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N:\Word\TLG\IABC Natl -Regional Conferences\Intl Conference Presentation, Mind of a
Strategist Handout, 6-9-09.doc
April 27, 2009
The
Lukaszewski
Group
__________________
Management Consultants
In Communications
T7: HOW TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGIC MIND-SET:
Your Key to a
Seat at the Table
Participant Guide
Sponsored by the
International Association of
Business Communicators (IABC)
2009 World Conference
San Francisco, California
Presented by
James E. Lukaszewski,
ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
11:15 − 12:30 p.m. PDT
The Lukaszewski Group Inc.
Ten Bank Street, Suite 530
White Plains, New York 10606-1966
Phone: 914.681.0000
Fax: 914.681.0047
Web Site: www.e911.com
E-mail: [email protected]
* Please note that Mr. Lukaszewski will format his presentation to
fit the needs and answer the questions of the audience on the day
of the program. His presentation, therefore, may differ from the
enclosed PowerPoint slides.
T7: T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Strategy
A unique mixture of mental energy verbally injected into an organization through communication, which results in behavior that achieves leadership and organizational objectives.
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Jack Welch Strategy
“The evolution of a central idea through continually changing circumstances.”
Quoted in Jacked Up: The Inside Story of How Jack Welch Talked GE into Becoming the World’s Greatest Company, copyright © 2008, Bill Lane, MCGraw‐Hill, page 33
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
1
Strategy Is
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About tomorrow
About the future
Energizing
Management oriented
Positive
Purposeful
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Non‐Strategy
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Spin
Stuff
The past
The unimportant
Negativity
– Can’t do that.
– Won’t do that.
– Don’t like it.
– Shouldn’t someone else do that?
– It’s not communications.
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Non‐Strategy (Continued)
• Questions that kill
– Death by question
• Self‐validated theories
• Teach everyone communications
• Whine about lawyers or consultants
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
2
Strategists
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Communicate effectively in real time
Focus on moving forward
Focus on what is truly important
Have exceptional positive verbal skills
Help everyone recognize the obvious
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Understand the Differences Between
• Leadership and management
• Management thinking and intuitive approaches
• Optimism and pragmatism
• Staff and operations
• Strategy and stuff
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Management Thinking
Problem:
I
II
III
IV
V
Time
Solution, answer, ideas
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
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One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
3
Intuitive Thinking
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Seven Disciplines
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Verbal skill
Strategic impact
Pragmatism
Inconsistency
Constructive approaches
Pattern intuition
Management perspective
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
4
1. Verbal Skill
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Advice on‐the‐spot
Constructive approaches
Outcome‐focused
Stories
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
2. Strategic Impact
• Use management language.
• Provide truly strategic insight.
• Talk, think, and recommend in an operational context.
• Focus on the ultimate outcome.
• Provide substantive intensity.
• Recommend conclusive actions.
• Go for the useful increments.
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Make Recommendations in an Operational Context
Step 1: Step 2: Situation description: Briefly describe the nature of the issue, problem, or situation. (60 words)
Analysis/explanation/ interpretation: Briefly describe what the situation means, its implications, and how it threatens or presents opportunities for your organization. (60 words)
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
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One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
5
Make Recommendations in an Operational Context (Continued)
Step 3: The Goal: Where are we headed? What’s our destination? What’s the end‐point? How far do we have to go? (60 words)
Step 4: Options: Develop at least three response options for the situation you’re presented. You can suggest more, but three is optimal for management to choose from. Make sure that one of the options is “doing nothing.”
(150 words)
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Make Recommendations in an Operational Context
(Continued)
Step 5: Recommendations: This is what you would do if you were in the boss’ shoes, and why. (60 words)
Step 6: Justification: Identify the negative or positive unintended consequences, events, and problems that could arise due to the options you have suggested or by doing nothing. (60 words)
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Three‐Minute Drill
Step 1.
Step 2.
Step 3.
Step 4.
Step 5.
Step 6.
Situation description (60 words)
Analysis (60 words)
The Goal (60 words)
Options (150 words)
Recommendation (60 words)
Justification (60 words)
Total:
450 words = 3 minutes
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
6
3. Pragmatism
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Achievable
Doable
Getable
Knowable Reasonable
Understandable
Workable
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
4. Inconsistency
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Always seek alternatives.
Believe in laggership and entropy.
Have intentionally different views/analyses.
Question all assumptions.
Simplify.
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
5. Constructive Approaches
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Goal focused
Long term
Process driven Strategically relevant
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
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Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
7
6. Pattern Intuition
• Create solutions by working against patterns.
• Forecast based on pattern knowledge.
• Realize new insights from existing information.
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
7. Management Perspective
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Helps the boss achieve his or her objectives and goals
Helps the organization achieve its goals
Is truly necessary
Keeps money
Makes money
Saves money
Aspects of the business will fail or not progress without it
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Know What Management Wants
• Advance warning, plus options for solving, or at least managing trouble or opportunity, and the unintended consequences both often bring
• Someone who can forecast patterns of events and problems
• Something beyond what the boss already knows
• Well‐timed, truly significant insights
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
8
Understand Why Strategies Fail
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Avoid dealing with truly tough stuff
Developed without input from the boss
Management can’t support them
Media are rarely the first concern of management
Not really part of strategic interest
Usurp legitimate territory of others
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Strategic Tools
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Action/readiness templates
Checklists
Issue forecasting
Mind maps
Option sequences
Prioritized action steps
Timelines
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
You Are the Table
T7 / Lukaszewski
June 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
9
N:\Word\TLG\IABC Natl -Regional Conferences\Intl Conference Presentation, Mind of a
Strategist Handout, 6-9-09.doc
The
Lukaszewski
Group
__________________
T7: HOW TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGIC MIND-SET:
Your Key to a
Seat at the Table
Management Consultants
In Communications
Handout
A Web Seminar Sponsored by the
International Association of
Business Communicators (IABC)
2009 World Conference
San Francisco, California
Presented by
James E. Lukaszewski,
ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
11:15 − 12:30 p.m. PDT
Contents
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•
•
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•
•
The Mind of the Strategist
How to Develop the Mind of a Strategist
Communication Intentions
Lukaszewski’s Contention Survival Manifesto
James E. Lukaszewski Biography
Why Should the Boss Listen to You? Flyer
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
11
HOW TO DEVELOP THE MIND OF A STRATEGIST
By James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
DEMYSTIFYING STRATEGY
Strategy is one of the more mysterious areas of public relations practice. For many, being a
strategist or a strategic advisor is considered to be at the top of our professional practice activity.
Still, merely using the adjective “strategic” or the noun “strategy” does not get us to the table,
where management objectives are debated and decisions made. The strategist has to develop a
management-oriented mindset, behaviors, and attitudes that attract management attention. The
strategist also needs to learn why some strategies fail.
When discussing strategy and being a strategist come up, several questions generally arise:
How do I get to the table? How do I stay at the table? How can I get better control of the boss?
How can I have true influence over the boss? What do I do once I get to the table? What can I
do to keep from getting shot down by the lawyers and management consultants? What are some
of the questions I should be prepared to answer? What exactly is strategy?
There’s a great cartoon series called “Wizard of Id.” One of the classic cartoons pictures
the King handing his court jester − his public relations person − a news release. The jester takes
one look at the news release and says to the King, “This is just not news, your Highness.” The
King replies, “Stamp it secret.” Now, that’s strategy.
Federal Express is probably the most successful example of fully integrating strategy,
goals, visions, values, and mission into three simple words: Absolutely, Positively, Overnight®.
Walt Disney’s mission strategy, “We make people happy®,” demonstrates that effective
strategies are exceedingly understandable.
General Electric’s legendary CEO, Jack Welch, rebuilt this huge, successful company by
clearly and unmistakably stating the company’s restructuring strategy. Each product category
would be #1 in its category; if #2, there must be a plan and deadline to become #1; and if neither,
there must be a plan for exiting GE. This is a powerful, motivating combination of strategy,
goals, vision, values, and mission. In his first 10 years as Chairman, Welch shed more than
200,000 people. He gained the nickname, “Neutron Jack,” but he overcame it. Today, even in
retirement, he is considered the most successful contemporary manager in American business
because he found a strategy that helped his employees build the most successful major company
in modern times.
The most effective goals and the strategies to achieve them are simple, sensible, positive,
focused, time sensitive, understandable, people-driven, and achievable. How do your mission,
vision, values, and business strategy measure up?
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
12
Definitions of Strategy
Lukaszewski’s: Strategy is a unique mixture of mental energy verbally injected into an
organization through communication, which results in behavior that achieves
organizational objectives.
Jack Welch (former chairman of GE): A core idea or concept moving through changing
circumstances.
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Strategy is a key attribute of leadership.
Strategy is the energy that drives businesses and organizations, guides leadership, and
directs the team.
Strategy draws people in the same direction.
Strategy is a positive, energizing state of mind.
Strategy is also:
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Momentum for the current plan of action.
Moral and ethical guidelines for achieving goals.
Crucial intellectual ingredients for success and victory.
What is not strategic?
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Focusing on the unimportant is not strategic.
Teaching the value of staff functions is not strategic.
Labeling actions and ideas as strategic is not necessarily strategic.
Suggesting “stuff” is not strategic.
Lots of people think they have something strategic to offer and deserve to be at
management’s table without really knowing what strategy is.
Often, I have the opportunity to speak to and interact with other staff professionals −
lawyers, accountants, human resource specialists, security experts, financial professionals, and
information systems gurus. The questions they all ask are those from the list I shared earlier:
“How do we get to the table?” “How do we get management to hear us and act on what we
say?” These questions have a very familiar ring.
I also spend a fair amount of time talking with and counseling CEOs and operating
executives. You may find their perspective on our getting to the table quite interesting. Their
rhetorical question is, “How do I manage all these people who constantly yak at me, who know
virtually nothing about the business or what I care about, but want to tell me how to run the
business?” “They all clamor for a seat at the table. The place is already overcrowded with folks
who don’t know how to help me. Spare me these amateurs.” “Who are these people anyway?”
they ask.
Strategy begins with how you think about:
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The issues, problems, or questions management needs to address.
How management analyzes and approaches its problems.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
13
•
A translation process to help management to understand the insights you intend to
share.
A strategist:
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Has exceptional verbal skills.
Communicates effectively in real time, on the spot, because that’s how managers
make decisions.
Focuses on what is truly and indisputably important.
Helps everyone recognize the obvious.
In an early draft of the Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has Sherlock
Homes and Dr. Watson camping out on a moor. In the middle of the night, Holmes suddenly
awakes and shakes Watson, exclaiming, “Look at the sky, Watson. What do you see?” Watson
replies, “I see stars, millions and millions of stars.” Holmes persists, “And what does that tell
you, Watson?” Dr. Watson pauses. “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of
galaxies and countless planets in them. Horologically, it tells me that the time is quarter past
three. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Theologically, it tells me that God is allpowerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have
a nice day tomorrow.” Holmes says nothing. Watson finally asks, “Well, Holmes, what does all
this beauty and grandeur tell you?” The detective snaps, “Watson, you idiot, it tells me that
someone has stolen our tent.”1
The obvious can often be a powerful strategic insight.
Management wants and needs:
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Valuable, useful, applicable advice beyond what the boss already knows.
Well-timed, truly significant insights. Insight is the ability to distill wisdom and useful
conclusions from contrasting even seemingly unrelated information and facts.
Advance warning, plus options for solving, or at least managing trouble or
opportunity, and the unintended consequences both often bring.
Someone who understands the pattern of events and problems.
Supporting evidence through the behavior of their peers.
To be strategic ideas must pass four tough tests:
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Help the boss achieve his or her objectives and goals.
Help the organization achieve its goals.
Be truly necessary (and pass the straight face and laugh tests).
Without acting on the strategy recommended, some aspects of the business will fail or
fail to progress.
Public relations practitioners tend to fail as strategists because:
•
PR solutions aren’t necessarily a critical part of every management decision or
problem scenario.
1
Gregory B. Craig, “Defending the President: Sometimes in Our Desire to Be Profound We Miss the Obvious,”
Vital Speeches of the Day, July 15, 2000, p. 598.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
14
•
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Worrying out loud about how the media are treated or how hard reporters work has
only a limited value to management.
Media concerns are rarely management’s first concerns.
Spilling your guts is not a strategy.
PR is not viewed as a bottom-line function (no matter how hard we try to sell the
idea).
We may notice management’s blind spots or prejudices, but we are often powerless −
or idealess − to make a useful, doable, meaningful recommendation to fill the voids or
correct management misperceptions.
We whine a lot about other staff functions, the lawyers and consultants.
Whining is not a strategy.
Strategies can fail because:
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They aren’t really part of management’s strategic interest or focus.
Management will not or cannot support or participate.
They are developed without input from the boss or someone the boss trusts.
They usurp the legitimate territory of others.
They avoid dealing with the truly tough stuff, such as:
− Getting the stock price to move.
− Taking market share.
− Gaining attention for non-newsworthy stuff.
− Building business.
− Solving the key problems the business or its bosses face.
− Influencing employee, public, customer, or shareholder behaviors.
Having strategic impact requires five ingredients:
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Management language.
Truly strategic insight.
Talking, thinking, and recommending in an operational context.
Focus on the ultimate outcome.
Important knowledge of the business.
How can you tell if you or someone you work with is strategic? If you are a strategist, you:
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Are inconsistent.
Recommend conclusive action increments.
Provide substantive intensity.
Believe in laggership and entropy as strongly as action and solutions.
Are a pragmatist.
Focus on the top executive’s goals, perceptions, and vision.
Realize that not all news is good news.
To get to and stay at the table, aspiring strategists need to dump their cynicism about
management and get on the team.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
15
HAVING STRATEGIC IMPACT
In this section of this three-part series, the author talks about how to use management
language effectively and shares the key ingredients of developing the mind of a strategist.
Management Language
Two years ago, I attended a conference of the PRSA’s Counselor’s Academy, which
focused almost entirely on how management consultants are invading the public relations
counseling arena. These consultants are receiving a very positive reception.
Diane Fusco of Cleveland told the story of how her agency was acquired by a regional
management consulting firm and described the effect it had on her as a practitioner as well as on
how her business thinking and strategy were restructured.
The first thing that changed was the vocabulary. The list of the service descriptions for her
new management communications and strategic communication counsel function speaks for
itself:
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Customer/loyalty management.
Strategic planning.
Customer centered re-engineering.
Executive and management
development.
Staff development.
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Team building.
Organizational operational review and
analysis.
Corporate marketing and communications.
Crisis consulting.
Issues/Exposure management.
Notice that the word communication appears on the list only once. This is a very
operationally oriented presentation of concepts. Those who run large businesses and
organizations are almost totally operationally focused.
Diane learned that to successfully deal with management, she either had to speak
management language or translate what she was trying to get across into terms management
could understand, care about, and act on.
Perhaps this is our greatest challenge because our thinking methodology, expectations, and
vocabulary are so different from management’s. One of the fundamental realities of successful
management is the ability to get things done over the long term: moving people, materials,
resources, and concepts into and through profitable or useful deployments. This requires a
process strategy, a motivation strategy, and a mission.
This process is the complete opposite of most public relations work. We get it done now.
If you don’t need it now, call us just before you do. Management generally prefers a more
measured process
In the absence of strategy, public relations work (from the management perspective) has
essentially one reason for its existence and only one reason: to get appropriate publicity to build
reputation, acceptability, or admiration of the company, its executives, and products.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
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16
Management thinking is long-term process thinking. Public relations thinking is shorter-term,
often instantaneous intuitive thinking. It is the public relations practitioner’s job to make the two
thinking styles come together. The operating executive doesn’t have to care.
Strategic Insight
Strategic thinking helps us understand how managers approach problems. Knowing how
managers think is crucial to becoming an effective strategist. Before insights can be shared, a
mutually acceptable language needs to be used.
The world is fundamentally run by process thinkers, managers, and highly trained
individuals such as lawyers, physicians, engineers, and scientists. When they approach a
problem, they divide it, from their perspective, into symmetrical, logical, sequential segments
(either alphabetical, chronological, or in some other systematic way) and proceed to work and
think in an orderly, logical, incremental fashion. The product of process thinking is a fairly
evenhanded predictable approach and structure. It can be a useful, thorough problem-solving
approach.
Creative people, on the other hand − public relations people, writers, journalists, artists,
painters − are predominantly intuitive people. We tend to work subtractively, that is, when we
are presented with a problem, idea, or challenge, we tend to look for the single most brilliant,
unusual, or surprising approach and attempt to prove the importance of this approach to
managers if and when we’re asked. Remember that the manager is taught in management school
or through practice to approach things in an orderly, logical, incremental fashion. The person
who comes along with the magic answer to the problem without any substantive support,
evidence, or process approaches is suspect, not credible or “not serious.” The product of
intuitive thinking is the “big idea” or the “silver bullet,” a goal that is rarely achieved or is
achievable.
There is a third way, the strategic way. In the strategic thinking model, problems or
situations are analyzed and divided into their constituent parts on purpose. The objective is
coming up with a supportable, meaningful, but completely unusual approach, one that is based
first on totally new sets of assumptions or at least innovative challenges to old assumptions.
The product of strategic thinking is a range of options and approaches, plus the
assumptions and the rationale that support them. Management expects a menu of decision
options to consider. That’s because management knows there are many ways to achieve any task
or goal.
Early in World War II, when Britain was fighting the war virtually alone in Europe, it was
suffering enormous losses of its aircraft. Doing nothing was not an option. The best brains in
Britain and America were put to work on the problem. The planes, which returned, were all shot
up, and so one option to increase survivability was to reinforce those areas of the aircraft that
were damaged. But the losses only continued to mount. Then, one night, someone had a
brainstorm. He suddenly realized that because they couldn’t examine the planes that didn’t come
back, perhaps the answer was to reinforce those places on returning aircraft that weren’t shot up
rather than those places that were! The result was that aircraft losses dropped dramatically and
consistently throughout the remainder of the war.
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17
Challenge assumptions; always look for novel approaches.
The product of strategic thinking is a range of options and approaches, plus the new
assumptions and the rationale that support them.
Making Recommendations in an Operational Context
Public relations executives have to rebuild their credibility with management every day.
Credibility requires that the consultant somehow learns to think and explain his or her concept
within a framework management recognizes. Management won’t be taught public relations; they
don’t want to learn. They won’t be taught any other staff functions either. That’s why they hire
staff people. Management’s job is to run the business. Staff’s job is to help management do just
that. Besides, most executives I’ve worked with throughout my career were far better public
relations people in their business area than I could ever be. That’s because they actually knew
what their business was about and understood its shortcomings, opportunities, potential, and real
condition.
In my experience, 85 percent of public relations, in a business context, can be done by a
competent secretary. This is not an insult; it’s the truth. The boss knows it; people who work for
the boss and run the business know it; you know it. Yet, it’s a lesson we need to remember.
Somehow, we believe that if we produce enough stuff, even good stuff, the boss will somehow
like us, invite us to the table, and, overlooking our lack of strategic view, include us in major
planning efforts. Stuff is not a ticket to the table to participate.
If you focus on stuff, you’ll never get to the table. So how do you convey your ideas to
management in ways that seem valuable, useful, or strategic? The answer is in a very organized,
process-driven manner. Here’s an approach I like, which has only five steps. I call it the
Executive Decision-Making Process. It is designed to be factual, forceful, complete, and brief.
The Three-Minute Drill (450 Words)
Managers seem to accept the Executive Decision-Making Process well as it’s a simple,
direct process for giving those you help focused, accurate, and complete information from which
to choose a course of action. Think of it as a three-minute strategy drill where you are both
quarterback and coach. You are only going to get three minutes, and you want to stay in the
game.
The six elements of the process are situation description, analysis and explanation, options,
recommendations, and negative unintended consequences. Here are the steps in the process:
Executive Decisions-Making Process
Step 1. Situation description (60 words): Briefly describe the nature of the issue,
problem, or situation.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
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One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
18
Step 2. Analysis/explanation/interpretation (60 words): Briefly describe what the situation
means, its implications, and how it threatens or presents opportunities for your
organization.
Step 3. Goal (60 words): Describe where you are headed, what will be different at the end.
Step 4. Options (150 words): Develop at least three response options for the situation you
presented. You can suggest more, but three is optimal for management to choose
from. Make sure that one of the options is “doing nothing.”
Step 5. Recommendations (60 words): This is what you would do if you were in your boss’
shoes, and why.
Step 6. Justification (60 words): Identify the events and forecast problems and negative
unintended consequences that could arise due to the options you have suggested or
by doing nothing. Also, forecast collateral damage to be expected.
The Executive Decision-Making Template is shown in Figure 1 below.
EXECUTIVE DECISION-MAKING TEMPLATE
TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL USE
1. Situation Description (facts/data):
If you write it down:
1. Keep it to one page, one side.
2. Analysis/Explanation/Interpretation (impact):
2. Use positive, direct, power
language.
3. Goal (where we are headed):
3. Provide at least three
options: do something, do
something more, and doing
nothing.
4. Options (pathways to a solution):
5. Recommendation(s) (If I were you, here’s what I’d do.):
4. Put yourself in the boss’
shoes when you decide
which of the options you’re
going to select as your
recommendation.
5. Forecast collateral damage.
6. Justification/Forecast Negative Unintended Consequences:
Figure 1
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19
This approach has value to management. If you simply make suggestions with no format
or self-evident structure, what you suggest will be analyzed only from only two perspectives:
does your recommendation make money, or does it save money? Public relations can virtually
never definitively demonstrate either of these, unless the boss approves of the methodology.
Public relations as a bottom-line function is mostly a red herring argument anyway. Public
relations, to be of strategic value to management, must make a powerful, self-evident
management contributions to the management decision-making process.
SEE YOU AT THE TABLE
Important Business Knowledge
One of the communications strategist’s main values is to provide the boss with effective
information with which to know and run the business. Bosses generally look for six kinds of
feedback:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Data feedback: Facts and information.
Feeling feedback: Emotional intelligence about the states of minds of various
constituencies.
Intelligence of the old-fashioned kind: What is going out there, what should he/she
know about that no one else knows about, where is the edge?
Advance information: Threats and exposure, unplanned visibility, organizational
impact forecast.
Real-time concerns: What are the things that executives should worry about today,
tonight, and tomorrow morning; what can be deferred and why.
Peer activities: Strategies, mistakes, and successes.
To act truly in the interests of the business by bringing in useful knowledge beyond that
already known, the strategist faces tough personal questions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Can you separate yourself from your own predispositions, assumptions, and largely
anti-management biases?
Can you add positive energy to what management has to accomplish?
Can you move different constituencies to listen and to act?
Can you build the expectation of a strategic contribution from you, in management’s
eyes?
Can you expect a call from the boss to help think things through?
Can you assess, then clearly and quickly analyze the impact of bad news? Good
news? No news?
Can you fill management’s blind spots and suggest ways to overcome management’s
limitations?
Can you manage your ego throughout the process?
Can you work successfully at a fairly substantial altitude and keep the bigger picture
in mind?
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Focus on the Ultimate Outcome
Strategy is a big-picture activity. It is always outcome focused. That’s because strategy is
virtually always about the future. Strategy is a kind of magnetism that pushes, pulls, and adjusts
the business in the larger context of its operations, but always in a forward direction.
Too often public relations and other staff functions get bogged down in what happened
yesterday, last week, last month, or last budget cycle. We spend far too much time trying to
figure out how we got to where we are.
Five years ago, I was working to resolve the differences and build a working relationship
between five very disparate organizations − labor unions, religious organizations, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), activists, and a very large business. The result of their
inability to get together was public bickering, arguing, demonstrations, and very dangerous,
potentially explosive confrontations.
At the suggestion of some very helpful people, one November day in 1995 we all wound up
in the living room of a Presbyterian minister in East Brooklyn. That’s just across the river from
Manhattan. When we arrived, a very jovial, large man invited us into his comfortable living
room where a roaring fire greeted us. When the six of us sat down − one labor leader, one
religious leader, one NGO leader, two individuals from the company, and me − Reverend Smith
laid down the only ground rule for the day. He said, “Today’s discussion will be outcome
focused. By that I mean that anything that happened this morning, yesterday afternoon, last
week, last month, last year, the last decade, the last century is irrelevant to today’s discussion.
We will stay focused on what we can get done based on where we know we have to go. Should
any of you feel you must move backwards, I will nudge you forward. If you cannot go forward,
then I will invite you to leave so that my wife and I can have a pleasant Sunday afternoon.”
This was an incredibly important meeting. After five years of painful, dangerous
disagreement, in four and one-half hours we developed a one-page agreement, which was signed
by everyone. All of these organizations are operating under this agreement to this day. I
attribute amazing success to the notion of “outcome focus.”
The strategist is informed by the past but chooses those lessons that help show direction to
the future. This is what is known as “outcome focus.”
Outcome-focused meetings are at least 50 percent shorter. Time is not wasted discussing
what can’t be changed. Forget the past. Recognize that everyone, from their own perspective,
already owns some part of the past in ways we can never understand. Focus on the future, which
no one owns and no one can forecast accurately. In strategy, we all come to the future completely
equal with every other staff function or management advisor. Victory can only be designed when
there is total focus on the future. It is very hard to go forward while looking and thinking
backward. Achieving success and obtaining goals happens in the future, never in the past.
Strategy Is Always About the Future
You can be a successful strategist anywhere in your organization. Success does not require
that you even be at the table. You do have to be sought out by the boss or someone the boss
trusts. If you offer value, and the boss knows of that value and has respect for your thinking, you
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will be sought out. The person who is sought out is the person who can contribute something
positive, useful, and of self-evident value, from the boss’ perspective.
So what are the main lessons I’m trying to share about becoming and developing the mind
of a strategist? I think there are three.
First, always think in terms of action options, including doing nothing. Doing nothing is
the most challenging strategy to figure out unless the boss or lawyers mention it first. Then you
will do nothing − for a while. If you want to be a strategist, you have to be first to mention doing
nothing, then explaining, if you can, why other options are better, more acceptable, or will lead
to victory. In its simplest form, doing nothing is often the most appealing strategy for most
managers, at least in the beginning.
Second, be a force for prompt, positive, forward thinking, outcome focused incremental,
constructive action. Avoid the negativity, defensiveness, and time wasting whining executives,
particularly those in difficult situations, tend to enjoy. Be reflective, but take only useful,
positive lessons from the past.
Third, approach business problems from a business perspective. Use a management
context. Separate yourself from the strictly media and the media relations solution. If all you
can think of is what the press release ought to say, you’re of very little value in strategic
situations.
When it comes to being a strategist − a successful, counter intuitive, energetically positive
thinker − your focus must remain on the success of the team, its leadership, and promptly
achieving useful, important, positive goals.
Strategy is a tough challenge for tough-minded thinkers and relentlessly action-oriented
doers.
It’s like the apocryphal story of the young journalist interviewing Thomas Edison just after
Edison successfully invented the light bulb. The enthusiastic young journalist said, “Mr. Edison,
I understand it took you 6,000 attempts to perfect the light bulb.” Mr. Edison replied, “ That’s
probably correct.” The reporter continued questioning, “Help me understand how a man of your
obvious learning, knowledge, skill, ability, and creativity could make 6,000 mistaken attempts to
make a simple light bulb. Isn’t that embarrassing? Or aren’t you as smart as your public
relations people say you are?” Thomas Edison then reportedly replied, “Well, young man, I just
ran out of ways to do it wrong.”
If you can genuinely put yourself in the boss’ shoes and look at things from an operational
perspective, talk in the vocabulary of management, think and recommend using strategic
management process approaches, then apply what you know how to do to that which
management really needs done and what is truly important, you will have developed the mind of
a strategist. You’ll be sought out. Count on it.
See you at the table.
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COMMUNICATION INTENTIONS
1.
Candor
• Disclose, announce early.
• Explain reasoning and reasons.
• Discuss options, alternatives considered.
• Provide unsolicited helpful information.
2.
Openness, accessibility
• Be available.
• Be willing to respond.
3.
Truthfulness
• Point of reference matters more than facts.
• Unconditional honesty, from the start.
4.
Apology
• Verbalize or write a statement of personal regret, remorse, and sorrow.
• Acknowledge personal responsibility for having injured, insulted, failed or wronged
another.
• Humbly ask for forgiveness in exchange for more appropriate future behavior and to
make amends in return.
5.
Responsiveness
• Every concern or question, regardless of the source, is legitimate and must be addressed.
• Answer every question; avoid judging the questioner.
• Avoid taking any question personally.
• Build followers and be nice, even in the face of anger or aggressive negativity. Anger
and arrogance create plaintiffs.
6.
Empathy
• Action always speaks louder than words.
• Action illustrates concern, sensitivity, and compassion.
• Act as though it was happening to you or someone you care about.
7.
8.
9.
Transparency
Our behavior, our attitude, our plans, even our strategic discussions are unchallengeable,
positive, and explainable.
• Our families would be comfortable reading about our actions, decisions, and discussions
on the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper.
• No secrets (because important things and stupid stuff always come out).
•
Engagement
• Face-to-face is the communications approach desired by just about everyone.
• Those who challenge us most will require aggressive positive interaction.
• Our base and those who give us permission to operate expect us to deal with
unconvinceables and victims.
• Direct interactive response, even negotiation, empowers the initiator.
Clarification and Correction
Relentlessly correct and clarify the record.
Prompt, positive, constructive elaboration of the facts preempts critics and empowers
employees and supporters.
•
•
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LUKASZEWSKI’S CONTENTION SURVIVAL MANIFESTO
Keeping Yourself and the Things That Matter Under Control
This manifesto is a personal and often publicly declared set of principles, policies, or
intentions for addressing contentious public circumstances and situations, and behaving with
integrity, honesty, and even good humor. If your mother could teach you the rules for winning in
the irritating, aggravating, agitating environment of being under attack in the news media—
personally, politically, or professionally, these are the 27 techniques and practices she (or most
moms) would share. You can succeed even in the face of contentious people, angry neighbors,
negative media coverage, and irritated public officials.
1. Speak only for yourself. Say less, write less, but make these communications truly
important.
2. Answer every question. Aim for 75-150 word responses; this is 30-60 seconds
reading or speaking time. Honorable organizations, people, programs, and initiatives
can answer any question.
3. Always let others speak for themselves. When you try to speak for others, you will
always be wrong, and attacked or humiliated for being wrong.
4. Avoid claiming that you agree with your opponents on anything, unless they say so
first. Once opponents say it, you may quote them saying it, but always say what you
believe to be true and back that up.
5. Avoid saying that you work closely with public agencies, other organizations, or
even individuals related to your situation (even if you believe you do), unless they say
so first and you then quote them. Otherwise, they can deny it (especially if controversy
arises) or point out, as some may quite quickly, that whatever links exist are rather
weak. They will then describe those weaknesses or deny that you have any real
influence.
Those who can and may support you in the future (public or private) must have their
status preserved for the long run. Drawing them into your discussion could needlessly
make them targets of attack. They will have to abandon or, perhaps, denounce or
distance themselves from you.
6. Assume that everyone in the discussion has more credibility than you do. Your job
is to validate your credibility, every time, rather than to discredit others.
7. Be relentlessly positive (avoid all negative words) and constructive (avoid criticizing
and criticism). Both provide the fuel opponents thrive on.
8. Focus on the truly important 5%; forget the rest. Respond to and develop what truly
matters.
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9. Let attackers discredit themselves. Their emotional words and negative, destructive
language equals less truth and trustworthiness. Avoid “friends” who suggest this
approach. It will always backfire.
10. Practice laggership. Speak second but always have the last word.
11. Remain calm. Critics, agitators, and bullies are energized by anger, emotionalism,
whininess, and negative counter attacks.
12. Silence is always toxic to the accused. After a while, even your friends will sacrifice
or question you.
13. Apologies are always in order, provided they contain all of the crucial ingredients of
an effective apology. The most constructive structures for apology are in The Five
Languages of Apology, a book by Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas (The Five
Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships, Gary
Chapman and Jennifer Thomas; Northfield Publishing, September 1, 2006; ISBN
1881273571.). Here, with some paraphrasing and modification based on my
experiences, are the ingredients of the perfect apology.
•
Regret (acknowledgment): A verbal acknowledgement by the perpetrator that their
wrongful behavior caused unnecessary pain, suffering, and hurt that identifies,
specifically, what action or behavior is responsible for the pain.
•
Accepting Responsibility (declaration): An unconditional declarative statement by
the perpetrator recognizing their wrongful behavior and acknowledging that there is
no excuse for the behavior.
•
Restitution (penance): An offer of help or assistance to victims, by the perpetrator;
action beyond the words “I’m sorry”; and conduct that assumes the responsibility to
make the situation right.
•
Repentance (humility): Language by the perpetrator acknowledging that this
behavior caused pain and suffering for which he/she is genuinely sorry; language by
the perpetrator recognizing that serious, unnecessary harm and emotional damage
was caused.
•
Direct Forgiveness Request : “I was wrong, I hurt you, and I ask you to forgive me.”
The most difficult and challenging aspects of apologizing are the admission of having
done something hurtful, damaging, or wrong, and to request forgiveness. Skip even
one step and you fail.
14. Have courage, and refuse to be distracted by negativity, friendly pressure, or the
agendas of others. You are in the spotlight. They are in the shadows. Be especially
wary of those who feel that responding empowers others, or that you might look like a
sissy for having done it. Either of these outcomes is better than being considered
boorish, bullyish, arrogant, or callous.
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15. Discourage others from explaining your situation. They will get it wrong. You will
be blamed, and they will be attacked. They will then have to abandon you altogether,
keep some distance, or attack you to preserve their own credibility.
16. Everything that goes around comes back around. Avoid verbal vegetables, the
words phrases, arguments, assertions, and statements you write or say that you know
you will have to eat some time in the future.
17. Remember the math of truth: Truth is 15% facts and data and 85% emotion and
perception; 65% of truth is point of reference (my backyard or neighborhood). Facts do
matter, but addressing the emotional component of issues and questions immediately,
continuously, and constructively is essential for success.
18. Be strategic. Say, act, plan, and write with future impact in mind.
19. Prepare to work alone and to be abandoned by just about everyone.
20. Stay at altitude, keep a distance, avoid taking events or actions personally, and be
reasoned, appropriate, and direct. Positive and constructive responses tend to
disempower those making the attacks.
21. Keep the testosterosis under control. Every bit of negative energy you throw in their
direction will multiply by a factor of five to 10, and they will throw it right back at you.
22. Be preemptive. Work in real time. Do it now, fix it now, ask it now, correct it now,
challenge it now, and answer it now.
23. Write and speak, simply, sensibly, positively empathetically and constructively.
24. Avoid trying to discredit anyone, any argument, any evidence, or any movement.
Such actions stimulate the creation of critics and adversaries; who accumulate, hang
around, live forever, and search relentlessly to exploit your weaknesses, vulnerabilities,
and susceptibilities. Prove your position with positive, declarative language.
25. Get accustomed to accommodating the long term, relentlessly negative nature of
contentious situations.
26. Correct and clarify what matters promptly, but do it all on your own Web site.
Avoid joining blogs or conversations outside your site. The latter strategy will suck all
of your energy into responding to the agendas of others who are having fun and
sleeping well, while you are doing neither.
27. It is your destiny. Fail to manage it, and someone else is waiting in the wings to do it
for you.
Copyright © 2009, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.
One-time permission to reprint granted to the International Association of Business Communicators on June 9, 2009.
26
JAMES E. LUKASZEWSKI, ABC, APR, FELLOW PRSA
James E. Lukaszewski (loo-ka-SHEV-skee) advises, coaches, and counsels the men and women who run very large
corporations and organizations through extraordinary problems and critical high-profile circumstances. The bulk of his practice
is in the Western Hemisphere, although he has clients from many parts of the world.
He is an expert in managing and reducing contention, counteracting tough, touchy, sensitive corporate communications
issues. He counsels companies facing serious internal and external problems involving: activist counteraction; community
conflict and grassroots campaigns; corporate relations failures; reputational threats; employee relationship building;
ethics/integrity/compliance; litigation visibility; Web-based attacks; and threats to corporate survival. His broad-based
experience ranges from media-initiated investigations to product recalls and plant closings, from criminal litigation to takeovers.
He is frequently retained by senior management to directly intervene and manage the resolution of corporate problems and bad
news. The situations he helps resolve often involve conflict, controversy, community action or activist opposition. Almost half
of his practice involves civil and criminal litigation.
He is a teacher, thinker, coach, and trusted advisor with the unique ability to help executives look at problems from a
variety of sensible, constructive, principled perspectives. He teaches clients how to take appropriate, highly focused, ethically
appropriate action. He has personally counseled, coached, and guided thousands of executives in organizations large and small
from many cultures representing government; the military and defense industry; the agriculture, banking, computer, financial,
food processing, health care, insurance, paper, real estate development and telecommunications industries; cooperatives; trade
and professional associations; and non-profit agencies. He is a coach to many CEOs.
Jim helps prepare spokespersons for crucial public appearances, local and network news interviews including 20-20, 60
Minutes, Dateline NBC, and Nightline, and for financial analyst meetings and legislative and congressional testimony. He also
provides personal coaching for executives in trouble, or facing career-defining problems and succession issues.
He is a prolific author (six books, hundreds of articles), lecturer (corporate, college and university), trainer, counselor, and
public speaker. He is a member of Public Relations Review’s Board of Professionals, a contributing editor for Public Relations
Quarterly, member of InfoCom’s Media Relations Insider editorial advisory board, frequent columnist and member of PR News’
editorial board, columnist for O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report, and columnist for PRSA’s magazine, The Strategist. His 1992
book, Influencing Public Attitudes: Strategies that Reduce the Media's Power, remains a classic work in the field of direct
communication. The Public Relations Society of America published the final volume of his four-volume Executive Action®
Crisis Communication Management System in 2005: War Stories and Crisis Communication Strategies, An Anthology; Crisis
Communication Planning Strategies, A Workbook; Crisis Communication Plan Components and Models: Crisis Communication
Management Readiness; and Media Relations During Emergencies, A Guide. His newest book, Why Should the Boss Listen to
You?, was published by Jossey-Bass in February 2008. He has published 25 monographs on critical communication subjects
since 1994 and hundreds of articles throughout his career.
He is an internationally recognized speaker on crisis management, ethics, media relations, public affairs, and reputation
preservation and restoration. His recent addresses include the 2007 conferences of the U.S. Air Force Public Affairs Officers,
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Information Officers Association, Puerto Rico PR Association, ABERJE in São
Pãulo, Brazil, Health PR & Marketing Society, Media Relations Summit, the College & University PR Association, Choice
Hotels Annual Convention, CCEP World Conference on Disaster Management, National Air & Waste Management Association,
National School Public Relations Association, and Syracuse University; and the 2006, 2007, and 2008 International Conferences
of IABC, the Public Relations Society of America, and ASIS International. He has addressed several Canadian trade and
government conferences including the National Agriculture Awareness, the Government of Canada Communicators, and most
recently Natural Resources Canada, Service Canada, Transport Canada, Purchasing Management Association of Canada, and the
Canadian Investor Relations Institute. Visiting his Web site, www.e911.com, is like attending the University of Crisis
Management.
An accredited member of the International Association of Business Communicators (ABC) and the Public Relations
Society of America (APR), Mr. Lukaszewski is a member of the PRSA’s College of Fellows (Fellow PRSA); Board of Ethics &
Professional Standards; the Corporate and Public Affairs/Government Sections; and the New York City and
Westchester/Fairfield Chapters. He is a member of the International Churchill Society, ASIS International, and the Society for
Human Resource Management (SHRM). He lectures annually at the U.S. Marine Corp’s East Coast Commander’s Media
Training Symposium and was the second recipient of its Drew Middleton Award. He is the recipient of Ball State University’s
National Public Relations Achievement Award, Patrick Jackson Award for Distinguished Service to PRSA, PR News Lifetime
Achievement Award, Lloyd B. Dennis Distinguished Leadership Award, and named 2007 Minnesota Metropolitan State
University Alumnus of the Year and the 2007 Practitioner of the Year by the Southern New England chapter of the PRSA.
Lukaszewski received his BA in 1974 from Metropolitan State University in Minnesota. He is a former deputy
commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Development and assistant press secretary to former Minnesota
Governor Wendell Anderson. He founded Minnesota-based Media Information Systems Corporation in 1978. Prior to founding
The Lukaszewski Group Inc. in 1989 he was senior vice president and director of Executive Communication Programs for
Georgeson & Company and a partner with Chester Burger Company, both in New York City. His biography is listed in several
editions of Marquis Who’s Who in America. His name was listed in Corporate Legal Times as one of “28 Experts to Call When
All Hell Breaks Loose,” and in PR Week as one of 22 “crunch-time counselors who should be on the speed dial in a crisis.”
A Book for Everyone
Who Wants to Tell the
Boss What to Do
• Do people hold up meetings waiting for you?
• Do people remember what you say and quote you to others?
• Do others seek out your opinion and ideas?
• Do they try to influence you to influence your boss?
“Far more than it first appears. This book is a real look at the
soul of what good business can be. Everything could be like
this, health care, politics, etc. Jim Lukaszewski sketches
the boss, inner circle, advisor, and staff. He then explains
each player and how they fit together, where they are
coming from, and how you contribute. The big picture is
there when you finish. He has some good visuals and
many lists:
7 disciplines
5 imperatives
4 things to do
5 flawed strategies
9 things a leader expects
11 things you need to know to work with a boss
3 lists of questions to consider, nice learning device
Too many books could be a pamphlet, not this one. ‘Managers
test before they trust,’ a nice thought. I liked the section on
trust. On half the pages I wrote a comment. An enjoyable read
of deep material. His thoughts reveal a life that works. This
body of work is a protein meal. I Love this book.”
— Dr. Don Malnati, Five Star Reviewer on Amazon.com,
January 2, 2009
“Leaders must have trusted advisors. This book shows you how
to be one and stay one.”
— Harvey B. Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller
Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive
“Jim Lukaszewski has personally helped resolve more corporate
crises than anyone I know of. His experience ‘in the trenches’
equals the high quality of his judgment.”
— Chester Burger, APR, Fellow PRSA, American Public Relations
Leader Emeritus and PRSA Gold Anvil Winner
James E. Lukaszewski (loo-ka-SHEV-skee) is an expert in managing and reducing contention, counteracting tough, touchy, sensitive corporate
communications issues. He is a prolific author (six books, hundreds of articles), lecturer (corporate, college and university), trainer, counselor,
and internationally recognized speaker.
Visit Jim’s Web Site:
www.e911.com
Register for Jim’s Free eNewsletter:
www.e911.com
Available wherever books are sold.
Visit Jim’s Blog:
www.e911.com/crisisgurublog.html
E-mail Jim:
[email protected]