An apple a day…

The humble apple is arguably the greatest teacher ever.  Let’s not contemplate what it did for Adam and Eve. But it did come in handy when Newton was trying to understand how gravity worked. It provided the wake up moment to see things from a fresh angle. 

Talking of freshness - how and when did the old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” come about?  Was it a green grocer? an over-vigilant dietician? Or even a computer designer - way ahead of their time? 

We at Sparkles think a lot about healthy communication. And in particular about the sorts of constipated problems we can fix with a sharp head-thumping insight and sound communication treatment. 

We believe you can diagnose, provide a prognosis and ultimately suggest a treatment for communication problems in much the same way you can attack digestive problems with a bit of fresh fruit.

The Sparkle approach is to work with business areas to help analyse their communications need (or constipated or ’stuck’ problems). The consultation is designed to facilitate the business areas’ ownership of their own communication problems and solutions. In other words,  one needs to accept they’re constipated before they go looking for an apple - or something stronger!

Many  people or businesses teams don’t know how to identify their communication  problems let alone treat them with the right solution.

Moreover, many still think that “communication” can be done by pushing an email button to “all staff” or passively posting a document on the website or intranet and assume that users will find it, read it, understand it and then act on it.

We at Sparkles promote healthy communication as a process with many inter-related steps, much exploration and exciting discovery - a veritable colonoscopy. 

• The first step involves diagnosis which is conducted by a series of assumption reducing questions.
• The second step involves prognosis which is a forecast of the course and probable outcome of a communication problem. At this stage some of the questioning can be a bit provocative and lateral.
• The third step involves the planning and design of a treatment schedule - we never just pick one schedule and there’s never only one solution.

Diagnostic - type questioning
what do you want?
why do you want that?
where did the request come from?
when do you want it by?
why aren’t you doing that now?
what are you doing towards that end already?
what have you tried before
what do you think needs to be done?
when will you know it is working?
where did the need come from?
how long-standing is the problem?
 

Prognostic stage – questioning
Can the current problem be related to a similar problem experienced in the past?
If this went unchecked what is likely to happen?
If we fix this problem what sort of repercussions will there be? 
Is that the only problem?
Is this a symptom of a bigger problem? 
What do you think is really going on here?
Have you considered this scenario? 
Have you heard the rumours about ….?

Treatment stage - dialogue
 If you don’t know what to say – will certainly need to craft some key messages
If you think people don’t know you – you might need to approach it from a marketing angle
If you want more users – you definitely need to promote and position your product or service      
If you want feedback you will need a communications plan and will need to start thinking about where and how to collect  issues
If you want to reach maximum people – you would benefit from mixing marketing with strategies to communicate online 
If you want to engage others  you need marketing as well as including some personal coaching to ensure you deliver the message effectively
If you want to be remembered – you need to craft your key messages with a rigorous and thoughtful schedule included in your communication planning.

So get munching but be prepared to look for or deliver a thump on the top of the head as you go. If you get that thump - it’s a good sign you’re heading down the right track.

And repeats and repeats in my ear

One of the most reliable communication delievery tenets is to repeat your message 3 times (at least) to ensure the listener hears it. One for each ear and one for the heart.

Like the Cole Porter song, “I’ve got you under my skin”, this is the way we get a mind-set or reality into our audiences’ head. And as we all know, once it gets stuck in your head it’s hard to shift.

Experienced presenters will use the old technique of tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; tell em and then tell them that you told them. We add two more levels:

• we are thinking of telling you …

and then sometime after the event 

• do you remember  the time when we told you…?

The first is integral to consultation and the latter is integral to story telling.  

Consultation is one of those fabulous words used by government (mainly) to demonstrate the involvement of people who will be affected by a program or a project. Story telling is arguably the best way of sharing tacit knowlege long after the program or project has been implemented.

Some people recall information in fragments. A story is made up of these fragments. People will remember certain elements, and others will remember different elements. Generally, what remains in our head are the sticky bits, the dramatic bits, and the repeatable bits that had emotional meaning for us. Once you put them all together, the story can be used to teach and transfer knowledge.

What gets tricky is when we have to change thinking or mind-sets. Just as we recall information in fragments, we also retain one line slogans long after the advertising campaign. We all retain the sun safety slogan, ”slip slop slap”. Our own fire-fighting organisation has a one line slogan that also stuck around for years - we ”put the wet stuff on the red stuff”.

To change a mind-set you have to revisit those bits that repeat and repeat in the ear. You need to get down to the core element figure out what bit is worth retaining, what is imbedded almost in the hearts of your readers, and what bits you can get rid of. 

By retaining the core bits - like the brand name or an affective element -  you can build, develop and capitalise on a successful campaign to make it stronger and broaden the appeal:  Coca-Cola do this well, Coke is it, Coke adds life. Likewise McDonalds have got this affective landscape well and truly mapped out. McDonalds - I’m loving it was further developed into a stories from around the world, about the things their customers ’loved’.  

Repeatability is one of a communicators most powerful tools.  Cole Porter understood:

Ive got you under my skin
Ive got you deep in the heart of me
So deep in my heart, that youre really a part of me
Ive got you under my skin.

What sticks after a fire

I’m just reading a book called, Ideas that Stick by Dan and Chip Heath and decided to apply it to and evaluate it against the strategies we’re using.

The book provides a template to shape messages. The writers believe in simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotion and stories. If you can shape your messages using those parameters the message will stick.

Sounds good; so good I spent the afternoon applying it to communication we’d shaped in the past. And I applied it to an informal interview I ran with some of my work mates.

We’re out at Gundagai, as I write this – promoting a website to volunteer fire-fighters. Some of our messages about the website have stuck and others haven’t.

We’ve been selling the product for 3 years and over that time the most fundamental messages – about the brand, the user base and the content have managed to stick. Others have been knocked over or never took off, as easily as an ungrounded display stand would when the wind picks up (as it did this weekend)

You’ve got to ground your message, your product and your strategy – so that it can withstand the wind of change, of attention, or relevance. But how do you ground something that can last way beyond your first stage marketing. How does your message last for as long as the product itself?

It needs to resonate with the market of course, but it also needs to provide continual relevance: like a good partner that commits for the long haul who won’t leave you as soon as the wind picks up.

Fire fighting is a serious business. It matters. It matters most to the people who do it. People often stick with fire fighting all their lives.  One woman told me she was practically born in a fire station. Her father got off the fire ground only in order to rush her mother to the hospital. Making something stick in this business requires authenticity and passion. A token gift or long-stem red roses won’t seduce this market. A big red truck would be nearer the mark.

Let’s use the template from the Ideas that Stick book.

• Simplify the RFS. It’s a group of people who love to fight fires and give something back to the community
• What is unexpected about the RFS? The behaviour of fire.
• What is concrete about it? The team work and skill required fight fires.
• What is credible about it?  The work they do matters
• What is emotional about it? The love and passion they have for their brigade
• What is the story behind it? The fires they’ve fought together and the sound and smell of the fire itself.

Now let’s try the template on the website itself.

Simplify: It is a volunteer website. Ergo you have to be a volunteer to use it.
The unexpected element - was the number of volunteers who registered in the first three years
The concrete qualities of the project is that it is working and you can log on now.
What is credible about this? Volunteers designed it and we built it for them.
What is emotional about the website? Their personal history of the fires they fought is captured for ever. Finally, what are the stories about the website? It’s a new way to connect every volunteer in one place.

Years later, when someone tells a story about the MyRFS website, what will they say? What will stick?

We’re not sure.

One thing we do know is that the stories they tell about their brigades are full of passion and excitement. The stories are full of tactile language, reliving their time on the fire ground, remembering the camaraderie the fear, the anxiety, the adrenaline and the satisfaction.

How extraordinary it will be when volunteers capture these sorts of stories on their website, sharing them in a virtual fire ground debrief, after the fire has run.

Now that would be worth a read.

It’s all in the setting

When you find a fabulous and valuable gem - you want to wear it and show it off.  Some believe the more you see of the gem the better. The setting you chose makes all the difference.

We believe communication is like a rare gem. The way you communicate and market to your consumers is like the setting you choose for your gem.

A closed setting is the oldest and most secure, with the gem completely enclosed in metal

In an invisible setting, the mount disappears from view to reveal the gem in all its lustre. 

The closed setting is like the old school of approaching a consumer. It’s a more   secure way of getting your message out. You ensure your own needs are met, but sometimes at the cost of your consumer.

The invisible setting is more like the way we use new marketing. The power shifts from seller to buyer, and more of the communication process is on show. The consumer is empowered to meet their own needs.

We’ll explore this setting metaphor further, but let’s apply it to a real-life situation. 

On a Tuesday in March, in an office in Sydney, two people met to fix a problem. An internal business customer (BC) and an account executive (AE) met to discuss why business between them had come to a standstill.

The impasse had occurred because the business customer (BC) had decided to stop paying bills associated with their project until the delivery of service to their project, which was overseen by the account executive (AE) markedly improved.

 The conversation went something like this -

AE:  I want to discuss the problem we’re having with (..) so we can move ahead with the payment of the bills. 
BC: We’ve already discussed the problem. And we can only move ahead if you stop charging my budget for your mistakes and for work I didn’t receive. I told you that before.
AE: I think you’re over-reacting. I want you to be happy. How can I make you happy? 
BC:  Let me be very clear. You called this meeting so I expect you to explain a solution. I will not sit here to hear you repeat things you’ve already told me..
AE: We need to get on.  I’ve noticed you get angry very easily these days. The reason for the delay in (…) is because of (…).
BC:  You see, that is something you have already told me. Until you actually fix the problem I see no reason to be talking.

The meeting ends.

This is a shortened version of the meeting. But we stop it here to have a look at what is happening.

AE attempted to assuage the other without directly addressing the problem(s) and the reason for the meeting. AE’s language is seasoned with personal judgements and emotional language. AE needs to maintain a status quo of control in the relationship. They need to have good relations and are comfortable with processes that have worked in the past and are likely to spin their version of the situation. 

BC only hears repetition obfuscation, delay tactics and defence. BC wants a solution to the problem(s) identified. They are not interested in relationships. They are prepared to stop all dialogue to get the point across. BC is comfortable with the impasse until they are heard. To make their point, BC stopped payment of bills, because he knew this would cause the pain required to get the attention of AE.

These two approaches are very different. Collision is inevitable. It’s interesting to us because they epitomise increasingly divergent ways of marketing and communicating. 

AE represents the closed setting. This approach is one favoured by someone communicating or marketing from a position of power.  The power is the traditional type characterising market dominance and market monopoly. AE is happy with his one-size-fit’s all approach to service delivery with minor tweaks.  AE is not happy having to service each customers’ needs individually.

Those in the closed setting rely on processes, low accountability and loyalty to a consistent brand. They value the power base over the product and/or the customer. This is old school of marketing - advertising on television or print or radio. The strategy is geared to a broad, faceless market base. The customer isn’t heard or seen. It’s a numbers game about moving large numbers of average products to average people; the broad brush is aimed at a large market segment.

BC represents the invisible setting. This approach is characterised by limitless choice and customisation. This is more like the marketing global environment created by the world-wide-web. Consumers in this invisible setting are overtly disloyal to brands that don’t deliver to their specific needs. The consumer places a higher value on accountability and relevance. Variation and differentiation in products that meet highly specific needs is the new game.

The invisible setting is expansive and full of discovery. Consumers in the pursuit of need get online, discuss online, dig and blog their preferences, influencing others to their way of thinking. This is the influencer network that is based on a single repeatable user experience. If they don’t find what they need with one product they’ll pursue another. Those who use the invisible setting have grown to expect choice and variation. They are used to shopping around in a global market of nearly unlimited options. 

What does this mean for us as communicators?  Well, the power you once held may now not be relevant. Your average product may not hold up in the new online global economy.

To get the setting you want we suggest you consider these elements of design.

• Truth telling is the nature of the game. You are going to be held accountable in this new searchable environment.
• Customisation will make your market bigger overall
• The nature of the exchange is all. The points of differentiation about how you deliver will matter. What the interaction is like and what it “feels” like doing business with you will be an integral part of your brand. 
• The methods of advertisement have changed. Today the micro-niche and intimate is relevant. Your product is more often selected from personal encounters.
• Influencer networks means marketing has become a democracy. Single voices become choruses. “I dig what you digg, and all those that digg me will dig you”.

 

 

Change Communications requires the Ideal Cut

Change communications is a little like cutting a diamond.

• Ideal cut: Represents roughly the top 3% of diamond quality based on cut and it reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond
• Very good cut: Represents roughly the top 15% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects nearly as much light as the ideal cut, but for a lower price.
• Good cut: Represents roughly the top 25% of diamond quality based on cut. Reflects most light that enters. Much less expensive than a very good cut.
• Fair cut: Represents roughly the top 35% of diamond quality based on cut. Still a quality diamond, but a fair cut will not be as brilliant as a very good cut. 
• Poor cut: This includes all diamonds that do not meet the proportion standards of a fair cut. These diamonds are deep narrow or shallow and wide and tend to lose most of the light out the sides and bottom.

Addressing the topic of change communications at a conference last year, I trotted out another set of statistics - these ones to do with the adoption of change programs.

• 20% of the organisation will be early adopters, people who get it and will stick with it
• 70% will wait and see, these are the ones you target and hopefully persuade in the process
• 10% alas  remain unwilling to change. 

My own experiences confirmed those statistics. Does our conforming to the trend mean we succeeded or failed in our change communications?   Does it mean the organisation itself ever changes?

When the cut of a diamond is too deep, some light escapes through the opposite side of the pavilion. By necessity, change programs cut deeply, right at the very heart of the culture.  They’re often about restructure, movement and life altering decisions. The process reflects the weaknesses, flaws as well as its courage and honesty, the ideals of the organisation. As communicators (gemologists) our cut has to ensure light comes in to improve the organisation itself. So that it sparkles.

In the change programs I’ve worked on, the organisation has altered shape, systems, people, pay structures, funding, service level agreements and office locations. To my eyes, I couldn’t see any real change in the culture though. Was I looking in the wrong way though?

I know that a healthy culture is one that enables members, including them, rewarding them, reflecting their own private history, hopes and passions. The culture is the people.

One of the most interesting organisational cultures I’ve worked in was an emergency service.  The people who work there seem to be comfortable in a state of crisis: either generated from within or as a reaction to an impulse from outside. If you have to cut deep – this is a great place to do it.

There are some things you can’t cut into though, because they inhabit the bodies and spirits of the people who work there. Our organisation didn’t have a huge turnover of staff. It had instead dedicated, heart-driven and passionate people, often diamonds in the rough who have carved out meaningful careers underpinned by strong emotions and motivations. They like to rescue because they care.

When a diamond is cut to proper proportions, light is reflected from one facet to another and then dispersed through the top of the stone. 

We all know that any communication strategy of change must reflect the key elements of the culture.  The strategies we used in this culture, were traditional change management techniques;  face to face contact until the audience’s eyes glaze over, repeatable messaging, talking up the successes, leading off with the biggest rumours, using the strongest champion to deliver the hard messages, consistency in promise and delivery and providing opportunities for personal involvement in the processes and systems. In other words we engaged them to   reflect information from one facet to another.

We drew our communication teams from the ranks of those most affected and sent them out and about to collect issues and communicate back peer to peer the key messages. Of course this meant they would flavour it to suit the local taste-buds. We didn’t sweat the small stuff, if for instance, a team wanted to spice up their message a bit we let them. We knew they did so in order to heat up the response cycle. In short, we relied on the local knowledge of what ingredients mixed best. These menus we kept for next time a change was required.

Of course the cuts you use must be matched to the culture. The people you involve will give you the guidance you need. Let them be part of the cutting and polishing process. It’s their diamond after all.

 

 

It’s a gem of an idea

Metaphors are a communicator’s best friend.

Most of us realise how easily metaphors facilitate learning, insights and creativity. Imbed a metaphor in a story, then begin the telling. Watch your audience shift into listener mode, watch them travel to a space combined of comfort and exploration.

Once the story begins, their eyes glaze over and they relax. This is the place of creation. This is long term, cellular memories of fairy tales, myth, adventurers, Aladdin’s cave, the flight of Icarrus, the journey of Ulysses, the Rainbow Serpent.

The posts on this blog, Working with Sparkle will be, in the main, shaped as a story. Stories that house tips and tricks we’ve learnt over the years. No magic, no sleight of hand,  just a few gems we’ve managed to dig up in our working lives.

They will be stories more about the adventure than the people involved. And because of that, there will be nothing that intentionally or personally criticises those people involved. That doesn’t make a good story.

Instead, they will be elements about the quest, the problem, the rescue, the treasure, the action, the cut and thrust and parry, the sail, the secrets and the companions. A virtual Odyssey. Let’s face it there’s only about seven types of story you can tell. After that it’s just re-configuring the characters and destinations.

The title, Working with Sparkle provides a great opening to a world of gem metaphors. If your penchant runs to diamonds, saphires, emeralds or rubies, we’ve the gem for you and the matching story.

Think about it. A diamond is distinguished by its cut, clarity, carat and colour. Isn’t communication practice the same? How deep does the message cut into the culture and audience mindset? How clear is the intention and reception of that message?

How much weight do we assign it before the moment of exchange and afford it after the exchange has happened? And finally, how colourful is our language, our style and how appropriate is our setting? There will be more diamonds ahead on this blog. Suffice it to say, some are “in the rough” and others prove to be a “girl’s best friend” indeed.

The beauty, magnificent colours, constancy, durability and transparency are what sets the saphire amongs the most trusted and loved gems. If you want a constant lover plonk a saphire on their engagement ring. Notwithstanding the unhappy ending of the Charles Diana story, the intention was there at the start.

Like so many of our strategies and plans.  Blue is arguably the favourite colour of 50% of men and women, it has an association with sympathy and harmony.   Just wait until we get started on the Fancy family of saphires stories and the myriad of suprising colours that emerge in times of organisational growth. 

Some of the most valuable emeralds are enormous. There are exotic stories of Maharajas with  emeralds big enough to allow inscriptions of words and songs. Cleopatra loved the Emerald and had a famous emerald mine. 

Like Cleopatra, the emerald is hard to work with because although it is hard it has a brittle nature. Gem cutters have their work cut out for them if they’re working with the emerald. The gem is formed by extraordinary geologoical fusions. Mmmmm I feel a merger or an organisational re-design strategy emerging.

The ruby, a colour of pigeon’s blood, is a gem most affliliated with high emotions, love and passion. Rubies have inclusions that provide a unique finger print for each gem. The inclusions only assist their brilliance. There are even Star Rubies (and Star Saphires) so extraordinary because of the six-pointed star caused by the deposit of rutile. This deposit reflects the light into this extraordinary shape. These are the most rare of all.

In our work as communicators, we sometimes, rarely get a glimpse of such a reflected light. That delightful time when we don’t star but the audience does. That time of success when they seem to ”get it”, then “own it” and finally “drive it”.

We hope the Working with Sparkle blog can engender discussions about the value, quality and process for cutting communciation gems. No gem is more valuable than any other. It is a matter of choice whether you select a diamond, saphire, emerald or ruby, topaz, jade, opal or pearl or…. Well, the mine is deep, the preferences varied so let’s start blogging.

We anticipate this rich deposit of metaphor will assist us in thinking more clearly about the tools we use, the cuts we make, the precision we need, the style we have and the value we afford to this rewarding pursuit of communicating with edge and honesty.  

A virtual Aladdin’s Cave of treasure.