Election day was exciting wasn't it?
I was especially moved by Mr. McCain and the thousands who followed his example and graciously conceded the need to now unite behind one president.
I, for one, congratulate President Elect Obama and Vice President Elect Biden. It's pretty much a given that the Obama campaign strategy will be one for many case studies to follow. Their use of social media, social networks and other electronic data streams to communicate and change hearts and minds in favor of their candidate was impressive. 'Might even say historical.
I wonder, though. Now that the campaign is over, will the communications from the Obama camp degrade to a slow trickle? Will we still hear from @BarackObama on Twitter? Will the Facebook site now grow stale? Will the text messages stop?
I hope not. At least not entirely. Because now that change of the election results have been announced, communication, in all its forms, will be just as important as ever in the initial months following the event. The next 90 to 180 days will be critical.
Change Happens.
It was interesting for me to look at the initial announcement from an organizational change management perspective.
In a previous post I wrote about the tendency for positively perceived change to follow stages that begins with optimism for all that the change event represents.
Soon afterwards, that optimism inevitably transitions to informed pessimism when reality begins dulling the luster of high expectations.
At the top of that change curve (highest pessimism), those experiencing change will inevitably begin to tune out if not re-engaged in the vision, objectives and expectations of the change. It's at that point that communication, perhaps more than at any other point along the curve, will need to be stepped up.
Meanwhile, while the dynamics for positively perceived change is playing out, a similar dynamic, but with an entirely different profile, will be playing out for those who perceived the change as negative. (e.g., Those who really wanted McCain to win.) For these folks, the change curve may appear a little closer to something akin to the various stages of grief when experiencing a death.
In the middle of this curve, right about the time denial and anger begin setting in (however mild or strong), is where communication and support needs to occur.
Sure, eventually, people work it out. One way or the other they find their way through it all and eventually get to a point where the idea of "moving on" is tested and ultimately accepted. Naturally, the rate at which different people proceed through the various stages will differ.
As Change Management pundits may point out, it's possible to normalize that timeline somewhat by ensuring communication and support programs are in place to help people--masses in this case--navigate the various stages of the initial change event. In that way, they're able to work more quickly toward a desired positive outcome.
The First 100 Days.
That's why the traditional state of the union speech that typically happens after the first 100 days is so important. It's one channel through which our country's leadership team provides much needed communication as the country navigates through the various change curves.
The first 90 to 180 days will be somewhat chaotic, emotionally speaking, for our country as the dynamics of both change curves play out in overlapping fashion.
Don't Screw Up the End Game.
It's with the red zone in mind that I make this little plea to the Obama administration, don't screw up the end game.
You started with a good run. You used social media, online communities and various other electronic outposts in innovative ways not before seen by any political campaign. You wielded these tools strategically to get out the vote, energize communities, build relationships and mobilize a tribe. Don't stop now.
Use those same tools even before the 100-day state of the union address. Don't wait for 100 days before communicating to the American people.
Of those who voted for the other candidate, they'll need assurances and support to get them through the anxiety borne from anger and depression. Of those who voted for you, they're likely to experience the phenomenon of informed pessimism as they reconcile reality with earlier expectations.
I, for one, admire you for the judgment I saw.
For the promise of a leader who, though perhaps inexperienced for the high office he is about to fill, has convinced this author of his capacity to select smart people to advise him.
I have expectations and hope for a leader who will skillfully orchestrate a cohesive team where each member is rewarded for candid and reasoned advice, penalized for "group-think," and praised for the courage to change her/his position--yes, change a position on a topic--when confronted with credible and reasonable new information that compels him to do so.
And through it all, I have the expectation of a leader who will communicate frequently and often to his constituents in the coming months.
Look at the curves above. I'm about to be pessimistic soon. Count on it.
Keep listening to the data stream. Keep-a-Twitterin', keep-a-Facebookin', keep-a-communicatin'.
Don't screw up the end game Mr. President.
