En tu idioma / In your own language

Eduardo del Buey
Foto: Valentina Álvarez Borges
La Jornada Maya

Martes 8 de noviembre, 2016

I have worked with political leaders in a number of incarnations in order to hone their communications skills. Throughout I have found some common problems in their communications activities that can be summed up in one word – egotism.

In my books [i]Guerrilla Communications[/i] and [i]Comunicología Audaz[/i] I advocate having communications experts involved in all messaging decisions from the very beginning so that they can constantly give leaders a reality check.

Leaders and their policy staff tend to live and work in a bubble, and need honest advice as to how a message will play in public.

Leaders who do not have this honest assessment of their messages or their strategies risk making serious mistakes and losing ground over their opponents.

Leaders must ensure that their communications team is up to the task, and not simply keep them around out of some sense of loyalty. They need communications experts who can read audiences and tell leaders when they are contemplating doing or saying something that will evoke a negative reaction on the part of the audience.

Political leaders are most often at risk of ignoring these realities as they constantly strive to remain within their comfort zone.

They depend on people who fit their ideological mold, and with whom they feel comfortable. They need constant massaging of their egos, and view dissention as disloyalty. In short, they forget Don Corleone’s maxim – it ain’t personal, it’s business.

Leaders have to learn to develop a thick skin.

They have to surround themselves with people who are capable of thinking and making their recommendations known – even if they conflict with the leader’s preconceived notions.

This is the only way leaders can ensure they make the best decisions based on the best advice available.

Leaders also have to learn to value competence over loyalty, and let go of those whose advice or suggestions are off the mark or incorrect regardless of how loyal they are, how well they stroke their egos, or how long they have been around.

Finally, leaders must admit to themselves that they don’t have the monopoly on knowledge or wisdom.

Throughout my career I have sought to surround myself with the best minds possible – people who probably know more than I do about certain aspects of my activities and challenge me to adapt my thinking to new ideas and strategies.

This has helped me to manage teams successfully and meet objectives effectively.

In my books [i]Spokespersonry[/i] and [b]Comunicología Audaz[/b] I argue that the most important thing you can do is to learn how to learn. Leaders must set ego and pre-conceived notions aside, move out of their comfort zone, and adapt to and adopt new and dynamic ideas and messages.

They do so by listening more than they speak.

They do this by constantly exploring different opinions and grafting them to their own.

They do so by submitting their egos to constant reality checks.

They do this by constantly expanding their knowledge.

Their messages must reflect wisdom.

And wisdom comes from effectively applying knowledge.

Mérida, Yucatán

[b][email protected][/b]