Navigating the Populist Era With Intent
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The document outlines a framework for businesses to navigate the challenges of a populist era marked by polarization, societal fears, and rapid change. It emphasizes the importance of understanding stakeholder perspectives, aligning leadership, and effectively managing both online and offline conversations to address complex issues. Through workshops and strategic planning, organizations can evaluate risks, prioritize issues, and prepare their messaging while considering the consequences of their actions.
Navigating the Populist Era With Intent
- 1. A FRAMEWORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS Navigating The Populist Era with Intent
- 2. 1 POPULISM POLARIZATION & MOBILIZATION UNCERTAINTY & INSTABILITY RISK & OPPORTUNITY= = =
- 3. SOCIETAL AND ECONOMIC FEARS DRIVE POLARIZATION 2 62% Concerned 27% Fearful 56% Concerned 25% Fearful 55% Concerned 28% Fearful 54% Concerned 28% Fearful 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer 53% of people believe the pace of change in business and industry is TOO FAST CORRUPTION IMMIGRATION GLOBALIZATION ERODING SOCIAL VALUES AUTOMATION TAKING YOUR JOB AWAY 69% Concerned 40% Fearful
- 4. MEDIA REINFORCES VIEWPOINTS AND DEEPENS DIVIDES 3 A NEW MEDIA SPECTRUM EMERGES ECHO CHAMBERS ELIMINATE COMPETING VIEWS
- 5. THE POPULATION TURNS TO INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE ACTIVISM 4 POSTS/ SHARES ONLINE/SOCIAL ATTACKS LOBBYING BOYCOTTS WALKOUTS/ STRIKES HACKS/ LEAKS PROPERTY DAMAGE ACTS OF VIOLENCE
- 6. WHAT MATTERS IS COMPLEX AND CONSTANTLY EVOLVING 5 STAKEHOLDERS • Internal Cross-Functional Leadership Team • Employees • Customers • Consumers • Business Partners • Policymakers • Media/Online Influencers • Online Activists and Trend Setters • Opinion Elites • Shareholders/Investors ISSUES • Human Rights and Social Equality • Immigration • Infrastructure • Labor & Jobs • Online Behavior and Cyber Threats • Natural Disasters • Climate Change • Privacy • Supply Chain • Trade • Acts of Terror • Criminal Justice Systems and Rehabilitation • Education Reform and Inequities • Tax • Manufacturing • Women’s Health
- 7. IS THERE A RIGHT THING TO DO? 6 • Do you aspire to be an activist brand or want to defend your license to operate? Or maintain business as usual? • How ready is your organization and leadership team to tackle tough issues? What is your company’s desired end state? • Do you know where your stakeholders stand on these issues? What your employees expect? How either group sees your role? • What could be the unintended consequences of action? Inaction? • Who will criticize you if you do engage? If you don’t? How influential are they?
- 8. OBJECTIVE 7 Effectively manage the online and offline conversation about your brand and enterprise through intentional decision making and preparation: • Internal alignment on intent and desired outcomes • Replicable framework to navigate risks • Issues prioritization mapping by impact • Bespoke engagement plans to dynamic issues and risks • Go-forward process and protocols
- 9. ELIMINATING THE GUESSWORK: A ROADMAP FOR NAVIGATING THE POPULIST ECOSYSTEM Collect feedback from multi- disciplinary leaders and a communications content audit to understand the industry and business inside and out. 8 Gauge the opinions of key audiences on issues facing the company and how they would react to your potential actions. In a workshop format, we consider the information we have gathered, assess risks, prioritize issues and align on a path forward to the desired impact. LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS AUDIT AUDIENCE PERCEPTION ANALYSIS ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP
- 10. • Defining your role: lead, participate or monitor/watch • Understanding your audience • Refining your message • Preparing your messengers • Setting boundaries and degree of commitment • Determining timing • Pressure testing the approach • Developing a channel strategy • Activating advocates, employees and partners • Ongoing monitoring and intelligence gathering • Measuring program impact • Proactive communications programming strategy session (CCO) • Brand protect/promote strategy session (CMO) OUTPUTS CUSTOMIZED FOR EACH EFFORT Working draft coming out of the workshop to address tough issues: • Decision making framework • Prioritized issues list • Scenario plans for 2-3 issues (with guidance to create others) • Measurement approach • Teams, roles and remits 9 PLAYBOOK VERSION 1.0 CONSULTING AND ONGOING ACTIVATION
- 11. TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT: 10 MICHAEL STEWART Global Vice Chairman Edelman Michael.Stewart@edelman.com BEN BOYD President, Practices & Sectors Edelman Ben.Boyd@edelman.com HARLAN LOEB Global Chair, Crisis & Risk Edelman Harlan.Loeb@edelman.com ROB REHG President, Washington, DC Edelman Rob.Rehg@edelman.com ANTOINE HARARY Global Managing Director Edelman Intelligence Antoine.Harary@edelman.com AMY HEMINGWAY Executive Vice President Edelman Amy.Hemingway@edelman.com KARI BUTCHER Executive Vice President Edelman Intelligence Kari.Butcher@edelman.com JACLYN ANDERSON Senior Vice President, Crisis & Risk Edelman Rob.Rehg@edelman.com