Conduct a quick survey of C-level execs and you will find that they have one thing in common: They are held to strict, metrics-based performance standards. It is this shared connection that often separates the C-suite from public relations practitioners, who have never consistently operated within the parameters of immutable data.
However, as most PR execs know, the public relations function—long relegated to the fringes of organizations’ strategy centers—has become a critical driver of success, thanks in large part to today’s changing business environment. But that’s not to say the ability to prove value in quantifiable terms has accompanied this shift in strategic importance; on the contrary, many communicators—in PR and in marketing—must still fight for representation in the C-suite’s meritocracy.
The solution: Applying appropriate techniques drawn from Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology to help communications executives achieve data-wielding parity in the C-suite.
LSS & COMMUNICATIONS = OIL & WATER?
Granted, on the surface, the science of LSS and the art of public relations seem incompatible. After all, LSS—an iteration of the Six Sigma methodology first introduced in the early 1980s by Motorola—is criticized by opponents, who claim it stifles creativity and forces sameness, all in the name of efficiency. Public relations, on the other hand, thrives on creativity and other intangibles that traditionally did not come with built-in metrics to prove ROI.
So where do these two disciplines intersect and how can communicators implement LSS methodologies to enhance their value? The answer to the first question is simple: Communications process improvements (CPI), which is a structured, problem-solving method that generates constant, cross-functional awareness of how things should happen, why they’re not happening that way now and how to make sure they are done properly on a continuously improving basis going forward. By solving these problems, CPI:
• Eliminates current barriers to achievement;
• Continually upgrades the quality of outcomes;
• Generates a steady flow of data and measurement that delivers, and then proves delivery of, increasing customer satisfaction; and,
• Affords creative people the time to actually be creative without wasting time on redundant projects.
As for the second question, the answer lies in understanding—and following—the five classic LSS steps that CPI adapts for use in corporate or organizational public relations. Expressed as the acronym DMAIC, these steps are to:
• Define
• Measure
• Analyze
• Improve
• Control
To gain a more thorough understanding of how these steps can be applied to public relations activities, consider the following steps:
â–¶ Define stakeholders and what they care about most. First, execs must define the process they want to improve through CPI—public relations, internal, external or executive communications, customer service, advertising, etc. Then, they must identify the process’ target stakeholder groups (employees, customers, investors, etc.), determine what outcomes and characteristics of the process matter most to them and create a realistic assessment of how the process is working (or not working) now. The latter step can be done through surveys, focus groups and other feedback mechanisms, as well as with existing data (CRM, Web analytics, etc.), which will reveal what the target stakeholder group views as “critical to quality” (CTQ).
This stage is also the time to establish appropriate baseline metrics to determine how the process should be measured to gauge future improvement. For example, if the process is writing and publishing news releases, the metrics might include the number of rewrites, the number of approvals, time elapsed from assigning the release to its publication, time required for approvals from outside sources quoted in the release and each release’s eventual business impact.
â–¶ Measure what is important. Now is the time for communications executives to map out the process “as is” and assess it against the list of CTQs revealed in the “Define” stage. In doing so, they will see a disparity between how things are and how the target stakeholder group wants them to be. This is known as a “gap analysis.” Then, execs must zero in on key measures—parts of the process that bear most strongly on moving it from its current state toward the desired state.
â–¶ Analyze input variables to find root causes. This is the stage where assessing the problem begins to point to solutions. The main goal is determine the root causes keeping the process from delivering CTQs. Input variables are potential pain points or roadblocks to achieving customer satisfaction. These could include a lack of budget, cooperation or interest; a lack of data, strategy or market analysis; or a lack of visibility or credibility.
The accompanying graphic shows how a company first identified components of the communications planning process, then grouped those components into four main input variables that could cause a failure in achieving the team’s key measures.
Once the team determines the key input variables, it’s time to ï¬nd root causes by asking the “5 whys,” an exercise that strips away layers of complexity to help clarify the fundamental causes of problems and thus reveal their solutions.
â–¶ Improve by developing and testing possible solutions. Here execs create a new process map depicting how the input variables and sub-processes should flow to achieve the most important CTQs/key measures in light of the newly revealed root causes. Then they must start executing the entire process as the new map suggests. With the ideal process map completed, it’s time to implement the changes by determining:
• Who on the team must do what and when?
• Who is responsible for each step of the new process?
• Which required resources are on hand/need to be developed?
• How will the expense of needed changes fit within existing budgets?
• How is the ROI of the new process measured?
â–¶ Control to assure continuous improvement. In the final stage of CPI, execs create two intersecting plans: a defensive plan to assure the new process works in delivering promised benefits and an offensive plan to assure the process gets better over time as the team learns and develops richer skills from stakeholder feedback.
Ultimately, embracing the potential CPI can prove the inherent value of communications activities within any organization. PRN
CONTACT:
This article was written by Courtney Barnes (MH Group Communications) and Reid Walker (Lenovo), and appears courtesy of the Journal of Business Strategy. The authors can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].