Strategic Communications Series #4
Savvy superintendents work with their school boards and organizations to develop a strategic communication plan. In larger districts, that plan may include a communications specialist to drive and operationalize the plan. In smaller districts, that responsibility may rest with an executive-level leader or the superintendent. In an era of choice and pandemic-driven decision-making, school districts are smart to build a brand that its families and community are proud to support.
Like all complex organizational structures, communication lies at the core of its organizational identity. In fact, its brand depends on its ability to communicate its vision, which drives brand recognition and brand loyalty.
With its roots in the military, strategic communication focuses on advancing objectives by working together to achieve a common goal. The term deconflict captures the essence of strategic communication: reduce the risk of collision. Organizationally speaking, substitute conflict for collision and you're on your way to grasping strategic communication. Effective communication reduces conflict. The goal is to prevent a situation from escalating to conflict. For an organization, it may be the difference between moving a step forward or two steps back.
This series of messages exemplify the spirit of strategically communicating compassion and hope as we enter the summer months and look forward to a "normal" 2021-22. The messages were delivered in anticipation of the California governor reopening the economy by lifting restrictions, and then the weeks following the executive order, which turned out to be the beginning of a highly contentious school year punctuated by divisions over masking.