I am interested in the interplay between generational attitudes and institutionalized law.
I think this relationship closely resembles the parent-child relationship, wherein the thoughts of the former are by the latter internalized, rebelled against and interpreted in new ways. Each generation finds meaningful new ways to interpret the values of the previous generation.
As generations of new voters replace generations of older voters, attitudes are shifting on contentious issues like gay marriage, immigration, marijuana and gun control.
We are in the interpretation part of the above cycle. The standard model of thinking on these issues held sway for years. In time, opposition to these institutionalized attitudes became aggravated. Now a change is taking place.
I wonder how the values and principles behind these laws will be reinterpreted by the new generation. The key is determining what value was institutionalized by the policy in question.
For example, what was the principle behind banning gay marriage? If it promoted the value of ‘healthy families’, then how will the new generation institutionalize the value of ‘healthy families’?
If the value behind criminalizing marijuana was temperance, how will this generation’s vision of temperance manifest itself in law?
Only time can help us see which values are at the core of these laws, how those values will be interpreted and the new ways they become institutionalized. But I’m excited to see it happen.
“The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions, for life is a kind of chess.” – Benjamin Franklin
So what lessons can chess teach us about public relations?
Never rush a decision you have the luxury to think through.
Modern public relations professionals have spent the last digital revolution talking about the swiftness that public relations now demands. It is absolutely true that we should take advantage of opportunities and respond to threats with increased tempo, but not every decision needs to be rushed. We should savor the moments we get to be deliberate.
The planning phase of a PR campaign affords professionals the time to think through their options. In chess, everything is on hold until you make your next move. Similarly, the future will have to wait for the present to pass through. When making future plans for your organization, take full advantage of the time you have and be thorough with your strategy.
Understand the implications of your work.
Suppose you represent a chemical company and have convinced the C-Suite that some corporate social responsibility is just what the PR doctor ordered. When creating your CSR campaign, you will want to consider the implications of a successful campaign.
For example, if your client successfully positions itself as a leader in green chemical policy, it will surely undergo increased scrutiny from critics and journalists. Are you sure your client is ready for the limelight?
Thinking through the implications of your ideas is vital to defending and improving your future positions in chess and public relations.
You can do a lot with a little.
Consider the position below:
We see that with some scrappy play and creativity, black managed to eek out a win despite being at a severe disadvantage.
Of course, we all want big budgets and big results. But sometimes we can have small budgets and big results. Remember that Dollar Shave Club video? Through one viral video and word of mouth, the tiny startup called Dollar Shave Club became an overnight success.
Don’t move until you see all the moves.
Another way to think about this adage is that your first instinct may not be your best alternative. In chess, there a finite (albeit often large) number of legal moves available to you each turn. In the real-world public relations landscape, the alternatives are even more plentiful.
Treat alternatives with the respect they deserve. Some days you have few options, but that should only serve to help you appreciate the days when you have many. By attending to all your alternative courses of action and thinking through your options on behalf of a client, you will open yourself to the possibility of out-of-the-box creative alternatives making themselves apparent.
Once the game is over, the king and pawn go in the same box.
Remember that you play many roles. You may be a Senior Account Executive, but you probably remember when you were an Assistant Account Executive. Maybe you were entry level and now you are a Senior Vice President. Whatever the case, remember to value each member of your team and their input. After all, you are on the same team.
This also applies to your roles beyond the workplace as an individual, a friend and a family member. When in doubt, draw on your personal experiences and values to make the right decision. You are a consumer as well as a PR professional. If you think something would not work on you, then take heed. If something feels wrong, it probably is, and when something in your life provides inspiration for a new idea, thank yourself for paying attention to the reality beyond your current position.
Source There are lots of stories about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie praising President Obama and his administration for their response to Hurricane Sandy. At first I was surprised to see a public figure profusely praise someone in the opposite party, especially so near an election. However, the more I thought about the situation the [...]
Source As we enter the final phase of the presidential campaign, there is little more for the candidates to do than advertise, spin and stump. Today I want to look at the last of those three: stump speeches. I have been reading Ted Sorensen’s autobiography, which has a chapter devoted to speechwriting. As I read [...]
