alphabet or a pictographic system into the Latin alphabet — of his Arabic name. However, the article did not answer an important question — which version is the most culturally and linguistically appropriate?

When communicating with audiences who speak a language other than English, it is critically important that translation extend beyond the alphabet. Culturally and linguistically competent communications takes into account both native language and culture, and is a key component to ensuring that a message is understood.

Languages based on alphabets or pictographic language systems, such as Arabic, Asian, Mediterranean and Eastern European, can present unique challenges when we attempt translation. Because these languages are written using characters that are vastly different from the Latin-based alphabet, adaptation may require the use of transliteration or Romanization for translating names and cultural terms. However, its important to test your adaptation and your messages with your audience to be sure that the transliteration does not affect the meaning. For example, how a name or word is spelled impacts how it is pronounced; pronunciations alone can confuse terms, such as Slate’s example regarding the spelling of Muslim.

Finally, Kathy Park wants to know why “Moslem” is considered an offensive spelling. The problem with spelling the Arabic word meaning “one who surrenders to God” as “Moslem” and not “Muslim” is that people end up pronouncing it mawslem, which is a different word that means “oppressor.”

When in doubt of how best to spell a name or word from a non-Latin alphabet language, create an informal focus group of your target multicultural audience for guidance. While you may receive differing opinions, you should be able to gather at least an informed recommendation to guide your spelling and provide the backup you need, if your language selection is questioned.

King George VI May 1939 via Wikimedia Commons

One of the movies receiving accolades, if not awards, at the Oscars on Sunday is “The King’s Speech.” No spoiler alert is needed to tell you that the movie is about how King George VI, who stammers, prepares for a pivotal speech. The king can’t just [...]]]>

King George VI May 1939 via Wikimedia Commons

One of the movies receiving accolades, if not awards, at the Oscars on Sunday is “The King’s Speech.” No spoiler alert is needed to tell you that the movie is about how King George VI, who stammers, prepares for a pivotal speech. The king can’t just bow out of this challenging speech because his nation, on the brink of war, needs to hear from its leader. This is crisis communication at its highest level.

Whatever the reason a leader might want to shirk difficult outreach, the right-on lesson from this movie for communicators is twofold: first, there is no substitute for hearing from the person at the top when a crisis looms; and second, there is no substitute for careful preparation and a well-considered message before communicating.

And one final lesson? Leaders have to communicate through channels that will reach those they lead. The movie king had to communicate through radio, because that is how his subjects were receiving their news. These days, even the Pope is into social media, urging priests to blog and hosting a YouTube channel.

And today’s royal family is fully involved in social media with a Facebook page and a Flickr and Twitter presence. So if the movie were made about a king today, it might be called, “The King’s Blog.” The stammer wouldn’t be an issue in this format, but the preparation and carefully crafted message remain pivotal.