PCC Strategic Communications Workshop

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


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


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!


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


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


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


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


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:


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


Why Communications Strategy matters

Building this long-term strategy and identifying priority tactics for the PCC


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


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?


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


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


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


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?

PCC Strategic Communications Workshop

Documents

sussex police

sussexstrategic comms

comms strategy

things strategic comms

priority comms activity

strategic tool

mistakesbuild public

corporate brand