LONDON — It’s been hard not to think about Korea this week.  But I have different things on my mind.  Not the loss of a dictator.  Not the worry that still has South Korean’s practicing evacuations like WWII Britain and Cold War America.

I am thinking about Korea’s fertile business culture and the country’s uncanny ability to reinvent itself, rebuild and refocus just in time for tremendous success.

See if you can read this bit without stopping in your tracks:

• in 1961 South Korea ranked 117th in the world for arable land per capita (behind Saudi Arabia and Somalia)
• in the last 50 years Korea’s per-capita GDP has grown at 23,000 percent
• today the tiny country (smaller than Iceland) has the world’s 12th largest economy by purchasing power
• unemployment is 3.2 percent
• one of the world’s lowest rates of public debt
• 80% of the 49 million people live in urban areas
• Koreans are four times as likely to have high-speed internet access as Americans and they pay very little for it

A series of seemingly prescient government decisions have constantly shoved the economy in the right direction.  Even through the tough economic times in the late 90s and mid 2000s the countries has seemed to make the right choices.

Today they are pushing — against their own traditions — for more entrepreneurship.  And I wouldn’t bet against them.

In fact, I’d like to be there now. If the chaebols’ would give us a call? Samsung, LG, SK… we’d like a word.

/df

SOUTH WEST LONDON — They say it’s broken.  But I am not convinced it ever really worked.  The company cascade is like the Lost City of Atlantis… or the missing Beach Boys album.  Many people think it’s out there, but disappointment is the most likely outcome.

Here’s how the theory goes:
• You start at the top with a message.
• You give it to a few people.
• They give it to a few people.
• And soon enough the whole business has heard.

Not only have they heard, but they’ve received a compelling, first-hand account of something important.

It can’t fail.  And what a compelling idea.  So simple, so… unlikely to deliver the results you are seeking.

The problem with cascades is that, in spite of some great theory and massive stores of ‘best practice’, they rarely do what people want them to do.

There are two problems: Expectations and implementation.

The expectations for cascades tend to assume that a message will make it through the business.  And that the message will arrive in one piece.  And that people will know what to do with it.  And — perhaps most wildly optimistic of all — that it will change people’s behaviour.

Those expectations are not bad things.  It would be great to have any system that could do that.  But they are simply unrealistic.

The same often happens with the implementation.  We tend to believe that a compelling bit of prose, or an arresting headline will ensure that a message arrives at its intended location.  An unfortunately that’s unrealistic too.  Cascades tend to focus on reporting facts, to avoid misinterpretation.  And facts, unfortunately, are not what drive people to change their behaviour.  Behaviour is driven by understanding and appreciation of information.

To get that you need to explain information, provide context and ensure understanding.  Few cascades can do that.

It’s a shame really.  Because an employee cascade is a very enticing prospect. 

Unfortunately what we want the cascade to do it simply more than it can.

/df

GREAT PORTLAND STREET - Not far from our offices is the Chinese Embassy in the UK.  Across the street there’s a booth set up and someone practising Falun Gong 24 hours a day. Falun Gong (which just looks like aerobics to you and me) is illegal in China.

It’s undoubted that they are annoying the Embassy by doing this. And drawing attention to themselves in a peculiar way — though one that Jane Fonda would approve of.

This is a very subtle, but effective, way of drawing attention to yourself.  It’s probably not for us.

How to draw attention to yourself is a question we face in professional services. We want to share our ideas and expertise with people.  But we can’t take out ads, or stage protests or stunts.

And this week we have a film to promote. We think Social Media @ Work is a very interesting online event.  We like the idea of putting experts and interesting people infront of a camera to debate.  And then broadcasting that in a form that is engaging and interesting.

We want you to see it.

So how do we do that?

/df

LONDON — I’ve just been reading about a company that offers “custom executive education” and does so very successfully around the world.

It’s an interesting business.  We were talking to the good people at BraveNewTalent about the subject yesterday. 

How do companies get talented people to learn and grow at / for the job?

Just how many business training companies can you name?  Yes, I couldn’t name any either. 

How about Able and How?  We have been doing successful, bespoke and no-nonsense courses for big international firms since the day we set up.

We offer courses in leadership communication, change management, organisational strategy, and all sorts of other things. 

The difference between what we do and those associated with universities, or the many training ‘schools’ that seem to appear on door-frames up and down Oxford Street, is experience.

We offer training that really is connected to actual business issues.  More often than not, companies ask us to do that because we are working on their business issues at the same time.

As one the best global change management consultancies we work with great, big firms to make them greater and sometimes bigger.  So our training and work with executives is connected directly to what they need and where they are.

From a pedagogical perspective we are equally sound.  Out executive education is equal in terms of interaction, class-time, learning styles and experiential impact to anyone out there.  In fact, our clients say that it is better.  But it would be immodest to say that.

And we would never do that.

/df

LATE IN LONDON — We like lists and in recent times this blog may have been harder on Internal Communicators than is deserved.

So here are a few things that you can do in a single day.  They will advance your case, secure your reputation and make your organisation more successful.

1. Create a six month plan on one page

Put the months across the top and down the left hand side write the business-wide, functional, geographic and any other grouping where activities are generated.  Put your channel publication schedule across the very bottom (if it will fit.)

2. Go and help a colleague communicate something

It doesn’t have to be the CEO or Board, or the Head of HR or Finance.  It can be Bill in Facilities.  Just make a friend and hone your skills on something that will give you no glory, but make Bill’s communication more successful.

3. Spike that human-interest story

You know the one about the lady in that office.  Which is far from here.  And she does that thing, that you can’t help being a bit patronising about.

Write instead about someone doing something vital and exciting that really is ambitious and takes the business forward.  It could even be that lady in that office, but you’ve gotta be impressed by it (and a bit in awe).

4. Get in front of the big change communications programmes

You know the thing that is rumoured?  Or announced but feared?  You may even be aware of it and a bit worried that you may be asked to help with it.  It’s big and not popular or not guaranteed success.

That’s the one.  It’s going to change the business, and like it or not, it’s your job to help make it work.  Go now and get in front of it.

5. Say “I know a really good change communications company.” And get some good advice

It doesn’t have to be us (although I’d rather if it was) but there are a unique combination of skills that you need.  You have to get the project sponsors to draw breath long enough to regroup and focus their planning and engagement.  You can do it.  You’ll learn in the process.

Thanks for listening.  I can go to sleep now.

/df

P.S. The lady up top is ‘leading the parade’.  Right.

LONDON — We’ve just been working in the United States again a lot.  And of course we have clients in Europe, the Middle East and a lot in Africa too the moment.  So we’re pretty clear about how organisations communicate over great distances.

But social media at work is not really the answer to that question.

We’re also completing our film on social media at work.  It’s called #worksm and we’ll be launching it on an unsuspecting world in a few weeks time.  It draws together about a dozen top thinkers on the topic.

But all that only means draws the issues into slightly clearer focus.

At the moment there’s also a mad story running in the UK about super-injunctions.  Journalists, footballers and socialites have been making use of the UK’s stronger privacy laws to stop tabloids reporting tittle-tattle.  And Twitter users have been delighting in reporting some random names none the less… (Often is seems the Tweets emanate from tabloid newsrooms anyway.)

In Canada, the recent election has put the country’s election mandarins into a tight corner.  They wanted to enforce Canada’s reporting black-out across the country’s 5.5 timezones.  Meaning for many hours after Newfoundland has counted all its votes, British Columbia must still be none the wiser.  Again Twitter users were indignant and pushed out info as soon as they had it.

Democracy in action.

Right?

Yea, I’m not sure either.

In both Canada and the UK these ‘democratic’ movements to ‘liberate’ information have actually just created a massive wall of noise.  If you believe everything you read…

Well if you believe everything you read we’re all pretty potty-mouthed and pointless.

(Popular Twitter topics as I write: ‘Obsessive [X-Factor Boy Band] One Direction Fans’; Something about a Dutch footballer called Landzaat; and #youwerecooluntil which seems to be a new way of insulting friends.)

Like any new fashion, social media channels struggle to find their feet.  They will settle down and become easier to use.  But for the moment they mostly remain the Wild West.

So how does that look for your business?  Twitter? Facebook? YouTube?

There are definitely things to do.  But there’s plenty to be wary of too.

/df

LONDON — Kim’s in Egypt this week. 

Yea.  That’s something isn’t it?

You wouldn’t imagine that someone is in Egypt, after we watched the recent (mostly peaceful) revolution, and not think it mattered.

Detroit.

It’s a city that may have passed it’s prime.  Today I read that 25% of the population of Detroit has left in the past 10 years.  And that is equivalent to one person leaving every 22 minutes.

That’s amazing!  What does it tell you about Detroit?  Quite a lot.

Many of those who enthusiastically inhabit the wired world — Twitter, Facebook, etc. — will try to tell you that location is no longer important.  But it is. 

We are formed and constantly prompted by our environment.  To forget that is to do both communications and people a disservice.

/df

Washington, DC — It’s great to read good American newspapers again, like the Washington Post.  For the first time ever it has made me think about retirement.  Because that’s when I will be able to read the Post, and weekly editions of the New Yorker, from cover to cover.

It was alarming to hear two weeks ago that online news readership has now surpassed the reading of newspapers.  Because newspapers give you so much more to think about.

However, even I, a child wrapped in newsprint at birth, couldn’t bring myself to pay the $22 to get into the Newseum in Washington this week.  Sometimes newspapers and the news media can be their own worst enemy.

For example, I am quite horrified to find that even when reporters are talking on CNN – live from the battlefield — there is now music playing in the background: Dun-dun, dun-dun…  It’s like the world has turned into a comic strip.

Last night, in a rainy Georgetown, I was delighted to find a paper copy of The Onion.  A paper that I started reading online many years ago.  And some say the most credible paper in America.  Unfortunately it is all spoof news.  But often spoof news that is right on the mark.

“Deaths Of 20,000 Japanese Afford Planet Solid 15 Minutes In Which Everyone Acts Like A Human Being”

It’s a top Onion headline that is too long to be read by many of the busy people who should find it worrying.

Distance in many cases has turned news and communication into a bad mix of adrenaline and the need for sensational ‘breaking news’.  What ever happened to sitting and thinking about it a bit?

Whether it’s at work or at home, it feels like we could all do with a chance to sit down and really understand what’s going on.

Meanwhile, the local ABC station tells us: “Breaking news: Don’t drink the rainwater.  There could be Japanese radiation in it.” Dun-dun, dun-dun…

Really?

/df

PARSONS GREEN — Like the recent ‘Jasmine Revolution’ protest in China, more spectators and officials show up at social media sites these days than actual participants.

It’s early maybe to call time on Facebook.  But the signs are definitely there.  Where once there were lots of people flapping about and making mistakes (oh, how we laughed…?) the halls of social media are starting to echo.

The early adopters HAVE noticed this. I am sure they have.  But having found a place to call their own, their slow to face the loss.

Today everything from Manchester United football team to Gorbachev’s 80th birthday party (there’s an odd one) are inviting you to ‘like’ their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter.

Unfortunately most of us are maxed out as it is.

I follow the Montreal Canadiens (ice hockey) and the Montreal Allouettes (of the far superior Canadian football) on Facebook. And the Fulham Football Club and Formula 1 on Twitter. Honestly thought I don’t really follow them anywhere. Along with Alumni Pub Nights in places I don’t live, with photos of people I don’t know, these are things that pass by my field of vision sometimes.

Random samplings.

That’s as good as it gets.

I expect them all to move into a box in my electronic attic soon.

And where will we be then?

Pretty much where we were before: talking.

Hi, I’m David.

/df

Avram Grant is becoming superstitious

Board backs Houllier to ‘change culture’
says my paper this morning.  Suggesting the French football managers responsible for the rapidly sinking team Aston Villa might fix some unnamed ills that were made evident over the summer.  Culture change, eh?  We do that.

Grant pushed faith in lucky Hammers scarf
says the piece beside it.  So the Israeli manager of West Ham football team has chosen a less complicated route to glory. How many businesses do this? ‘CEO to keep wearing lucky shoes.’

Love of ‘Brigadoon’ inspires Vegas tycoon to leave fortune to Scotland
is about an eccentric man from Vegas with a vaguely Scottish name who has killed himself and left his fortune to the National Trust for Scotland.  He’s never been there, but loved the film Brigadoon.  His best mate who got his dog and vet bills, but no cash, was unimpressed.

Buying BP or backing EasyJet
are both business stories that are being written like page turning novels. We have worked with execs at both. Stories of their success are far more exciting that the ones of failure the press are looking for.

Unfortunately, success, like big dreams, dirty scarves and culture change, happens slowly over time… more suited to the book than the headline or tweet.

/df