Transcript Strategic Communications Training of Trainers

Strategic Communications
Training of Trainers
X State MDA
1
Welcome Note
• Opening Remarks
• Programme Information
2
Roadmap
• Training Objectives
• Training Agenda
• Strategic Communication for MDAs: Core Principles &
Elements
• Preparing a Strategy Step by Step
• Comms Assessment/Diagnostic & Benchmarking
• Breakout Exercise:
Preparing a Strategy Diagnostic
• Q&A
• Wrap Up
3
Participant Introductions
• Name
• MDA you represent
• Job Title
• What you hope to gain from the training? –
Participant priorities
4
At the centre of it all
5
Training Objectives
Improve:
• MDA appreciation and understanding of the need for
communications plans, dept’s, personnel.
• Ministry capacity to develop and design effective
communications strategies for policy-making or reforms.
Capacitate:
• Ministry officials to use strategic communications within
their MDAs and supporting Ministries of the state
• Participants to use the Toolkit, Guidebook and supporting
materials to deliver strategic communications training in
State MDAs
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Strategic
Communications for
MDAs
Core Principles & Elements
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Survey Results
BMO Responses
How often Govt. communicates with
BMOs? Semi-Annually
Government Responses
How often Govt. communicates with
BMOs? Monthly
How involved are BMOs during policy
design stage? Majority :not involved
How involved are BMOs during policy
design stage? Majority: involved
How informed are civil servants on
policies? Minimally informed
How informed are civil servants on
policies? Majority: effectively
informed
Where would you like to see
improvements in Govt. communication?
1) relevant policy-makers more accessible
2) forums, channels for ongoing dialogue on
business environment policies
3) more effort by Govt. to engage the private
sector in policy-making
4) engaging the media on business environment
issues
Where would you like to see
improvements in Govt.
communication?
1) relevant policy-makers more accessible
2) engaging the media on business
environment issues
An age-old problem
• ” It should be realised that taking the initiative
in introducing a new form of government is very
difficult and dangerous, and unlikely to succeed.
The reason is that the old order will be opposed
to the innovator, whereas all those who might
benefit from the new order are at best tepid
supporters of him. ”
Macciavelli, The Prince
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Basic Principles
of Government Communication
• Government work is public activity, information
about it must be public too
• Openness and transparency must drive all
communications
• Objectivity
• Professionalism
• Public communication is more than just
disseminating information + media coverage
Basic Principles
of Government Communication
• Make it easy to understand the information’s relevance
to the lives of the general public + private sector
• Direct exchanges with the public are more effective
• Public communication = more than working with media
• Communication is a core public service: requires not just
informing, but listening and providing feedback
• Consistent messages vital to public trust
• Government communicators must have close
relationships to top government administrators
• Backing up positions with facts is crucial
• How do we do that?
What is strategic communication?
• Getting the right messages & information…
• to the right people … (and by the right
people)
• at the right time …
• using the right media …
• with the right effect!
A structured approach that combines information (one-way)
and dialogue (two-way) methods to achieve success
The Virtuous Circle
of effective policy communication
Pro-active, open,
targeted
communication
Higher demand for
info; Better chance for
Govt re-election;
support for future
programs
Better public
dialogue, feedback =
better public policies
& services = more
support for
Government
Greater public &
media trust; More
interest in policy,
coverage
participation
More & better media
coverage; Higher
public enagement,
support
The Virtuous Circle
Business environment reforms
Unique Elements of
Strategic Communications for Govt
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Not reactive, but pro-active
Goal-driven + consultative
Segments key target groups, audiences
Specific messages for specific groups
Uses non-media and media channels
Messengers chosen based on audience trust
Coordination of communication activities with other MDAs
Internal MDA communication to build support for policies
Accounts for MDA comms capacity, funding
Consultation with stakeholders
Demonstrates the impact
of policy-making
Communications Challenges
that Government faces?
• Tradition of weak consultation, dialogue & feedback
• Lack of priority on comms, stakeholder engagement
• Weak public relations and media relations skills, experience
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Communication as a profession is underdeveloped
Few capacity-buidling opportunities
Unprofessional media & “brown envelope” syndrome
Uncoordinated policies, lack of structured comms b/w MDAs &
agencies
• Lack of statistics & research to justify policy positions
3 Communications Stages
for Effective Policy-making
1) Consultation-- to develop/formulate the policy
2) Informing & building support-- after policy decided
3) Implementation
monitoring, evaluating &
demonstrating impact
For each stage, the approach and priorities must be
different
• Identify the objective-- inform, engage, advocate, etc.
• Prioritise the stakeholders
• Craft the messages
• Decide the tools to use
18
Q&A
Coffee Break
19
Preparing a Strategy:
Step-by-Step
20
Strategy-making Tools
• Strategy Template
• Making a Strategy Step–by–Step
• Communication Plan
• Communication Strategy
• Action Plan & Budget
The Steps
1.
2.
3.
4.
Assess context for policy & communication, media
Define the objectives– not only awareness-raising
Specify the stakeholders, target groups
Decide the message(s) they need to receive
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... and who are the best “messengers”
5. List the best actions, activities to meet your goals
6. Specify how performance will be measured,
monitoring methods
7. Assign responsibility for implementation
8. Calculate the costs, prepare budget
9. Follow up to ensure success and make adjustments
Strategy Template
• Time Frame: duration of project, campaign-specific, etc.
• Introduction: overall strategy objectives; comms role
• Analysis: stakeholder identification, internal & external
communication, problems/opportunities
• Constraints;
• Target Groups: stakeholder map
• Communications Goals:
• aims and objectives of overall strategy
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Messages: overall messages for each target group
Methods: channels, one-way, two-way
Critical Success Factors
Capacity building
Monitoring
Communication Plan
Just like we plan other job functions, we are most
effective when we plan our communications.
1. Communication Strategy
• Specifies the goals, target audiences and messages to be
communicated
• Can be designed to cover any period that is relevant
2. Action Plan & Budget
• Specifies activities, timeframes, measuring tools,
responsibilities and costs
• Updated/modified regularly
• Together they form a Communication Plan
State of Play
Assess
Objectives are the core of the strategy
• But, first must understand the context
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• Each stakeholder group’s support for change and opposition to it–
their perceptions and positions, interests.
External and Internal stakeholders

“RP” before PR
 Learn the awareness, opinions, needs, concerns of MDA
“publics” before you “go public” or start communicating
 Often most overlooked, neglected step …
risky!
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26
Q&A
Communications Assessment
1st step in stakeholder engagement
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Identify and Map stakeholders
Conduct SWOT evaluation
Assess communication capacity, needs– Govt, CSOs companies
Evaluate media environment & stakeholders’ access
• Stakeholder research
Benchmark internal & external stakeholders’
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Attitudes, awareness & understanding of your policy, MDA
Identify primary concerns, interests & expectations of each
Identify preferred comms channels; Where they go for info
People & sources most trusted to inform & engage in the policy
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Assess ’fear factor’ – who is opposed and why?
Analyse context for communication
Identify Constraints + Positive conditions
 Time
 Stakeholders’ access to information channels
 Human resources
 Sources of support & opposition
 Outside and inside Government
 Financial limitations
 Aspects communication cannot address
Tools for analysis
• Reports, studies
• Analysis of media coverage
• Interviews
• Roundtables, workshops
• Opinion polls, focus group studies, questionnaires
Comms. Assessment/Diagnostic
Key questions to ask
• What is the political climate inside and outside your Ministry?
• Supportive? Opposing? Neutral?
• What communications structures, functions are in place?
• Do they work?
• What resources are available for strategy implementation?
• What levels of awareness are there for the programme/policy and
internally and externally?
• What does the target audience need to hear?
• How can the messages be formulated to simply and clearly convey
that information to the people who must be reached?
• What is the media situation?
• What are the positive pre-conditions? Is there an enabling
environment?
• What data is readily available?
Identifying Constraints
• Why is this so important?
• Defining our objectives is crucial, but we can’t
achieve them without knowing what stands in
the way...
• ... and figuring out ways to address them!
• What might be some things that keep us from:
 reaching key stakeholders?
 catalysing public dialogue?
Preparing a Strategy
Diagnostic
Break-Out Group Exercise
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33
Q & A, Wrap-up
& Next Steps
34
Participant
Evaluations
Thank you