washington business
Speaker Profile
From expert crisis communications advice to taking the pulse of voters during election cycles, Frank Luntz is a pioneer in the fields of communications and public opinion research. Working for more than 50 Fortune 500 companies and CEOs, Luntz advises on issues ranging from energy to education, retail to design. Luntz delivered the keynote address at AWB’ s annual Spring Meeting in Spokane May 8-9. Earlier this year, he spoke with Staff Writer Bobbi Cussins about the contentious 2016 presidential election, how the political dialogue has evolved— and not for the better— with the growing use of social media and the lesson that Seahawks’ Head Coach Pete Carroll could teach every business leader and coach about communicating passionately and authentically in ways that engage their audience.
You help educate employers, politicians and leaders about the power of words. What made you follow that path?
It’ s how I grew up. I had a relatively strict Jewish mom who paid very close attention to what I said and how I said it. It determined whether or not I got the album, the toy, the book, or the chance to stay up late or go out. I learned at an early age that what I said determined how I lived. And, I’ ve been perfecting it for the last 40 years.
In the presidential election, pollsters were criticized for getting the outcome wrong. What voter sentiments weren’ t factored into the polls, in your opinion?
They actually got a lot of it right. The fact is, the final Real Clear Politics average had Hillary Clinton beating Donald Trump by 3 points. She won by 2 points. So, the polling on the national level wasn’ t that far off. The polling was really askew on the state level, particularly in the industrial Midwest, from Pennsylvania all the way to Minnesota, which had Clinton winning by significant margins and she ended up losing narrowly in those states. There are two different components that people got wrong. The first is the model. The assumption was that we would have turnout similar to 2012, regionally and ethnically. When, in fact, rural farming areas and small towns came out in record numbers and urban areas didn’ t turn out anywhere near the levels of the last two presidential elections. The second factor was the unwillingness of Trump voters to participate in national surveys that they thought were biased and contributed to the influence the media has on public policy. You combine both of those factors and you get some incredibly wrong projections on election night.
Many believe the political debate has become increasingly bitter. What do you think?
Social media negativity is both a contributor and an outgrowth of American frustration and anger. I believe this was the most rancorous election of my lifetime and I think the poisonous environment is even worse today than it was over the past 12 months. Americans don’ t listen or learn anymore. And, there’ s no commitment to respect, civility and decency. In fact, it’ s like the Wild-Wild West where you can say and do anything because there is no one to hold you accountable. I am very concerned about the tone and eagerness of too many people to
“ I learned at an early age that what I said determined how I lived. And, I’ ve been perfecting it for the last 40 years.”
slash and trash their opponents. We have to stop this. If we don’ t, our country is in trouble.
Social media, Twitter in particular, is fast becoming the hotbed for political discourse. Is a 140-character tweet the best way to discuss complex policies and have constructive dialogue?
Absolutely not. I think we need a much more substantial discussion, a better exploration of the facts and a greater focus on solutions. And, we must recognize and acknowledge that none of us have all the ideas or plans, or even all the results we want. You have to take a little from everybody and it’ s not happening. I use Twitter a lot. I have 225,000 followers, but I try to use it to inform rather than affirm. I try to use it to add substance through the links in my tweets, rather than the superficial commentary that so many people engage in.
Employers are increasingly demonized for their wealth generation. How would you advise an employer to talk about his / her business to humanize it?
I blame employers to a great degree for not responding two decades ago and not educating young people about the importance of capitalism and the free-market system. I blame employers for not directly engaging in the education system, particularly in high schools, to help our young people understand the tenets and principles of economic freedom. The problem with employers is they have to make a living. They are focused on the people they serve and they don’ t have time for all the debate and discussion. What they have come to realize is if they don’ t participate, they will be demonized and they’ ll be destroyed. That’ s the first half of the answer. The second half of the answer, and I’ m glad you called them“ employers” because the truth is employers and employees have a lot more in common than what divides them. I think that you start with your own people, explaining to them and educating them about what it takes to make a difference to the people they serve— customers, communities, their families and the people who work there.
22 association of washington business