Here's what you're missing…

Communication World, June-July, 1997 by Cliff McGoon

Well, either price would be a bargain if it helped solve your problem, or gave you insight you needed, all within just a few days of asking.

But, what would you think if you could get that same kind of counsel without any charge - free, zip, zilch, nada, bupkis!

You can, through CW/Online and its "Ask the Experts" feature. Whether you're a manager in a corporation or nonprofit, or a freelancer presiding over a staff of one, CWO and the "Ask the Experts" gives you a resource as close as your fingertips that can change your career.

Here's how it works. First you log onto the IABC home page on the World Wide Web, then click on CWO - you'll have to plug in your member I.D. number and password - and then go to the "Ask the Experts" section. The expert and general topic changes every two weeks, and during that time he or she accepts and answers questions from everyone who asks.

So, who are these experts? Well, here are just a few, with an extremely abbreviated summary of their lengthy credentials:

Robert Berzok, ABC, director of communication at Union Carbide Corp.; Sid Cato, head of his own company which analyzes and evaluates corporate annual reports; Mike Emanuel, ABC, former head of employee communication at DuPont, and now head of his own firm; John Freivalds, managing director JFA, an international marketing communication firm; Shel Holtz, ABC, president of Holtz Communication and Technology, and one of the leading experts on the use of technology to help meet organizational communication goals; Bill Jensen, CEO of The Jensen Group, an information architect and expert in strategic change management; Lou Williams, ABC, APR, head of his own global consulting firm; Dick-Wilmot, APR, former head of human resources at General Motors and expert on work-place trust; Frank Wylie, APR, former communication VP at Chrysler Corp., PR professor and consultant.

A topic the experts frequently address is "change." A recent expert was Michael Finley, co-author of the book "Why Change Doesn't Work." Here's a lightly edited example of a question that was asked, along with his answer. (He fielded seven other questions and they appear in full in the "Experts Archive" section.)

"We've just been hired to develop a two-year public information program for a local water agency in a southern California agricultural area (i.e. water use is intensive). Their engineering consultants say that the most cost-effective option is to import water (along with implementing other measures) to keep up with the demand. Our market research indicates that this option is not popular with the constituency, which believes conservation is best. How would you convince the population to go along with the professionally recommended program?"

Response: "Interesting challenge. First of all, if the public is willing to get behind conservation, you have a group which is not opposed to change. Most observers would say that active change (reducing water use) is a tougher nut to crack than passive change (having water piped or diverted from elsewhere). We usually see the opposite problem - organizations struggling to get people personally involved.

"A strong suggestion is that you make it possible for people to affect strong conservation efforts. If that is what they want, and it is affordable (as it sounds), and it at least contributes to a solution to the problem, then build it into a total plan. You just can't beat involvement.

"By not denying the preference for conservation, but working to build on that as a foundation, people will be more willing to consider additional methods. If you deny their wishes, they'll deny your more rational recommendations. When survival is at stake, people operate by emotion, not reason.

"To the thornier problem of winning people over to importation, we suggest walking in their shoes, and presenting the problem in the terms and using the images that your constituency will best respond to.

"We all know the importance of water to survival and prosperity. We all know the importance of water to agriculture. You do not have one constituent who is indifferent or oblivious to this. In our Push/Pull paradigm, you have already won half the battle - people are paying attention, because their futures are linked to this initiative.

"Be clear and tell the truth. Address people's suspicions head-on - the history of water rights in our country is rife with exploitation and betrayal. Show why this is not part of that. If you are not able to overcome people's mistrust (presumably of the big agribusiness companies and landowners) your problem goes deeper than the water table."

Next issue - Exploring the breadth of the "Ask the Experts" section.

Cliff McGoon is a communication consultant with offices in Palm Springs, Calif., and San Francisco and receives E.mail at c.mcgoon@worldnet.att.net