Matt Eventoff

Michael Vick was the focus of attention yesterday as he was conditionally reinstated to play in the NFL yesterday, following his well publicized travails, public apologies and commitment to work against animal cruelty.

This post has very little to do with Michael Vick and whether or not the decision was the correct one, and everything to do with Commissioner Goodell, the National Football League, and messaging.

The NFL had a huge opportunity to send a powerful message, and missed (again).

What the NFL, and Commissioner Goodell, could have done, from a messaging perspective:

1. NFL Animal Cruelty Initiative – It has been over two years since the Vick incident occurred, and it was clear that decision day for the Commissioner would come.  The months leading up to yesterday should have seen a major campaign against animal cruelty from the League.

2. NFL Charitable Foundation – It was surprising that while announcing this reinstatement there was no announcement of a major charitable initiative for animal protection, for animal shelters, etc.

3. Announce a Partnership – Yesterday would have been the perfect day to announce a new partnership between the NFL and a group such as the ASPCA  or the Humane Society (Vick did).

4. Send a Message – Amend the Personal Conduct Policy – What harm would come from making cruelty to animals part of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy?  It would appear to be a minor change that would send a very clear and compelling message, at no cost (the Commissioner has basically done this anyway, through the conditional reinstatement).

5. Lots of PSA’s (Public Service Announcements) – I am guessing a number of players have pets — the NFL should have had PSA’s running all off season featuring players and pets.

6. Have Michael Vick and Tony Dungy at the Press Conference — It was clear decision day was going to be a media circus, and by trying to control the flow of information the opposite happened.  Having a live event where remorse could clearly be shown and where your best asset (Tony Dungy) could be featured would have been better than allowing a press statement through an agent.

7. Have a leading Animal Rights Group at the Announcement – the ASPCA responded fairly positively to yesterday’s news.  It would have been a nice touch to have representatives at the event.

What would this have done?

It would have re-focused yesterday’s message on the action (animal cruelty and dog fighting) rather than the person.  The NFL has suffered a number of public relations blows as of late, and yesterday would have been a great opportunity to send a re-assuring message to fans, especially fans that look up to players as role models.

What the NFL missed was that acceptance of this decision by the public is a campaign, and should have been organized as such.

Time will tell who recovers the ball….

Hint – it happens long before the campaign begins.

Watch C-SPAN on any given evening and watch members of Congress and the Senate read speeches into the public record. Very rarely exciting or moving.

Comments are usually read verbatim from a text, not too much emotion, and often confusing. All too often, this is the case in legislative bodies throughout the country as well.

This is how it should be done:

Click here, scroll to 2:36:18 (I apologize for the technology), and watch…

The setting: Vote on New Jersey State Budget by NJ State Senate, late June, 2009.

Why New Jersey State Senator Kevin O’Toole’s performance works so well:

1. Use of Story – His speech begins with a personal story about his first political mentor, and immediately made it relevant to the topic he was addressing. Throughout the remainder of the speech, the Senator utilized mini-stories, making the content easy to identify with.
2. Passion – If there is such thing as too much passion, this would be the case (I do not believe there is such thing). You can agree or disagree with Senator O’Toole’s comments, but you certainly can not question his passion or his belief in what he is saying. This is relayed both verbally and non-verbally.
3. Eye Contact – While the Senator has prepared notes in front of him, he does not read them. His eyes are constantly focused on his colleagues, and he utilized his notes as a reminder rather than as a prepared text.
4. Body Language/Movement – Not the easiest thing in a legislative chamber. The Senator is able to utilize movement without intense rocking or weight shifting – he literally moves. His hands are constantly moving (sometimes too much) however in this situation, completely appropriate – illustrates passion.
5. Use of Language – The chief virtue that language can have is clearness, and nothing detracts from it so much as the use of unfamiliar words – Hippocrates. This rule is all too often ignored by elected officials when communicating – the key is to be understood, and unfamiliar words, complex language and confusing acronyms all detract from it. Senator O’Toole follows this rule to a tee – his language was easy to understand, there were no voluminous words, and no never-ending thoughts.
6. Vocal Variety – Very effective use of both pausing (when utilized) and vocal variety to build up to a crescendo (One of my only issues with the Senator’s speech was the quickness and lack of regular pausing).
7. Rhetorical Questions – This is a little trickier to pull off, however O’Toole did this masterfully. Rhetorical questions are a great way to reinforce message and re-focus an audience.

What Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta and Dana White have done is simply amazing. 

Taking a sport from being referred to as “human cock-fighting” to the point where everyday fans know, and understand, the fundamentals of jiu jitsu, muay thai, western boxing, collegiate wrestling, judo and a number of other arts is simply amazing.

Re-introducing the masses to martial arts is amazing.  Introducing what has become its own art, MMA (mixed martial arts) is amazing.  Creating a mainstream product, with mainstream sponsors, out of a combat sport is amazing.

The most amazing thing of all?  It could all come crashing down and fall back into the genre of pro wrestling very, very quickly.

MMA (mixed martial arts) has become a phenomenon for any number of reasons, none of which include it being a blood sport:

1. Size doesn’t matter as much as skill. (Royce Gracie)

2. Cocky, arrogant behavior is NOT necessary. (Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, Randy Couture)

3. Discipline and training matter. (Pat Militech, Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell)

4. Respect matters. (99% of MMA fighters voluntarily touch gloves after the bout has began; see myriad fighters pay respect to trainers before entering)

Saturday night all of that was threatened by the communications actions of one athlete - the new heavyweight champion of the UFC, who in less than 180 seconds offended one of the organizations largest mainstream corporate sponsors, made a crude reference to his wife, antagonized the crowd and antagonized his defeated opponent:

Following the bout, Lesnar got in a bloodied Mir’s face and said, “Talk all the shit you want now,” before flipping off the sold out crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

During his post-fight interview Lesnar said, “Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass, I told him that a year ago. I pulled that son of a bitch out and beat him over the head with it.”

If that wasn’t enough, Lesnar went on to cut up the UFC’s largest sponsor, Bug Light, saying, “I’m going to go home tonight and I’m going to drink a Coors Light. That’s a Coors Light because Bud Light won’t pay me anything. I’m going to sit down with my friends and family and hell, I might even get on top of my wife tonight.”

What does this have to do with communications? Everything.

This organization is run by absolute marketing masters and is dominated by athletes who have spent entire lifetimes honing crafts and spend anywhere from 6-10 hours a day training to be the best.  The best means getting to center stage, a Pay Per View event, where tens of millions of people watch.  Then, win or lose, the athletes are interviewed, again watched by those same tens of millions of people. 

This leads to the Brock Lesnar moment this past weekend.  Brock’s statements were completely out of line; however they do indicate a growing problem I have witnessed for the UFC — the post fight interview. 

The same athletes would NEVER be sanctioned to participate in an event like a professional MMA fight with no training.  However these same fighters appear at pre and post interviews, and press events, with what appears to be little or no training, time and time again.

I understand that there is an element of showmanship involved, however two of the most popular UFC competitors ever, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, were known for lack of histrionics. 

Brock Lesnar is a world class athlete who has won an NCAA national wrestling championship, following in footsteps of great wrestlers who have become great mixed martial arts competitors.  He accomplished this through thousands of hours of practice and training. 

How can he be expected to communicate a clear, compelling message with no training and no practice?

The UFC should institute a communications training program for its athletes today, working with its world class athletes and helping them to become stronger communicators with compelling messages. 

Communication skills matter.

* Thank you to author, thinker (philosopher) and friend saKiya Sandifer for the transcript tip

In 1971  Shirley Bassey told the James Bond fans and the world that “Diamonds are Forever.”

Nearly 40 years later, this track was re-mixed by Kanye West and introduced a whole new generation to this famous Welsh singer.

What Kanye also did was send a telling message with his remix, that ALL diamonds (including “blood diamonds”) are forever (as is the damage done bringing blood diamonds to market).  A compelling message and great adjustment to a 40 year old message.

In 2009, it is not just diamonds that are forever.  Today it is emails, Facebook pages, MySpace pages, Flickr pages, and the list goes on and on.

This post is a cautionary tale, and a reminder that everything you say and do sends a message.

Laughing Online Lasts Forever

This coming Saturday is Election Day for the national Young Republicans.  The leading contender for the post held court on her Facebook page, opening a number of discussions.  On one particular topic, someone posted a racist (and vile) rant/joke, and it appeared that the contender laughed along – “You tell ‘em LOL”   

Long story short, other participants in the discussion saw the rant and called her out on the comments.  She pulled the page down, however it was too late – others had captured the screenshot, and now this contender is gaining more attention than ever imagined (or desired). 

One positive side note — Cassie Wallender, who was the first to state on the Facebook page that these comments were “Not OK” in a very pronounced way has also gained national attention for completely different reasons.  Cassie has sent a message, without even trying, that she is a leader.  Not a bad introduction to the national stage for the 26 year old.  (Illustrating the viral power of the web)

Once you write it online, someone, somewhere, has access to it.  Facebook pages (like diamonds) are forever.

Emails Last Forever

Granted, this email exchange is a bit unusual.  Storyline – Executive Assistant  (E.A.) at lobbying shop in DC writes to a scheduler/office manager for Congressman Jim McDermott to request client meeting.  Result – E.A. does not get meeting for said client, receives countless harsh emails, and apologizes 6 different times.  This goes on for 19 emails.

E.A.’s crime?

Calling the scheduler “Liz” as opposed to “Elizabeth” on one email. That’s it. It’s all right here.

19 emails, six apologies, a national story, thousands of blog references, a huge headache for a Congressman and a disaster for his scheduler.

Emails (and diamonds) are forever.

**Side note to new graduates — everything sends a message.  Those embarrasing Facebook/MySpace pictures and quotes can hurt you in your career search, and the reality is you may never know it.  It is far more likely that a potential employer will either a) tell you that you did not receive the position or b) just not call you back.  The chances are the employer will not tell you WHY you didn’t receive the position (chances are that they WILL tell other people why you did not get the position).  It only takes a few minutes, but clean up your ‘net profile when entering the workforce — it will pay off.

It is better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and resolve all doubt.  ~Abraham Lincoln

The easiest way to save face is to keep the lower half shut.  ~Author Unknown

Say, Say, Say….nothing. Two hypothetical situations:

Scenario #1 – You are a high profile elected official who has just been caught being unfaithful to his family, disappeared on Father’s Day weekend, become a front page story for 5 days, and rambled on endlessly at a press conference about all of it, with little structure and what seemed like very little preparation. It is safe to say you are not having a great week.

The best way to follow it up? 

Disappear from the limelight, be quiet, spend time with your family, maybe even go hike in the solitude of the Appalachian Mountains to clear your head (kidding)…

The absolute worst way?

Give another no holds barred rambling very public interview where you take the opportunity to make sure you are once again front page news and to embarrass your family to an almost unbelievable (and sickening) degree.

 Scenario # 2 – You are the father of one of a world famous celebrity who passes away unexpectedly and in dramatic fashion.  The world is in a state of shock, and this news wipes every other news story from the front page (even Scenario #1!).  Your now-deceased child has spoken out in the past about emotional abuse he endured that has been attributed to you. The world is mourning. 

The wrong things to say?

Advertise your own product or record label.  Say you are sad and mourning while smiling and smug.  Show both verbally and non verbally that you are enjoying yourself in front of the camera during a very traumatic time.  Make the centerpiece of your comments about said record label…

One killer communications app that doesn’t yet exist for the iPhone, and has not been turned into a Staples product (yet):

A “Time to Stop Speaking” button (or app).

All kidding aside, often the best thing to say is…..nothing. Nada. Keep quiet. 

Often speakers disclose too much information, at inappropriate times, completely draining the meaning from the message. 

Even worse, TMI (too much information) may distort the message and convey a message or theme the speaker really doesn’t want to convey.  It happens in boardrooms and conference halls every day.

It doesn’t have to be a dramatic and/or high profile event like those mentioned above.  Lack of preparation, both in preparing to speak and in preparing a message, can do irreversible damage to a product, brand or messenger. 

When in doubt, less is more – every time.