In a crisis management context involving multinational civilian and military actors, Strategic Communication combines internal and external communication processes at all levels based on mission-specific, superior guidance. It involves the understanding and engaging of foreign and domestic audiences within a comprehensive approach.
Communication is not an optional add-on to coalition operations. It must be employed from the beginning and shape both the design and implementation of crisis management activity.
The following prospective assumptions (hypotheses for concept development) describe the conceptual approach to Strategic Communication:
- Common Guidance Issued: If there is common guidance for coalition information activities issued by strategic-political authorities, then contradictory messaging by coalition partners will be minimized.
- Leadership-Driven: If Strategic Communication is leadership-driven, then it will become effective throughout all levels of involvement ('vertical dimension').
- Network of Experts Established: If there is a network of communication experts established at the earliest stage of coalition-building (or even before), then consistent implementation of Strategic Communication by all partners will be facilitated ('horizontal dimension').
- Common Identity Promoted: If a common coalition identity is promoted through internal communication along the coalition's vision, then coalition external communication efforts can purposefully assist the achievement of a desired image and credibility.
- Narrative Shared and Implemented: If a coalition narrative is shared and implemented by all partners, then targeted messaging by coalition partners will be consistent.
To summarize the basic requirements for implementation of this approach to Strategic Communication, a "3 Layers / 3 Pillars" model is proposed. 3 bottom layers constitute the foundation of this model:
1. a systemic and comprehensive understanding the information environment is a condition that enables communication practitioners to tailor communication efforts to audiences and design culturally attuned information activities. This notably involves the understanding of audiences from their various perspectives, including the requirement of 'strategic listening'. But systemic understanding involves much more than just an audience perspective: it is the system-of-systems approach to analysis and assessment, which should promote a better apprehension of complex communication situations;
2. communication must be understood as a process of creating and conveying meaning through symbolic interaction – verbally or non-verbally, intentionally or unintentionally – with perception and interpretation of actions playing a pivotal role;
3. communicators need to understand the strategy or vision of their organization in order to be able to craft adequate messages and advise effective activity to get these messages across in support of mission objectives.
Once these foundations are created, 3 pillars depict the pro-active process requirements of Strategic Communication:
1. communication must be integrated throughout all processes from planning to execution of activity. Planners and operators; leaders, managers, supervisors and employees – they all need to consider the information environment and understand the possible information effects of their actions;
2. consulting, education and training efforts should assist leaders in accepting their key role in the organization's communication. When senior executives ignore the importance of communication – and the necessity of their own active, personal leadership in it – they seriously undermine the value of major initiatives of their organization. Ineffective communication can sow dissension, heighten anxiety and confusion, alienate key individuals or groups, and damage management's credibility with critical audiences both inside and outside the organization;
3. harmonization of internal and external communication efforts is paramount for the development both common identity and desired image of the organization, and is thus a major prerequisite for effectiveness and ultimately achievement of objectives or mission accomplishment.
On these foundations and pillars builds Strategic Communication, which incorporates several processes but needs to be taken care of as a function in order to be implemented consistently and become effective.
Communication is not an optional add-on to coalition operations. It must be employed from the beginning and shape both the design and implementation of crisis management activity.
The following prospective assumptions (hypotheses for concept development) describe the conceptual approach to Strategic Communication:
- Common Guidance Issued: If there is common guidance for coalition information activities issued by strategic-political authorities, then contradictory messaging by coalition partners will be minimized.
- Leadership-Driven: If Strategic Communication is leadership-driven, then it will become effective throughout all levels of involvement ('vertical dimension').
- Network of Experts Established: If there is a network of communication experts established at the earliest stage of coalition-building (or even before), then consistent implementation of Strategic Communication by all partners will be facilitated ('horizontal dimension').
- Common Identity Promoted: If a common coalition identity is promoted through internal communication along the coalition's vision, then coalition external communication efforts can purposefully assist the achievement of a desired image and credibility.
- Narrative Shared and Implemented: If a coalition narrative is shared and implemented by all partners, then targeted messaging by coalition partners will be consistent.
To summarize the basic requirements for implementation of this approach to Strategic Communication, a "3 Layers / 3 Pillars" model is proposed. 3 bottom layers constitute the foundation of this model:
1. a systemic and comprehensive understanding the information environment is a condition that enables communication practitioners to tailor communication efforts to audiences and design culturally attuned information activities. This notably involves the understanding of audiences from their various perspectives, including the requirement of 'strategic listening'. But systemic understanding involves much more than just an audience perspective: it is the system-of-systems approach to analysis and assessment, which should promote a better apprehension of complex communication situations;
2. communication must be understood as a process of creating and conveying meaning through symbolic interaction – verbally or non-verbally, intentionally or unintentionally – with perception and interpretation of actions playing a pivotal role;
3. communicators need to understand the strategy or vision of their organization in order to be able to craft adequate messages and advise effective activity to get these messages across in support of mission objectives.
Once these foundations are created, 3 pillars depict the pro-active process requirements of Strategic Communication:
1. communication must be integrated throughout all processes from planning to execution of activity. Planners and operators; leaders, managers, supervisors and employees – they all need to consider the information environment and understand the possible information effects of their actions;
2. consulting, education and training efforts should assist leaders in accepting their key role in the organization's communication. When senior executives ignore the importance of communication – and the necessity of their own active, personal leadership in it – they seriously undermine the value of major initiatives of their organization. Ineffective communication can sow dissension, heighten anxiety and confusion, alienate key individuals or groups, and damage management's credibility with critical audiences both inside and outside the organization;
3. harmonization of internal and external communication efforts is paramount for the development both common identity and desired image of the organization, and is thus a major prerequisite for effectiveness and ultimately achievement of objectives or mission accomplishment.
On these foundations and pillars builds Strategic Communication, which incorporates several processes but needs to be taken care of as a function in order to be implemented consistently and become effective.
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