Have you read The Authentic Enterprise, the 2007 Arthur W. Page Society white paper? (Well at least skimmed its 60 pages, although there is now an executive summary.) In my book, this report is required reading for communication pros and leaders.
Even though the report's substantive research is more than two years old now, the report packs a punch. This was evident at the CCM (Council of Communication Management) Conference the end of April when Maril MacDonald of the consulting firm Gagen MacDonald and the president of the Arthur W. Page Society spoke to an attentive audience. Her topic was "The New Public Relations Agenda and Architects of Change" using the report as a foundation.
While I had read the report when it first came out, I was interested in hearing Maril talk about it in context of our current "reset" environment. (Yes, this is another way to say our work world has changed dramatically.) Her call to action for communication professionals is even more compelling now, especially since stakeholders are demanding proof of authenticity rather than authority.
Maril said we should consider ourselves "architects of change." In this role, we should "drive the business, galvanize the organization, and embed new thinking and behaviors."
In a more concrete manner, Maril identified four areas in which we must assert leadership: 1) defining and activating values; 2) building and managing multi-stakeholder relationships; 3) enabling the enterprise with "new media" skills and tools; and 4) building and managing trust.
These new areas of concentration combined with our new role require us to shift our mindset (and actions) from "informing and reporting to influencing and leading." Or as Mary Boone likes to say, we must move from "tell and sell" to "ask and engage."
To do well though, we need to operate with a common understanding of authenticity. From the report's perspective, the authentic enterprise "is grounded in a sure sense of what defines it (mission, values, principles and beliefs." Those definitions must dictate consistent behaviors and actions.
Seth Godin takes this one step further for individuals. He says authenticity is "doing what you promise, not being who you are. And since individuals make up organizations, this is sage advice.
So how can authentic communication pros best serve leaders and their organizations to be authentic? Here are five steps for starters:
1. Help leaders live up to their commitments.
2. Advise them against making promises that may be hard to keep. To paraphrase the incoming IABC Chairman Mark Schumann, "thinking (and talking big) while acting small" poses problems for credibility.
3. Role model authenticity yourself, including speaking, writing and acting with concreteness, simplicity and candor.
4. Gather feedback to ensure stakeholders perceive you and your leaders as talking your walk and fulfilling your commitments.
5. Reflect regularly on how you're doing and make adjustments.
Remember, it's hard to be good in a bad world so aim for progress not perfection. But the payoff for being authentic can be priceless, especially from piece of mind and worthy achievements.
What are you doing these days to be authentic?
* * *
