In the 20th century, communication was really about media and broadcasting - getting visible, being seen in big spaces, counting the number of television minutes and newspaper column space.
The communication appetites of people in the 21st century are very different.
Most importantly, they are very individualized - and people must contend with far higher volumes of extraneous and unwanted content bombarding them continuously and from multiple directions.
To thrive, and deliver value and impact in the 21st century communication landscape, communication pros need to move beyond one-size-fits-all practices and thinking, and towards an approach that focuses less on reach and more on impact: CARDs.
The CARDs approach contains four key elements
C=Connect
A=Advocate
R=Research
D=Demonstrate
Why Does C=”Connect” And Not “Communicate”?
20th century communication was largely indiscriminate - especially inside of companies where employees were either seen as one large group, or a few groups like “line workers”, “managers” and “knowledge workers.”
But now, where noise is seen as a massive problem on one hand, and physical dispersion and disconnection is also a major challenge, communicators need to be much more focused on getting the right messages to the right people, and on bringing the right people together to spark innovation and build effective internal coalitions.
What Does “Advocating” Mean?
Being selective about communication means placing more importance on certain messages and amplifying them - and even, taking a stand.
Sometimes, that means focusing on priorities, sometimes it means connecting individual messages and priorities into cohesive themes, and sometimes, it means making a case for resources to be dedicated to make those priorities happen in reality.
Why Not Start With “research”?
Business is a dynamic world and it’s not always possible - or wise - to wait until all the research is done before launching initiatives.
Communication pros need to be ready and able to do research at any stage - and to advocate for building research into ongoing flow of business and project activity. Involving the right kinds of research to identify gaps and opportunities that business leaders and communication leaders can close and capitalize on.
What Do You Mean By “Demonstrate”?
Communication leaders, and communication activities, build credibility by linking their involvement with value that is created for the business and its stakeholders - be they employees, customers or the extended community. Demonstrating that impact - either through research, or even through well-told stories of specific examples - builds confidence and reduces resistance.
So, more simply, here are the key elements of the CARDs model:
Connect
Advocate
- Themes
- Priorities
- Resource investments
Research
- Words used
- Actions taken
- Sentiment
Demonstrate
- Gaps
- Successes
- Opportunities
Why Is This “The Winning Hand?”
The CARDs model is a guide for focusing on activities that add value - and which reduce or even cut through the noise that non-stop flows of internal and external communication can cause.
It’s also a way of arming communicators to think in a focused, effective and targeted way.
Rather than broadcast, connect.
Instead of looking neutral, advocate.
Since assuming doesn’t work, research.
When questioned about the value you add, demonstrate.
How Do You Play?
Shifting your internal comms to the CARDs model doesn’t require massive financial investment. But it does take a shift in thinking - from “engaging everyone” to doing things that make specific, tangible differences.
It Helps To Help A Good Platform - Preferably One That Allows You To Identify And Maintain Targeted Distribution Lists.
It also helps to be free to ask good, open-ended questions, rather than being stuck using things like “employee engagement surveys” which rarely probe specific and actionable matters.
And it helps to have support to get started - to accelerate connections and advocacy, and deliver research that helps demonstrate value.
But the most important step is to recognize that we are playing a new game, and the right CARDs are what it takes to win.
What’s Next:
