NATO International Military Staff Office of the Public Affairs & STRATCOM Advisor Cdr Giovanni GALOFORO IMS Deputy P

1. NATO International Military Staff Office of the Public Affairs & STRATCOM Advisor Cdr Giovanni GALOFORO IMS Deputy Public Affairs & STRATCOM Advisor Strategic Communications (StratCom)

2. “After “love”, one of the most overused and misunderstood word is “Strategic Communications” (together with “Coordination”)” Google Analysis

3. Strategic Communication • The Culture of Strategic Communication • Definition(s) of Strategic Communication • StratCom Challenges • Public Affairs and StratCom • Conclusions

4. 1. The culture for Strategic Communications • Along with Comprehensive Approach, the top intellectual concept dominating Western military thinking • Culture shocks (central to everyday thinking) • Change in mentality, approach to daily and long-term business • Raise of communications to same (noble) level of other battle tools • Iraq and Afghanistan drivers of change (Man in the cave) • Perceptions equal facts • So far not fully successful in mastering the new tool

5. David Axelrod, Senior Advisor to Obama: “It’s important to communicate what you’re doing and why. But without the what and the why, the communicating is of little value. Ultimately, we’re going to be judged not on the power of the oratory but the record”. (“Will words finally fail Obama”, Peter Baker, IHT, 13/11/09)

6. In ISAF speak: “Words and images do not, in themselves, produce the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral effects you’re looking for” “All words and images can do is explain the intended meaning of your physical actions and expand the effects of those actions beyond those who directly see, hear, or experience them ….. “

7. 2. Definition(s) of StratCom • US DoD Definition “Efforts to understand and engage key audiences to create, strengthen or preserve conditions favourable for the advancement of US government interests, policies and objectives through the use of coordinated programs, themes, messages and products synchronized with the actions of all instruments of national power”

8. 2. Definition(s) of StratCom • US DoD Definition • UK Defence Academy “A systematic series of sustained and coherent activities , conducted across strategic, operational and tactical levels, that enables understanding of target audiences, identifies effective conduits, and develop and promotes ideas and opinions through those conduits that promote and sustain particular types of behaviour”

9. 2. Definition(s) of StratCom • US DoD Definition • UK Defence Academy • NATO Definition “The coordinated and appropriate use of NATO communications activities and capabilities (PD, PA, Military PA, InfoOps, PsyOps), as appropriate, in support of Alliance policies, operations and activities, and in order to advance in NATO’s aims”

10. 2. Definition(s) of StratCom • US DoD Definition • UK Defence Academy • NATO Definition • ACO Definition “In cooperation with NATO HQ, the coordinated and appropriate use of Military PA, InfoOps and PsyOps which, in concert with other military actions and following NATO political guidance, advances NATO’s aims and opertions”

11. 2. Definition(s) of StratCom • US DoD Definition • UK Defence Academy • NATO Definition • ACO Definition • Policies tend to focus on execution at the expense of preparation (i.e. running ops versus planning) • StratCom only effective if our pictures and words match with our actions and policies. No “Say-Do Gap” • StratCom not panacea for poor policies or actions

12. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic?

13. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • No more time for improvisation • Building professional careers • Emancipated (budget) assets • Need for incentives for career progresses

14. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • No more time for StratCom (and PA) as emergency tools • Communicators integral part of all stages of military activities • Integration must be vertical and horizontal • “Accept” the empowering of communications • Integration of personnel, thinking and procedures • Integration at strategic, operational and tactical level

15. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing (streamline) all types of communications • Most challenging task (especially for InfoOps and PsyOps – see definition of “related but separated” for PA & InfoOps) • Parallel structures created to resist integration • If not integration, extreme close coordination • Risk of losing credibility • Sharing of organizational goals at all levels (internally)

16. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing all types of communications • Long term commitment of StratCom • “News Junkies” (obsession with news) – Reactive • Short-termism unacceptable – Need to focus further • Possibility of clash between StratCom and PolMil D&G • Focus on behavioural changes in selected audiences • Clash with “secrecy” (tendency of non-active approach) • Shift from Risk-averse to Risk-accepting

17. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing all types of communications • Long term commitment of StratCom • Planning (and) StratCom • Careful planning indispensable • Coordination important, but valid only if components effective • Need to conceive in harmony • Tendency to ad-hoc management • Planning brings all stakeholders to the table

18. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing all types of communications • Long term commitment of StratCom • Planning (and) StratCom • Common Goals (false assumption that everybody is in synch) • Themes and messages critical • Target audiences selection (analysis) • Timeframe and resources • Evaluation mechanism

19. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing all types of communications • Long term commitment of StratCom • Planning (and) StratCom • Requisites • Capabilities • Who does what • Being humble (StratCom cannot solve all the problems)

20. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing all types of communications • Long term commitment of StratCom • Planning (and) StratCom • Requisites • Way Ahead • StratCom a key military function • StratCom-ers generation to be created • Military attitude towards a Corporate System

21. 3. Challenges of StratCom • What makes a communication strategic? • Professionalism of Communicators • Integration of Communicators • Synchronizing all types of communications • Long term commitment of StratCom • Planning (and) StratCom • Requisites • Way Ahead • Training and dedicated careers • Need for multinational Exercises • StratCom module in every soldier’s basic training

22. 4. Public Affairs and StratCom • Situating PA • Military Public Affairs is part of the wider NATO Strategic Communications (StratCom) effort which aims to enhance coherence of all its information and communication mechanisms, both civilian and military

23. StratCom • Director NOT directing, but making sure everybody plays the same sheet of music!

24. 4. Public Affairs and StratCom • Situating PA • Relationship to StratCom • The CPAO supports the commander’s StratCom process by ensuring that PA actions, plans and objectives are coordinated as part of the broader StratCom effort. The commander’s StratCom structure (if in place) will not affect the direct link of the Spokesperson or the CPAO to the commander, nor modify the inter-relationships between the different information disciplines, as stated in the NATO StratCom Policy and the respective MC policies governing PA, Info Ops and PsyOps. 

25. NATO Strasbourg/Kehl Summit 2009: “Increasingly important that the Alliance communicates in an appropriate, timely, accurate and responsive manner on its evolving roles, objectives and missions. StratComs are an integral part of our efforts to achieve the Alliance’s political and military objectives”.

26. Challenges to NATO StratCom • Coalition of democratic states, coalition governments, permanent/lively debate, enlarged by global (new) media • Nations/political leaders focus on national audiences/messages, look to NATO ops through a “national straw” • Globalised, 24/7 and new media mean loss of “message control”. Difficult for hierarchical org like NATO/military • StratCom perceived as controlling PA? PA is separate command function, needs to retain its credibility with media/external actors. Credibility = Influence! • Other-than-traditional communicators resisting integration • Most evident in crisis…

27. Main risk is… • Alliance’s cohesion and credibility is endangered by non-aligned messaging from different stakeholders • Note: • Risk of all multi-faced organizations • Role of PA/StratCom increasingly critical

28. MISUNDERSTANDINGS StratCom is not: PDD or PA alone Media OPS alone or a very important Press Conference Another name for INFO OPS A stand-alone Blog Handing out a list of incomprehensible acronyms to media (i.e. NCS) A MC Chairman’s speech to an University A SECGEN’s meeting with political masters …and is not either: A stronger and vigorous communication/statement getting headlines An enhanced PA effort (i.e. OUP) A repeated message (drumbeat) A way to get more visibility through a communication effort Leaking internal NATO HQ information to the media (ethics)

29. CLARIFICATIONS NEEDED StratCom is: Thinking Strategically. Forward thinking, anticipation. Identifying coordination mechanisms Knowledge sharing…with any other function that should be mutually supportive. Quick and frank Lessons Learned Integrated into planning from the beginning A project based on complementary & combined effort. A planned communication activity which has a lasting strategic effect. …and: Planning/Investing in the future and making it happen. Training, Education and Resources (KEY!). OUP and NCS good examples Understanding where we are. (ACT survey by end of June) Sustainability of efforts is key to serious StratCom effort. (SecGen, Chairman, SACEUR, SACT engagements need to be sustained) Establishing the communication priorities among different issues Synchronizing political and military activities/engagements A Comprehensive approach to Communication, the outcome of a brainstorming

30. How to implement STRATCOM? Nations should ask themselves what they are doing to enhance NATO STRATCOM Endurance, devotion, personal committment Sustain the effort, hammering Educating commanders Stay in touch with NATO HQ and Delegations To get StratCom related documents and to disseminate them within national Institutions and Commands, making sure there is a follow-up CONCLUSION

31. 5. Conclusions • If you understood what StratCom is about, you are probably already a StratCom-er • Use your specialization without building walls, but bridges • Do not accept being sidelined during any stage of military actions • As PA, be responsible in your day-to-day business towards the long-term approach of StratCom • Be good… and tell it!

32. Questions?