Breakout Session from 2015 Communications Network conference in San Diego, CA Session Full Title: Ready Are You? Communications Jedi Training For Your Next Frontier Sponsored by Barr Foundation What You'll Learn: - What the next step forward in communications practice and effectiveness at their organization can look like. - Guiding principles and strategies for leading this change. - Pitfalls to avoid. Session Description: Maybe you are a novice in the ways of the communications force, your most urgent task to liberate your organization from the swamps of skepticism and doubt about its potential. Maybe you have already earned your Jedi stripes, and are leading whole squadrons of communications pros in ambitious campaign for hearts and minds and to bring down death stars. Wherever you and your organization are on your path, when the forces for good call upon you to lead your organization into new frontiers of communications effectiveness, what do you do? What are the key questions to ask, steps to take, and pitfalls to avoid? And how do those questions, steps, and pitfalls change as you attain new levels of mastery in the communications Jedi Order? Facilitated by three communications leaders from organizations at different points on this path, this interactive session was intended to enable participants to explore these questions together, and to identify guiding principles they can immediately put into practice. The slide deck include top responses to a pre-session survey of Network members on the biggest challenges they currently face with communications, and keys to recent breakthroughs in elevating communications practice in their organizations. Session Presenters: Stefan Lanfer, Director of Communications, Barr Foundation; Judith Zimmer, Communications Director, Milbank Memorial Fund; Daniella Léger, Senior Vice President for Communications and Strategy, Center for American Progress

1. Ready are You?
#JediComms (copyright safe highlight reel)
Stefan Lanfer
@stefanlanfer
Judith Zimmer
@JudithZimmer
Daniella Leger
@dgibber123
#ComNet15 Loews Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego, CA October 1, 2015

2. 2#JediComms #ComNet15
“Do or do not.
There is
no try.”

3. Where are we on the communications path?
3.1905 .2013 .2014 .2015
Founded
New
president
Communications
Director
No dedicated
communications staff
1923
Milbank
Quarterly
published

4. Milbank Memorial Fund
44#JediComms #ComNet15

5. Jedi Communications Principle #1
Embrace the force.
(a.k.a. say, “Yes!”)
5#JediComms #ComNet15

6. 6
“Never tell me the odds.”
#JediComms #ComNet15

7. 7#JediComms #ComNet15
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Anonymous
Not anonymous
Engaged

8. Jedi Communications Principle #2
Master thyself.
(a.k.a. learn to - and when to - say, “No.”)
8#JediComms #ComNet15

9. 9#JediComms #ComNet15

10. 10
“Stay on target!”
#JediComms #ComNet15

11. 11
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Hit the ground running Still running
Running faster
#JediComms #ComNet15

12. 12
The Phantom Menace
is the worst of the Star
Wars movies
#JediComms #ComNet15
Inside the triangle, put the
message you want to get across
1
On two sides, put your
strongest supporting facts.
2
On 3rd side, put strongest counter
argument (and your response).
3 Counter Argument: No movie could have lived up to fan
expectations. (Response: High expectations is no
excuse for failure.)
Message Triangle

13. Jedi Communications Principle #3
Know the dark side.
(And prepare for the epic battle.)
13#JediComms #ComNet15

14. 14
How would you describe the state
of communications in your
organization?
#JediComms #ComNet15
[#JediComms Survey Responses]

15. What is your biggest obstacle to
leading your organization into its
next communications frontier?
15
1. Bandwidth.
2. No alignment re: priorities.
3. Insufficient (or no) budget.
4. Leadership not yet bought in.
5. Colleagues don’t have
“communications mindset.”
#JediComms #ComNet15
[#JediComms Survey Responses]

16. Think about the last big step your
organization took with
communications.
What was the key to breakthrough?
16
1. Leadership buy in.
2. Brand clarity.
3. New capacity.
4. Colleagues developing
“communications mindset.”
5. Communications integrated.
6. We put audience first.
7. New tools.
#JediComms #ComNet15
[#JediComms Survey Responses]

17. 17
“Much to learn
you still have.”
#JediComms #ComNet15