WHAT HAPPENED

This week, I talked with students in my advanced writing class about Scott McClellan and his new book, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception.” I have yet to read the book, but wanted to talk not about Scott or the book, but about the questions being asked of Scott by the media and others. The questions shown below present an interesting study. What type of questions are they? Investigative? Accusatory? Why, in this case, do you think one type would be used more than the other? How would you rewrite an accusatory question to make it an investigative one? How do you think the rewritten question would affect the answer? “What happened to you, Scott? You are not the person I used to know.” Have you ever been asked, “What’s gotten into you? You know better than that.” What did that mean to you? That you should have known better? So, is Scott being asked a question or being admonished for knowing that you don’t betray the loyalty of others, especially the Administration? Or does the question imply that Scott has changed and that the change is not for the better? That the problem seems to be with him? “If you felt so strongly about the situation, why didn’t you tell someone? Should Scott have gone to his boss and said, “From what I observed, I believe the Administration is deliberately deceiving the public about the Iraq war.” Why shouldn’t he be forthright and lay out his concerns? He would be respected by the inner circle; furthermore, he would have protection by law if he were seen, even as a potential whistleblower. Wouldn’t he? “Then Scott, why didn’t you just quit?” Have you always been financially prepared to walk away from a prestigious, high-paying job, on principle? Was deception, assuming there was some, obvious at the start of Scott’s job. Did he open a desk drawer and suddenly find DECEPTION? Or did an attitude of deception reveal itself in people’s behavior, a little at a time, over time? “You mean, Scott, that you just kept it to yourself for three years?” Being quiet about something often is referred to as “silent consent.” Silent consent can be seen in many forms. In the military, silent consent, for example, can be when a unit is left in the jungle as a decoy to flesh out the enemy and no one in the unit says anything when it is known that the commander is risking the lives of troops to chalk up a victory in pursuit of a promotion. Silent consent is when members of the White House press corps avoid aggressive reporting for fear of losing a seat on Air Force One or being assigned to a back row in the White House briefing room. Silent consent is when members of Congress recite verbatim the Administration’s talking points in favor of war, instead of making their own assessment of whether or not to attack another country. Silent consent is when an entire nation questions the wisdom of making preemptive strikes on other countries, but does no more than watch it happen. “Scott, you were so close to the inner circle; how could you not know more specifically what was going on?” Let me ask if you know of any public relations executive who was indicted for criminal conspiracy. Could that be because the inner circle of any organization does not publish notice of, and invite its spokesperson to a meeting to discuss ways to deceive the public, cook the books, or circumvent environmental laws? Yes, criminal activity occurs. But it’s not done in the open by committee. It has been said there are times when an Administration deliberately withholds information from a press secretary to enable him or her to claim, honestly, of having no knowledge of something to maintain credibility with the media. But what of the press secretary’s duty to keep the public informed of decisions and actions of the White House? And how much integrity is left for a press corps that accepts a press secretary’s claim of no knowledge, while knowing of this charade and accepting it as protocol? Sometimes deception is a matter of like-minded individuals leading an organization with like-minded ambitions that form an invisible framework in which to operate. When one takes an action that may seem overly assertive, the others go along with it because in their private thoughts they know the ambitions embodied in the underlying framework. Tactics of the inner circle are unwritten and decisions are communicated among each other with signals, such as a raised eyebrow, a penetrating stare, meaning “get it done,” or “stay the course.” There is no tangible evidence of malicious intent, which is why it is so difficult to discover guilt of an executive in a court of law or before a Congressional hearing. You could characterize this form of wrong-doing as the mental use and abuse of power. The inner circle of every organization has choices to make about its use of power. [end]

The goal is to write one. Can you?

How are you at writing the components of a public relations plan? For example, can you write a goal? I am going to describe the functions of a goal. Then I will provide rules for writing one. Finally, I will give you a chance to test yourself on identifying acceptable goals written by my rules. A goal is important because it serves four functions in a public relations plan. One function is to provide a vision of a desired position or condition. A plan should have one ultimate aim. All of a plan’s objectives should be directed toward achieving the plan’s goal. The goal can be specific to the public relations task, for example, for XYZ to be trusted by the community for its safe use of chemicals. Or it can relate to broader organizational aims that require input from other functions, such as human resources, marketing and finance, for example, for XYZ to be merged with ZYX with the understanding and support of all stakeholders. The second function of a goal is to provide a target on which to organize resources. A goal gives followers of a plan a point of reference on which to center their efforts. It enables them to set their sights on what is to be the overall result of the combined efforts of all contributors to the plan. Many plan writers believe a goal should use the present infinitive “to be” to distinguish this targeting function. What follows “to be” should be stated as though the position or condition has been achieved, for example, the goal for XYZ is “to be” a recognized leader in its field. The goal clearly rallies an organization’s resources around making it a recognized leader in its field. The third function of a goal is to provide verification that the plan is focused. By stating the goal, plan developers can demonstrate to plan reviewers that the plan focuses on the correct priority. For example, if the client’s goal is for XYZ to be viewed as an essential, unique and authoritative resource for diversity education on the university campus and in the greater community, the goal would not be focused correctly if it were stated, for XYZ to be a well-funded campus organization. In other words, when a client’s goal calls for everyone to be eating BigMacs, plan developers had better not be writing about Chicken McNuggets. That may sound exaggerated, but sometimes client or employer instructions are not followed explicitly or are overlooked. The experience of being presented the wrong goal is exasperating to clients or employers because they are putting up major resources to accomplish a specific job that is important to them. A fourth function of a goal is to provide a measurement of success. When a desired condition or position is evident as stated in the goal, a plan’s objectives have been met. In other words, the fact that a certain condition or position now exists is evidence that the plan’s objectives have been achieved successfully. Let’s say, for example, the goal is for a hospital to be serving more children. When the hospital is, in fact, serving 50 more children, that is proof or evidence the plan’s objective (i.e. to raise $20 million for hospital expansion) has been successfully achieved. So the goal of a public relations plan has four functions–it provides a vision, a target, verification and measurement. Here are my five rules for writing a goal: 1. Focus the goal on a single aim. 2. State the goal in a single sentence and avoid the temptation of telling what must be done to achieve it. Unacceptable: To communicate XYZ’s economic value as a member of the community. Acceptable: For XYZ to be recognized as an important contributor to the local economy. 3. Describe the goal as the ultimate condition or state of being desired as though it has already been achieved. Acceptable: For XYZ to be a trusted member of the community with its use of hazardous chemicals. Unacceptable: For XYZ to become a trusted member of the community with its use of hazardous chemicals. Reason: “to become a trusted member” leaves XYZ in its present state, rather than in the desired state of being. 4. Distinguish the statement as a goal by using the infinitive phrase “to be” answering the question, What do you want the ultimate condition to be as a result of having executed the public relations plan successfully? Acceptable: For XYZ to be operating as a recognized leader in its field. 5. Avoid using an objective for a goal. Unacceptable: For XYZ to raise $15 million to expand the hospital. Reason: This is an objective describing what must be done to accomplish the ultimate goal, for example, to be serving 50 more patients in a new addition to the hospital. The goal should be evidence that a plan’s objectives have been successfully completed. Now that we have defined a goal and reviewed my rules for writing one, let’s see if you can distinguish from the following six examples, goals that are acceptable and those that are unacceptable according to the rules for writing goals. 1. To provide eligible families with a smooth transition from Island Health Offspring to Children’s Health Insurance Program. 2. For XCX to be expanding its operation with the support of local and state governments. 3. For wind surfers throughout the world to be aware of Hood River on the Columbia River as one of the most popular locations for the sport. 4. The goal of the Clean Teeth campaign is to heighten awareness about the importance of tooth brushing. 5. To have the public adopt natural garden care by changing certain gardening behaviors. 6. For XYZ, Inc. to be closing one assembly plant. ANSWERS 1. Unacceptable. It does not center on the infinitive phrase “to be” followed by an ultimate vision, state of being or desired condition. “To provide” indicates that the ultimate state of being has not yet been achieved. Acceptable: For eligible families to be receiving increased benefits from the Children’s Health Insurance Program, having made a smooth transition from Island Health Offspring. 2. Acceptable. 3. Acceptable. 4. Unacceptable. It does not center on the infinitive phrase “to be,” which the rules reserve for introducing a goal¬–a desired condition or state of being. Acceptable: For people around the world to be more aware of the importance of brushing teeth. 5. Unacceptable. It does not center on the infinitive phrase “to be,” which the rules reserve for introducing a goal. The phrase “to have the public adopt natural garden care” tells what must be done, which is the role of an objective. The phrase “by changing certain gardening behaviors” tells how something is to be accomplished, which is the role of a strategy. Acceptable: For male homeowners, ages 25 to 54 in the Garden Gateway area, to be using natural gardening practices. 6. Unacceptable. Closing one assembly plant is not the ultimate vision, goal or state of being. It is what must be done to achieve the goal or vision which, according to the rules, is the role of an objective. Acceptable: For XYZ, Inc. to be operating more competitively having closed one assembly plant. I am blogging to show how important it is to stay within specific parameters when writing goals, as well as objectives, strategies and the other components of a public relations plan. I know from 30 years of experience that writing by the rules creates winning proposals. * * * * *

Can you trust PR interns? Read on.

Can you trust PR interns? I worked with 21 student interns from The University of Georgia’s College of Journalism & Mass Communication. They turned out to be my inspiration to teach and now I'm into teaching with a passion at the University of Oregon. During the '90s, as director of public and investor relations for Atlanta-based Alumax Inc., I had a small staff and huge responsibilities. I turned to UGA for help. Competition for interns was keen in Atlanta with companies like Coca-Cola, Bell South, Southern Company, Equifax and others. So, to get the very best, I knew I would have to offer the very best internships I could manage. I met with UGA's representative who was liaison with area employers, like Seth Walker is for the University of Oregon in Portland. Soon thereafter, a faculty committee was established that selected and sent me a student intern for each of 21 consecutive quarters. The question, at the time, was how much responsibility could I entrust to a young public relations intern? Would the interns be a help or a strain on my already overworked resources? I’ll give you examples of what the interns did and you can judge for yourself. Wendy researched worldwide a speech on environmental sustainability that was delivered before not one, but two different conferences. Ashley prepared marketing materials to open offices in China and Poland, was hired full time and later started her own business. Penny developed a customer relationship building program with the sponsorship of an Indy race car team and was hired full time. Jennifer coordinated press events in New York City, Atlanta and Jackson simultaneously announcing a $75 million project in Tennessee, which included a luncheon celebration for 300 people with the governor. Michelle developed an environmental report, then went to work for a yacht builder. Cherie and a video crew used a corporate jet to visit eight operations and produce a video for Fox-TV, then went on to become press agent for land speed record team Spirit of America. Jasen developed a 350-page corporate Web site. Kelly handled PR for a clean-up of hazardous material. Li Li was chief translator for a $50 million successful joint venture negotiation with a Chinese company. Leigh Ann researched and wrote, “How Communication Planning Can Help You Achieve Your Business Objectives.” Melissa drafted the speech, “How To Develop Business in China.” Asia finished writing the speech that was presented before a world conference in London. Laura developed guidelines for a new charitable giving program and then became development director for the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky. Rikke developed a program to publicize the technical center. Maria wrote complex sections of the company’s last annual report before Alumax was acquired by Alcoa, and went on to work on energy issues for a utility in El Salvador. How were these inexperienced interns able to take on such major responsibilities? One reason is that they had exceptional academic training. Another reason is that they instilled confidence in their employers that they could be trusted to take direction, learn and deliver results. Another reason is that their employers gave them a chance to perform. Another reason is that they were well paid so that they could focus on their work and not have to hold down one or two jobs in addition. There are many good sources for interns in every region of the country. Employers should consider offering internships to undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates. So, what do you think? Can you trust a PR intern? I did and with my experience with such outstanding students at the University of Oregon over the past seven years, I have more confidence than ever in young people who just need to be given a chance to show what they can do.

LEE: Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening?

In my Advanced PR Writing Class at the University of Oregon, students are using social media to cry into cyberspace to make contact with others who care about the deplorable state of education in the United States. At this point, the class feels like a lone "post" on a tree in the wilderness. Our class project is to rally public support for getting education on the agenda of the presidential candidate debates. To appreciate where education stands in the broad context of the state of the nation, consider the call to action from Lee Iacocca; remember the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He's now 82 years old and has a new book, "Where Have All The Leaders Gone." Here are excerpts: "Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff. We've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course." Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America , not the damned "Titanic." I'll give you a sound bite: "Throw all the bums out!" You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the "America" my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you? I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest "C" is Crisis ! (Iacocca elaborates on nine Cs of leadership, crisis being the first.) Leadership is forged in times of crisis. Leaders are made, not born. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down. On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A Hell of a Mess. So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way . These are times that cry out for leadership. But when you look around, you've got to ask, "Where have all the leaders gone?" Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point. Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened. Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time. Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when "The Big Three" referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it? Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope. I believe in America . In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the "Great Depression," "World War II," the "Korean War," the "Kennedy Assassination", the "Vietnam War", the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: "You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to "Action" for people who, like me, believe in America. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had "enough." Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks; and it's our future. Our future is at stake! I'm fed up, too, Lee. I am encouraging students everywhere to look not only at the state of education, but at the big picture. University of Oregon student Sara Szatmary is right on target with her comment: "I think the power of dissent has greatly been lost on my generation. However, I think if they knew what was really happening in our government there would be a huge call to action." ---Tom Hagley

Improve Your Writing With P Quad

Some writers put important information up front so the reader can get to it quickly--you know, like writing to the 5 W’s. At the opposite extreme, some writers just toss information in the pot with no more form than alphabet soup and let readers swim around to find the important stuff. Everyone could improve their writing effectiveness with a unique, four-part formula we’ll call P Quad. By including the 4 P’s in the introductory paragraph, virtually every piece of writing can be improved. So, what are the 4 P’s? P is for picture--the big picture, the broad context of the communication. P is for pique--capture reader interest by telling what’s in it for them. P is for purpose--the reason for writing. P is for point--the writer’s thesis, main message. In sum, the 4 P’s: Picture. Pique. Purpose. Point. Where should the 4 P’s be used? One use of P Quad is in the introductory paragraph of a backstory. For example: (Picture) The state of the nation’s education system is deplorable. (Pique) A recent ABC World News segment ("Failing Grades," April 1) featured a report from America's Promise Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that showed 1.2 million students drop out of high school each year.Children without education are more likely to be unemployed, live in poverty, be unhealthy, be divorced, and be in prison. Failure to properly educate every child creates the likelihood for the country to fail in many other areas. (Point) At the center of education is the No Child Left Behind Act that everyone should know something about. Do we want to have a say in the nation's education policy, or do we want to leave it up to whoever is elected the next president. (Purpose) This backstory will bring you up to date on the act, how it started, what it has done for the country, and where it stands today. Another use of P Quad is in the introductory paragraph of a legislative alert. This example is from University of Oregon student Lindsey Carlson: (Picture) Early this spring the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions seeks to mark up a reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind/Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This reauthorization is dangerous to our nation’s students, and we believe that the federal government should create a new law that meets the criteria established in the Council for Exceptional Children’s Joint Statement and the Forum on Educational Accountability’s recommendations, which suggest a major overhaul of the federal law. (Pique) This is one of the last opportunities we have to make our voice and proposal heard for the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind. (Point) It is vital that we reach as many senators as possible with our message. PLEASE take time now to contact your senator about this important issue! (Purpose) This legislative alert contains all the information you need, including a sample message, and e-mail addresses to make your contact. Another use of P Quad is in the introductory paragraph of an ordinary memo: [Picture] You have probably noticed that we have had an increasing number of visitors lately. That’s mostly because of our new contract with the government. (Pique) Federal officials have been coming to see the facility and some have been bringing cameras and asking to take pictures in the production area where you work. [Purpose] The purpose of this memo is remind everyone about our policy governing photography. [Point] In the production area we have customized, proprietary equipment which, for competitive reasons, must be kept secret. No images of any part of our production facilities are to produced by any means. Following are details of our policy. Another use of P Quad is in the introductory paragraph of, yes, even a media alert: [Picture] This is National Preparedness Month. Local emergency services units have been urging people to prepare for a bird flu pandemic. [Purpose] The purpose of this advisory is to call attention to an exhibit that will be on display at the Arc Exhibition Center provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. [Pique] Mayor George Byrd will arrive by helicopter to announce and describe the city’s emergency plan at the opening of the exhibit. [Point] Residents must get the message that home inventories for unanticipated events must be reviewed and replenished on a regular schedule. Where else could the 4 P’s be applied? I have examples of applications of the 4 P’s in a backgrounder, bio, speech, press statement, issue bulletin, blog, podcast, position statement, e-mail, and more. Earlier I wrote that P Quad is unique. Well, that’s not exactly true. For example, students must include 4 P information in the introductory paragraph of an essay in order to pass the writing section of the SAT’s. PR practitioners write with the 4 P’s but there are still some who let readers swim around in alphabet soup to look for them. So writing with the 4 P’s isn’t all that unique, except that when all four P's are included in the introductory paragraph of virtually any piece of writing, communication is vastly improved. Contact me for more examples. Better yet, take the P Quad Challenge and post your examples on this blog.