A couple of years ago, GolinHarris published “The Next 50 Years,” a booklet intended to share our view of the future and how emerging trends would impact communications. Among our predictions, we suggested that the USA would soon elect an African-American president.

We also said that authenticity would emerge as central to earning trust. These two ideas intersected in an unprecedented way in 2008. Every day the world's political and business leaders perform in front of voters, employees, shareholders and the general public. Every word is weighed, every deed dissected — in print, on air, online and in person. Perhaps the biggest stage for communications was the recent American presidential election campaign, which became a referendum on reality.

Or more importantly, who is real and who isn't. In the 2008 election, many of the candidates were authentic — at least to certain segments of the population. Hillary Clinton was a hard-working woman who understood the plight of the blue collar worker. John McCain was a war hero and a maverick. Sarah Palin was a small town “hockey mom” who loved to hunt. And Barack Obama was an unflappable change agent with a diverse, multicultural background.

But as this election demonstrated, it isn't enough to simply be authentic. It is how that authenticity is applied.

Clinton didn't find her true voice until the primary was half over. Palin seemed “just like me” until the media discovered that someone paid $150,000 for her wardrobe. McCain began his campaign on the “straight talk express” but veered off course along the way. Obama never stopped talking about change. In the end, was the winner more real than the others? Or did Obama just convey his message so consistently and effectively that voters grew comfortable with who he really was?

Since we first suggested that authenticity is “permeating our culture and changing our business,” countless academics have written articles on the importance of being authentic. That is no longer a secret. But the logical real world questions remain unanswered: Where do I get it? And how should I communicate it?

The answer lies in how we apply authenticity. That is the key to victory even in the most challenging times.

We now live in a world where there are no secrets . . . on the campaign trail, in Hollywood, in the City or anywhere else. All public-facing organizations will come to realize that they must honestly define who they are, and then candidly tell their story. And that's the purpose of this piece: to deconstruct the concept of authenticity so you may apply it to your particular circumstance. Consider it an owner's manual... a twelve-step program for Authentic change.

What you see is what you get

In the ‘90s, most executives believed that an organization was nothing without a mission statement. They hung them in every cubicle and conference room. Certainly, as a unifying agreement on destination, a stated mission was helpful. But the process often skipped a vital step because journeys have beginnings as well as endings. Without a clear understanding of where you are starting, you can easily get lost. What are you at your core? Behind your facade? Beyond your mission? These questions apply not only to the leader of the group, but to the personality of your entire company. It can't be transferred, can't be copied and can't be bought. It's not the business suit you wear or the building where you work, it's the soul underneath. It's authenticity, and to make it work, you must accept that one size does not fit all. Here's how to find yourself...

Step 1: Look in a Different Mirror

Imagine a session dedicated to taking a hard look at what your organization really is today. Now picture the senior executives around the table. The ones you probably envision are those most important and closest to your organization. While they bring intimate knowledge, they lack objectivity. They find a predisposition to defend what's already been done, and a reflex to protect their own status and compensation.

Begin with two questions: What are our weaknesses? What are we doing wrong? Then consider this: Are the people sitting with you the best equipped to answer these questions?

Populate your table with critics, customers, competitors, new hires and former employees. They are the envoys to authenticity. Insist that the final definition of what you are includes those without a vested interest in the outcome. Allow them to identify your best and worst features. Then use that image toplot your course. Their photograph will be much more realistic than your self portrait.

It won't be easy. But authenticity starts here.

Step 2. Link Your Products to your Purpose

Growing your organization, in terms of either balance sheet or strategy, typically begins with market analysis. Pie charts and data tables abound. Goals might include increasing share in one sector, or inventing a new one. Either way, you point beyond where you are now.

We can all cite examples of organizations that entered into businesses they didn't understand, or pretended to possess competencies that didn't exist. The global finance meltdown was created largely by inventors and conveyers of complex financial instruments who now freely admit they really didn't know what they were doing.

In the business world, proposed change is usually judged against the benchmark of how much will this make us? The first question really should be: Is this who we are?

To gain a perspective on whether what you make fits with who you are, create an org chart populated not with people but with products and services. Show how they ladder up to your vision. Then provide the rationale for each component of the business. This exercise will help you understand and explain the
deeper purpose behind what you produce. If customers truly understand why you believe in a product, they will more readily deem it to be authentic.

Step 3. Walk the Talk

Today, most brands find the acronym CSR as relevant as CEO. Nearly every major corporation dedicates resources to improving some aspect of society by addressing critical issues like literacy, poverty or the environment. But even well-intended social outreach can fall flat if the program is too far removed from the programmer. There is nothing authentic about merely writing a check.

But many are doing it right. Nintendo donates specially designed “Fun Centers” to children's hospitals, while ASDA helps to get food parcels to British troops working with The Sun.

Each program works because it's authentically linked to what the company stands for. If you can find a cause that is connected to your business, meaningful to your employees or relevant to your customers, you will maximize the value it has for your reputation.

Step 4. Work Inside Out

Capitalism has always been seen as a zero sum game. Beyond fixed costs lies the essential decision on how to divide discretionary revenues between executives, shareholders and employees. For the last quarter century, the pendulum has swung widely to the shareholders and executives, spurred by quarterly targets and rewarded with outsized pay packages.

Now it is swinging the other way. When General Motors executives flew in private jets to Washington seeking £10 billion in taxpayer's money for a plan that included 47,000 layoffs . . . those workers were paying attention.

Just like charity, authenticity begins at home. In our recent corporate citizenship survey, consumers said the way companies treat their employees is one of the most important criteria for evaluating an organization.

Your people should be your most important “cause.” Before you make a significant business decision, ask for their advice. Before you communicate a position to investors or the press, tell them first. Before you run an ad, preview it internally. If you can't do it with everyone, select a “challenge” group to represent the broader population. Engaging your employees is as simple as it is essential to your ultimate success.

In a transparent world, human resources equals human rights and internal communications is just as important as external. Employees are your most authentic ambassadors. If they publicly support your actions, others will too.

TELL IT LIKE IT IS

Gillette has paid millions to Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Thierry Henry to promote disposable razors. Dove gets real women to talk about their new hair reducing deodorant. Which do you think is more authentic?

New media channels are exploding around us, like a fireworks finale across a summer sky. Look at what people trust most. Personal profiles on Facebook. Handheld videos on YouTube. Consumer ratings on CNET. And most of all, the opinions of “PLUs”—people like us.

There is a difference between what people sense is real and what corporations try to convince them is real.

Here are ways to bridge the gap . . .

Step 5. Find Real Stories

Every organization, no matter how small or mundane, has stories to tell. Its true character is best captured by simple anecdotes that reflect the values of the organization. The biggest challenge is unearthing them.

At our agency, every employee can recite the story about Al Golin making a cold call to McDonald's founder Ray Kroc more than 50 years ago. 53 years later they use the same agency.

If these stories don't rise to the surface at your company, you have to mine for them. Hire a historian or an investigative journalist to spend a week inside your walls interviewing your veterans. They will find the nuggets. Or ask managers to provide more recent examples of employees who are living your values. They see them every day. Or use your intranet to collect them directly from your people.

Once you have compiled the narratives, develop the best ones and incorporate them into speeches, town halls and annual reports. You don't need hundreds. A few rich stories can convey everything you need to know about a culture.

Every person in your organization has a story to tell. So do customers and business partners. You don't have to convince everyone that you are authentic. Other people's stories will do it for you.

Step 6. Use Real Words

Real stories will fall flat if they're told in someone else's words. For decades, advertising creatives and PR people have used fancy phrases and pretty pictures to paint a flattering portrait of a client's product. Every word and image chosen to convey just the right message. The problem today is consumers don't buy it. And, for the most part, they don't want it.

Perfectly crafted photos, descriptions and endorsements create unachievable expectations that can only lead to disappointment. Studies have shown that average people find everyday language to be more credible. A customer book review on Amazon.com carries more weight than the publisher's description. Even grammatical errors add to believability.

We're not suggesting communications professionals start adding typos to their copy. But the tone and meaning of what's being said can't be manufactured. In this era of authenticity, giving people a voice also means letting them use their own voice.

Step 7. Trust in Transparency

When speaking about business ethics, Al Golin recalls, “There is no such thing as the good old days. The only difference is back then people didn't get caught.”

Today, citizens of the internet have access to almost as much information about your organization as you do, and they are eager to share it with anyone who will listen. There's no point in disguising poor products or hiding bad behavior. Eventually the truth will be revealed.

Think of the tough questions people are likely to ask and answer them before they have a chance to. Openness equals authenticity.

Step 8. Unleash the CEO

Most celebrities, politicians and CEOs are so over managed that we never really get to know who they are. In an era of shrinking corporate credibility, it can be tempting to keep your CEO out of the spotlight. But fear isn't a winning communications strategy.

Some leaders are unquestionably effective. It is hard to imagine Apple without the vision of Steve Jobs at its core. But a CEO doesn't have to possess Barack Obama's oratory skills to be credible. In fact, a more informal, personal approach can be the most authentic. Jim Skinner, CEO of McDonald's, who started at the company 37 years ago as an assistant manager, is a mild-mannered executive. But when he speaks plainly about his “Plan to Win,” people listen.

Most senior executives have reached their positions because they understand their industries and love their companies. Let them tell their stories — without scripts, ghostwriters, teleprompters and multimedia presentations. Allow them to conduct one-on-one media interviews without an entourage. Put them on a media tour to secondary markets. Encourage them to call a journalist once in a while. The reward will be worth the risk.

Just remind them to be consistent. It may seem repetitive to recite the same messages over and over, but knowing what someone really stands for builds trust. Even among those who disagree with their opinion.

Step 9. Empower the People

There is something fake about using actors to play real people. Consumers can usually tell the difference between a stock photo and a real one or a doctor and someone who “plays one on TV.” So when it comes to telling your story, let the real people star. They might need a little training but your brand ambassadors don't need to be cast. Your employees and your customers already play those roles in real life, representing and reporting on your organization at every family gathering and coffee shop chat.

Team Nintendo, an elite group of video game spokespeople, is comprised solely of young staff who spend most of their time working at the company's customer help desk, providing assistance to callers who can't figure out how to get Mario to the next level. They know the right answers.

The future is finding the right spokespeople in your midst, people who sincerely represent what makes your organization run at its own distinct rhythm.

They already know who you are. So let them speak.

Step 10. Join the Crowd

Fifty years ago, Ray Kroc believed that he could build business by connecting with the community. Today his basic concept is truer than ever — even though the notion of community has changed radically. In 2009, it is estimated that 1.6 billion people globally will participate in the more than 150 major social networks on the Internet — each a tribe with its own unique culture. This is where the real conversations take place and any company that wants to be taken seriously needs to be part of that dialogue.

Future leaders must possess the ability to manage multiple conversations. They will benefit from social media training to enhance their online communications skills, enabling them to be authentic representatives of the company they work for. Conversationalists are among your most valued assets. Helping them find their voice will help you reach your goals.

In the corporate world, YouTube may not be considered a reliable source of information, but more than 5 billion videos are watched there every month and a growing percentage are related to business. More than 100 companies, such as Pepsi, Disney and Orange, have established their own channels where they build and group content.

Of course, there's some danger here. On the Web, those deemed inauthentic will be called out and chastised. We saw this with the CEO of Whole Foods, who used a false identity to promote his company's stock.

Accept that you no longer control your message, your brand or your reputation. All that is being built for you — by people you've never met. The prize is a virtual badge of authenticity that can't be purchased in the offline world. Take a deep breath and jump in.

Step 11. Engage Friends and Foes

They're out there, they're watching, and they're talking behind your back. Stakeholders want their interests met, and any effort to give them the slip is doomed to fail. NGOs, regulators, analysts, unions, vendors, customers and all the others will not be denied. They will find a way in. Resist the impulse to hide — go out and find them.

We live in an era of global diplomacy and to advance we must proactively engage with our enemies as well as our friends. Begin the process with an analysis of who's likely to be on your side and who's not. Who can help you and who can hurt you. Develop a profile of every group to fully understand their
objectives and their tactics. Then assign someone to listen to their point-of-view and engage them in a dialogue.

Step 12. Be Humble

Applying authenticity can be tricky. If you try too hard to appear authentic, you won't. If you say you are authentic, you aren't. Tooting your own horn doesn't work. Authenticity is not marketing. It's not what you tell people you are. It's what they say about you when you're not around.

People like to discover for themselves who and what they think is relevant to their lives. A dose of humility is a critical ingredient in that discovery. Movie producer Mel Brooks once said, “If you've got it, flaunt it.” In today's social and economic environment, the opposite is true. Private planes and lavish corporate junkets are out of fashion.

North Face, the outdoor apparel and equipment retailer, understood this reality when, instead of using a hotel for its dealer meeting, the company created a base camp where 400 executives and business partners slept in sleeping bags and gave presentations around campfires.

Being humble also means admitting you are not always right. If you aren't happy with your organization's performance, say so. If you have made a mistake, admit it. However, simply saying you're sorry is no longer enough. Today's public demands accountability. The actions you take to rectify a problem are often more important than the problem itself. Authenticity comes with responsibility.

© Copyright 2009 GolinHarris. All rights reserved.

This article has been taken from the 'PRCA Insights' series of articles available on the PRCA website: www.prca.org