…and why trend-setters in today’s corporate world are quick to follow their example!

by Dan Carrison and Rod Walsh

There are a lot of very practical reasons for Marines to watch their language, especially on the battlefield.

For example, Marines  never use the word “Repeat” in radio communications, for fear that it may be misinterpreted as “Retreat.” Instead, a Marine will use the phrase “I say again”-a little clumsy, perhaps, but certainly unambiguous.

The Army may refer to a hole dug in the ground as a “fox hole,” but Marines balk at the term; after all, foxes hide in fox holes. The same hole, in Marine parlance, is a “fighting hole.” And, while Army soldiers refer to their drab, olive green, field uniforms “fatigues,” Marines call their exact same drab, olive green, uniforms “utilities.”

There is another word you’ll never hear a Marine Corps officer, sergeant, or drill instructor use – and that is, “Manage.” In fact the word is treated with such abhorrence, it is often referred to as the “M Word.”

That’s because Marines are trained to lead, not to manage.

Lead, manage…so what’s the difference

Now, to those of us who are managers, the distinction may not be so obvious. Here, then, are a few of the differences between “managing” and “leading,” as seen from the Marine Corps perspective.

Managers push their people. Leaders pull theirs’ by sheer force of personal example.

Managers order their personnel to get the job done. Leaders inspire their personnel to get the job done.

Managers build a fire under your butt. Leaders build a fire in your belly.

“Hands on” managers cultivate obedience. “Hands off” leaders cultivate independence and resourcefulness.

Managers consider themselves part of an exclusive club. Leaders maintain the respect and fellowship of the rank and file.

Managers accept credit for the success of their subordinates. Leaders turn away from the spotlight, letting it shine upon those they have the honor to lead.

When a project turns sour, the manager asks, “Who is responsible?” Leaders say “I am.”

You work overtime for a manager; You work all the time for a leader.

Managers need to constantly make their presence known. Leaders inspire from afar – even from the grave.

We hope we’ve given you an idea of why Marines never use the “M Word.”

But before you despair, we do believe that Marine officers, sergeants, and drill instructors would be very impressed by the new breed of managers, leading the corporate mission, in today’s workplace.

Now and then, though, it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves of the differences between the “M Word” and the “L Word.”

Click to VOTE!

It’s the Marine Corps motto, Latin for “aways faithful”.

During this holiday season, let us not forget to remember those who have always been faithful…

To our great Nation, to our Faith and to our Family….

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A Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.

What I do care about is the horrible manner in which Tiger is managing his communications during this time.  He further fueled the situation by allowing his lawyer to dictate what he should say to the media and the police.  “It’s a family matter…” is a legalistic move that will damage Tiger’s chances at mitigating this issue and moving on with his life and career.

Here’s what he should’ve done:

1)      Tell the truth.  Celebrities don’t get to have secrets.

2)      Tell the truth.  This isn’t Napa Valley and bad news doesn’t get better with age. 

3)      Tell the truth.  Formulate a communication strategy, execute the plan, and stick with it.

4)      Then, tell the truth.  Get out in front of the media and tell them what happened, again and again until they get sick of the same story.

5)      Relegate your lawyer to legal matters, not communications.

By relying on lawyers, you may stay out of jail, however, life can continue to be miserable…, profits can continue to tank…, and worst of all, your reputation or your company’s reputation can be ruined for life.

A Communication Counselor’s involvement is absolutely necessary during times when the media is on a feeding frenzy. 

Unfortunately, the “Tiger Woods” brand has now been inflicted by the media and its audiences.

Fortunately, the American audience is a forgiving public. 

Tiger: communication takes work – hire someone.  SOON!

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A Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.

The teachers are well educated with most holding at least a master’s degree from an accredited school. From what I can tell, most have been teaching for a minimum of 10-15 years if not longer. 

So why is it so difficult to communicate with them?

I wrote a simple email to one teacher requesting information about my child’s yearbook today.  Here’s the email I sent and received… (of course, you’ll need to read from the bottom up.)

Danny Chung,

You can send them to me and i will pass them to the appropriate student, A***e B**d thanks P R*****h

 >>> <Danny.Chung@******.***.mil> 11/30/2009 12:18 PM >>>

Mr. R*****h,

I have submitted a form for a personalized “dedication” page in the yearbook and would like some information as to the details of when and to whom I should submit the photos.

 Thank you,

-Danny Chung

As you can see, the teacher didn’t bother with a salutation, proper punctuation, nor any semblance of sentence structure.  Most importantly, he fails to address my request for “details”.  He simply writes back as quickly as possible with little regard for what I am requesting.  This is a complete failure to communicate!  And this is not an isolated incident.  From the front office, to the counselors, and to the very teachers, whether speaking on the telephone or by email, this example is about as good as it gets.

This is a rudimentary skill that is clearly lacking in our public schools.  How are we to expect our students to go out and get jobs if the very teachers educating them cannot lead by example?

More to the point of searching for that “dream job”, remember what you write can have serious consequences.  Whether they are positive or negative depends entirely upon you.

How will you brand yourself?

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A Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.

Here’ the question:

Why is “Communication” or “Corporate Communications” a job function so difficult to find?

i.e., take a look at LinkedIn’s “Categorize your question” fields or any company’s hiring board. We are asked to categorize our profession, yet it is often a toss up between Marketing or Public Relations. Have we, as a profession of communicators progressed so little that Corporate America still lacks awareness that this is a vital segment of successful business operations?

Everything from human resource functions to crisis communications are critical to having professional communication experts at the helm, yet this does not seem to be the case. Or at a minimum, there is a distinct lack of awareness.

Your thoughts?

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Hot-Spot target, bulls-eye!

The responses from the LinkedIn Community was overwhelming.  Most responses resoundingly indicated a need to identify and BRAND our profession.  We are public speakers, writers, media relations, community relations, and reputation managers…  We manage expectations, keep employees engaged, and ensure everyone, from every corner of the globe understands the corporate message…  We provide not only the feedback, but plan and manage the avenues for feedback…  We are communication enablers.

In reference to this question, one response caught my eye.  The below is an excerpt from a response posted by Mr. Jim Lukaszewski.  He asks if professional communicators can answer the following:

Can you give me advice on the spot?
Will you tell me things I don’t already know?
Can you help me with what to do next?
Will you ask managerially relevant questions?
Can you help me finish the stuff I was supposed to have done last Week?
Will you help me identify the options available to me?
Can you be brief, succinct, and helpful, from my perspective?
Are you on my team or somebody else’s (like the reporter’s?)
Will you work without a lot of praise and recognition?
Can you let go of your ideas when I take credit for them?
Will you tolerate my ignoring your advice a lot, and asking others the same questions?
Can you work without whining about the lawyers and my other consultants?

These and others are relevant and vital questions to ask yourself.

As communication professionals, we are so much more than simply a mouthpiece, we are a counselor.

As a Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.

In fact, this is the toughest part of my job as a Public Affairs Officer managing communication for the Marine Corps.

As a PAO, I don’t “spin” the facts and I don’t “doctor” the news.  I tell the truth.  I have nothing to sell you; only to communicate facts and bad news doesn’t grow in a vineyard, nor does it get better with age.

My job as a PAO is to communicate factual information about the Marine Corps, good or bad to our constituents in a timely manner, while balancing your right to know with my need to survive.

As a Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.

1. The Long Dinner
2. Reconnect and Connect
3. Get Branded
4. Wear It Right
5. Don’t Talk, Communicate!

If you forget everything, remember that in all five steps you are communicating.  The Long Dinner is setting the stage for proper communication; networking is communicating; branding is communicating… you get the idea.

Someone once said, you are ALWAYS marketing yourself.  I submit that we are always communicating something.  The boots you wear, the color of tie, even the perfume says something.

Do you carry an iPod or a Blackberry?  Do you drive a Camaro or a Hybrid?  Do you speak with an accent or a drawl?

Communication never stops.

Marketing on the other hand is wearing the loose-fitting jeans, boat shoes, t-shirt, un-tucked of course, and unkempt hair.

Marketing is wearing cuff links with slacks and dress shoes.

Marketing is selling; communicating is not.  (More on this later)

Know what to say; how to say it; and who you’re saying it to.  Be a professional communicator.  This is step 5.

As a Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.

Flacco did not communicate a plan clearly to his team, thus resulting in a nearly missed hand-off leading to a 2-yard loss vice a 1-yard gain giving them a touchdown, not to mention a win over the Colts.

Lack of communication leads to loss of profits, employee disengagement, and eventually the demise of a business or organization.  But why do major corporations continue to drive their businesses into the ground?  Did you think Enron faced ruin because of finances?  I submit it was due to a lack of clear and coherent communication.

Watching CNN makes someone a professional communicator as much as watching ER makes me a medical doctor. 

The truth is, watching the news does not make you a qualified corporate communication professional. 

Strategic communication planning, preparation for crises, and continuous fostering of media and community relations are all key components of communication.  Yet, most seem to think communication is a verb that takes place only when the issue arises.  A true communication professional is one who already knows what to say, when and where to say it, and who to say it to.

Communication is a process, which if used properly will keep your employees engaged, foster valuable relationships with community leaders and members of the media, and continue to drive your profits through the roof.

As a Public Affairs Officer for the Marines, Danny is an innovative and forward-thinking executive, with a passion for leveraging effective communications to fuel employee-engagement, build community goodwill, and drive profits.