pcc strategic communications workshop 5 june 2013
TRANSCRIPT
PCC StrategicCommunications Workshop
5 June 2013
2Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Overview
Workshop outcomes Challenge common comms misconceptions Using comms as a strategic tool for change Recap PCC leadership brand and impact on comms Plot overarching comms strategy for full PCC term Identify hot stakeholders, issues and tactics Direct the priority comms activity for 2013-14
Golden rules for a successful session! Trust the process and don’t jump to outcomes/actions Everyone to interact, question and share their views Frank and open approach, confidentiality assurance
3Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Strategic Communications doesn’t‘Tell people things’
It identifies‘What do you want people to think,
feel and do differently?’and helps make this happen
4Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Myth-busting: Five common comms mistakes
Spreading effort too thinly across multiple issues Better to tackle single priority issues sequentially
Presuming message sent = message understood Seek feedback and monitor behavioural changes
Hearing those who speak loudest Significant groups may be smaller and harder to hear Need means of access and encouragement to do so
Over-emphasis on media relations and coverage Media reach and public trust continues to erode More people self-source (local TV is an exception)
Thinking ‘no comment’ is still the cardinal sin Sometimes a carefully-worded ‘nothing’ is best!
5Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Myth-busting: Five things strategic comms can’t do!
Achieve change or have long-term impact alone Needs to be supported by wider organisational actions
Deliver ‘something for nothing’……although it can deliver ‘a lot for relatively little’!
With investment of time, access and resources Achieve change or a lasting impact overnight
Most effective strategic comms is planned, long-term Reactive responses important, but aligned to strategy
Create entirely favourable media or public views Media continues to have a legitimate role to scrutinise Different stakeholders will view actions differently
Defend the indefensible Organisations and people inevitably make mistakes Build public trust by putting hands up, not covering up
6Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
The more you want comms to achieve, the greater the difficulty…
…but significant and real change is possible with a clear strategy, time, consistency and layering effective tactics
7Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Strategic Comms as a tool for change
Now a valued tool for major crime investigations Building internal trust and
access leads to innovation and operational impact
Tackling Domestic Abuse under-reporting Changing internal attitudes,
building advocacy and increasing victim confidence
8Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Brand, sphere and communications impact
Personal brand operates across three spheres Internal values and motivators (some private) Visible personal leadership brand and styles As the personification of the Office (and vice-versa)
Consistency across the three spheres Inconsistencies can be exposed (e.g. social media) Reputation of the Office is greater and longer-term
than any individual, although it can evolve with them
Points of distinction or alignment to the Force Both its senior individuals and its corporate brand
9Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
PCC leadership brand
Upfront In the fray – leading Determined Innovative
Physically engaging Focussed, seen to be
focussed and delivering Committed
At the end of year one what does PCC Katy Bourne want to be known for: making a difference – and specifically to victims of Domestic Abuse For whom: Women, families, victims To what: Under-reporting – the process and treatment of victims
What is Katy Bourne’s personal style:
10Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
PCC leadership narrative
What is the story Katy Bourne wants to tell? Katy Bourne really understands what it’s like for
victims (particularly of DA & ASB)
Focus on Victims – what’s the distinctive angle? The treatment of victims in the CJS
Focus on Domestic Abuse – what’s the distinctive angle? Something that happens behind closed doors Affects all involved: especially families and children Ideal to lead nationally
11Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Why Communications Strategy matters
Building this long-term strategy and identifying priority tactics for the PCC
12Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Stakeholder identification
Pre-populated with common stakeholder groups and some identified PCC priorities
Granulation is essential Don’t be scared to break-down wider groups If they have different triggers/concerns, split them
Prioritisation and mapping Many models - important thing is to use one! Our suggested method merges two – measuring
influence/engagement and positivity
13Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Stakeholder prioritisation
Influence(how much they can affect or
are affected by an issue)
Engagement(how engaged they
already are with you)
With colour-coded labels oflikely view on the issue:• Positive (a potential advocate)• Neutral or unknown• Negative (a likely opponent)
Use the model to expand, segment and prioritise the pre-populated groups
Who are the top 3-5 over the full PCC term of office?
14Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Outcome mapping
At end of the current PCC term identify what you want your stakeholders to:
Think Feel Do
Specify ‘Ideal’ and ‘Acceptable’ outcomes
Work back to identify definable and achievable milestones on a journey to these outcomes
15Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Strategy into tactics and predicting pitfalls
Tactics must be aligned to deliver your strategy and designed to reach different stakeholders Identify triggers, opportunities and challenges
Need to invest more time and effort to achieve more ambitious outcomes (Think -> Feel -> Do) Four to six tactics using different channels over
time is ten times more likely to have lasting behavioural impact than repeating the same tactics or deploying multiple tactics for a short time
Spot the pits, so you don’t fall into them! Identify ‘big turn offs’ for each stakeholder to avoid Or tactics that could undermine your style and values
16Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Triggers, opportunities and challenges
Triggers for effective tactics can be Time-based (e.g. existing campaigns or seasonal) Values-based (e.g. family or financial motivations) Issues-based (things that matter most to that group)
Be clear which triggers are: Opportunities (either existing or generated by you) Challenges – but identified early and proactively dealt
with, they can turn into opportunities
Apply this to your priority stakeholders and outcomes to identify potential triggers and tactics
17Sussex Police | Serving Sussex
Suggested way forwards
Following this, the PCC Comms Team should ‘Fill in the blanks’ for other priority stakeholders Produce a ‘term of office’ Comms Strategy Finalise a 2013-14 Comms Delivery Plan Draw on CCPED to help design, deliver and review
The Plan will set themes and phases, achieving milestones and outcomes set by the PCC Continually review milestones and outcomes in-year
Re-run this session to review long-term priorities and set Comms Delivery Plan for 2014/15
Any questions?