READY FOR TODAY – EVOLVING FOR TOMORROW
What It’s Not
Before we look at what it is, let’s consider
what StratCom is not.
• Not
(just) Public Affairs. While
Military Public Affairs (MPA) is often
the primary communications function
for delivering StratCom effects, it is
not StratCom. MPA conducts activity
to deliver the effects assigned to it, but
the identification, planning, sync, coord
and measurement of those effects is
conducted by the StratCom function.
So Communications is an action, it
requires only a sender. It is what you
do.
Communication (noun): “The imparting
or exchanging of information” “The
successful conveying or sharing of ideas
and feelings”. The key element here is
the receiver – Communication is an
effect, it is what is understood by the
receiver, it is what you achieve.
The final element in a basic
understanding of communications theory
objectives; not an activity. Objectives
should
wherever
possible
be
achievable, measurable, focused on
outcomes not outputs, and related to
changing attitudes and/or behaviour.
Audience Insight (The Who and
Why)
If we try to communicate with
everyone, all the time, all at once, we
will fail. To achieve your objectives
will require an understanding of who
your key audiences and stakeholders
are, and why. Identifying those who
can help or hinder your ability to
achieve your objective will enable
effective communications activity and
minimising wasted effort.
Strategy/Idea (The What and When)
Once we understand who can affect
our outcome and why, we need to
consider what effect we need to
have on them and why. The effect
could be one of change - attitudinal
or behaviour – or it could be one
of reinforcing existing beliefs and
behaviours.
Implementation (The How)
Strategic Communication is everyone’s business
• Not (just) at Strategic level. Strategic
impact can come from the most tactical
action. Commanders at all levels
should ensure they have an advisor
whose role is to keep a weather eye
on the strategic situation and intervene
should they believe a decision, however
tactically sound, may have adverse
strategic impact.
is to appreciate that what you say is not
always what is heard. To communicate
effectively we need to understand our
audience, understand how they hear,
how they make sense of the world. For
example, try telling an American that
walking on the pavement is the safest
place to be!
It will be rare that we will be able to
have the desired effects on all our
audiences from a single message
delivered through a single channel.
This means that, to be effective, our
messages should be tailored to our
audiences and as much thought given
to the channels (how we deliver the
message) as the message itself.
• Not (just) someone else’s business.
StratCom is everyone’s business. Our
actions speak louder than our words,
and the best scripted statements and
media engagements will come to
naught if our actions contradict them.
So, now we know what it’s not, let’s
consider what it is.
Communications Theory for
Beginners
To understand StratCom you have to
understand its nature, and the importance
of language. That involves at least a little
knowledge of communications theory.
Communicate
(verb):
“Share
or
exchange information” “Succeed in
conveying one’s ideas or in evoking
understanding in others” In other words,
to communicate requires a sender
and a receiver.
Communications
(noun):
“Means
of sending or receiving information”.
Reassurance of Home
and Host Nation
Audiences is vital to
success on operations
So, now we have an understanding of the
‘What’; we need to think about the ‘How’.
For this, NATO has adopted the OASIS
model for communications planning:
Objectives (The Outcome)
Like all activities, if you d on’t know
where you are going, you will
probably end up somewhere else.
Effective StratCom planning has to
start with an clearly defined endstate
and
supporting
communications
Evaluation and Scoring (the How
Good)
Measurement
of
Performance
(MoP) is a straightforward exercise;
combining outputs and audience reach
to demonstrate message penetration.
Unfortunately,
Measurement
of
Effect (MoE) is much more difficult; a
merging of art and science, of insight
and evaluation. This is an area into
which much time and effort is being
devoted; but we’re not there yet.
ALLIED RAPID REACTION CORPS
13