Professional athletes who reach the heights in their performance have become personalities comparable to the way our society treats Hollywood stars. In Hollywood, it is simply part of the culture that stars have Communication Strategists. They realize that their public image is vital to maintain and that having professionals in the Communication field is an important element of presenting the image they want the public to see. Perception becomes reality for these larger than life sports icons.

 

The growth in recent years of sports heroes has outpaced the understanding by the athlete that they are now in the public sector, not only on the field or in the arena, but also as constantly observed public figures both on and off the field. Without an effective Communication Strategy, the athlete can be seriously harmed in image and also financially if the public sours on that athlete.

 

We can look at clear examples of this point with athletes who struggle with their image or simply allow it to be defined by the media and public without a proactive approach to communicating the image they choose.

 

Alex Rodriguez comes to mind. When still with the Seattle Mariners, it was well known that he wanted to be “liked” by the public. This is a noble goal, but it does not happen without thought and carefully presenting messages that conform to that goal. When he said it was not about money, but about winning, the public became skeptical. Why? ARod accepted a $252 million contract for 10 years from the Texas Rangers. This was not a team anyone believed was going to the playoffs, much less the World Series.

 

There was a huge negative response to this signing because the public perception was that Rodriguez went for the money and contradicted his prior statements. This image could have been softened if someone were there to advise Alex about how to develop a Communication Strategy to refute this negative image. It got so bad that when he came back to Seattle after joining the Rangers, fans threw Monopoly money on the field to remind him of his betrayal.

 

There were several things he could have done. First, he could have emphasized the fact that he really wanted a long-term contract and that the money was secondary. It is the case that Howard Lincoln, CEO of the Mariners was simply not interested in a long-term contract with any player. Reports were that he was willing to go 3 or 4 years, but not 10 years as Tom Hicks of the Texas Rangers offered.

 

Second, his messages could simply have made the point that the offer made was light years beyond any other sports contract offer at the time. He had not expected this, and frankly should have made the point that it was an offer that none of his critics would have rejected.

 

ARod and other athletes of his caliber do not understand that the Paparazzi consider them in the same way they see Hollywood stars. That was pointed out when the New York tabloid newspapers broke a story about the fact that he gambled at cards with people he should have avoided. And, having Paparazzi take photos of Rodriguez in Toronto, entering a hotel with a woman who was not his wife, only created another image that was diametrically opposed to the image he wants.

 

When his wife went to a Yankee game at Yankee Stadium wearing a T-Shirt with F---

You on it, the situation was further compounded. Fans would not be permitted into the Stadium with that language yet she was allowed to stay and created a controversy that got considerable media attention.

 

Sports Agents do a marvelous job for their athletes. Most, however, are not Communication professionals. This is an important profession of its own, and star athletes need to recognize that they need these professionals working with them in a number of areas:

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

MEDIA COMMUNICATION SKILLS

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CRITICISM

IMAGE ENHANCEMENT THROUGH OFF-FIELD ACTIVITIES

BROADCASTING CAREER SKILLS AFTER RETIREMENT

 

There will always be a difference of opinion about any public person. The point of Communication Strategy is to enhance the positive and mitigate the negative. With proper guidance, Alex Rodriguez could have avoided much of the public criticism he now receives in each of the major league cities he has played (Seattle, Dallas, New York).

 

Other athletes should take heed. Investing in Public Image can have long-term effects. After the sports career is over, there is a world of opportunity for those who have built equity with the public because of who the public sees them to be. This can have enormous financial and professional impact throughout one’s life. It is the old story: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.

 

 

 

The era of consolidation in the banking industry has created great profits for the surviving entities, but there has been a cost. Remember the neighborhood bank? I do. And it was a secure feeling to know that you had a relationship with a financial institution that facilitated communication one-on-one and issues could be resolved quickly.

Then things changed. My bank went through three incarnations and the familiar feeling with the neighborhood bank was gone. It seemed that bank managers and personnel changed quickly, the need to reestablish relationships with bankers was required, resolving issues became more bureaucratic, and the individual began feeling like a number rather than a client of the bank.

 

A superb example of this is Washington Mutual. This was a comparatively modest local bank in the Seattle area, and through excellent business decisions, grew to be one of the largest banking institutions in America.

 

That growth has had an impact on customer relations. Over the years, I have trained bank tellers and other personnel in verbal and non-verbal communication skills because the banks valued this important element of dealing with customers.

 

That has changed dramatically. Now, banks such as Washington Mutual have telephone automated systems and expect the individual to solve their banking questions with a computer. My own experience has led to increased frustration because I, along with millions of other Americans, have questions that require a human being at the other end of the conversation.

 

The Washington Mutual automated system requires the input by the caller of an account number or the call is ended. Then the choices often have no relationship to the question at hand.

 

Further, there have been numerous occasions when I have been assured that I would receive a return call from a supervisor within 24 hours, after spending considerable time working through the automated system. That turned out to be a false statement in each case, since the return call did not come within 24 hours, and in fact, never occurred.

 

It is frankly unfortunate that bankers understand growing their institutions but are negligent when it comes to maintaining a system of communication with their consumers that satisfies the patron of the bank.

 

Communication professionals offer the kind of service that would pay dividends in terms of customer loyalty. If a person has a feeling of alienation, a sense of detachment, and gets the message that the bank does not really care about their concerns, what motivation do they have to stay with the bank if a better offer comes along?

 

It is simply a reality that customer loyalty needs to be a primary goal of banking institutions. It is one thing to grow and bring in customers from a bank with which you merged. It is quite another matter to convey a consistent and ongoing program with which customers feel is concerned about them. I have personally experienced 2 major national banking institutions that simply have not effectively maintained that sense of continuity.

 

Communication Strategies that would focus on this objective and bring more effective customer service to the clients of the bank can be implemented and would enhance the image of the bank and its relationship to its customers.

 

Organizational Communication Strategies is a specialized area of Communication in the business world. An audit of present communication functions at all levels would lead to substantial and valuable recommendations for improving communication quality both within the bank itself and in its relationship to customers.

 

How well does the intra-bank communication system work? What can be done to improve its quality so employees can more efficiently communicate with each other and resolve questions of mutual concern? How can the consumer telephone system be improved? How can that system allow consumers to get from one department to another through one central phone number instead of spending excess time in finding a different number for a different department? What about training for bank personnel dealing with the public so there is improved communication between bankers and clients? What are the techniques of communication that create a feeling of connection between a consumer and the bank?

 

These questions are relevant and important in an era that arguably dehumanizes our business relationships by replacing those with automated telephone systems. I would encourage bank executives to consider this need that can be accomplished if given the attention, training of personnel, and commitment from the bank.

 

Case studies of individual and corporate examples needing a strategy to present the image they desire offer insight into the way in which messages form the public perception.

 

The Seattle Supersonics were sold to a group from Oklahoma City. The team was previously owned by a group headed by Howard Schultz, Founder of Starbucks. Mr. Schultz and his group were local owners, and ultimately sold to Clayton Bennett and the Oklahoma City group because they could not get cooperation from the political structure in the State of Washington either at the local level or at the state level.

 

When Mr. Bennett became Chairman of the Sonics, he proposed a $500 million Events Center for the City of Renton. $300 million of that would be public money and the rest private. It was a reasonable proposal since the new Center would be used for many other events beside basketball. There was also the suggestion that an NHL Hockey Team could be brought to the Seattle region and use this arena.

 

When Mr. Bennett found the same intransigence with the political leaders as did the Schultz group, the sports talk programs and sports columnists began blaming the Bennett group for the likely departure of the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Both the Schultz group and the Bennett group concluded that the present home of the team, Key Arena, was unsuitable for the contemporary needs of NBA basketball.

 

The criticisms in the media have been harsh and unforgiving of Mr. Bennett and his group. It is also true that the Bennett group has not responded adequately to these criticisms, many of which are unfounded.

 

Here are specific examples of the criticisms and the public responses that would have been helpful to the image of the Bennett group. Even if the team is leaving, it is important that there be an exit strategy to mitigate the negative press that has run free since the Bennett group has not responded.

 

1)      The Bennett group was insincere in its proposal for a new Events Center.

 

Response: This was a legitimate proposal that would have created an arena creating a vibrant ongoing economy for the City of Renton.

Further, the public funds would simply come from an extension of an already existing tax enacted for Quest Field and Safeco Field (Seahawks and Mariners). This tax was not a general burden, but was specific in creating revenue from sources that come from users of the facilities or visitors from other areas,

 

2)      The Bennett group supported a group that supported traditional marriage and was therefore anti-gay in its views. As a state with a large liberal population, this became an issue for the sports talk shows and sports columnists.

 

Response: This was not an anti-gay position. It was simply support of traditional marriage. This position was identical to that of Senator Patty Murray of Washington, one of the most liberal members of the United States Senate. In fact, she voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, the very same principle supported by the Bennett group. In addition, President Bill Clinton signed this act into law. Why should Clayton Bennett be condemned by liberals for a position held by two of the liberal community’s icons?

 

3)      The Bennett group never intended for the Sonics to remain in Seattle and is therefore the villain.

 

This charge reflects a short memory in the Seattle media. The fact was that the local group headed by Howard Schultz sold the team in frustration with the political intransigence in the state of Washington on this issue. If a local group headed by a powerful local leader could not accomplish a new arena, how can anyone reasonably expect a group from another part of the country to be successful?

Further, the Bennett group appeared before the Washington State Legislature and brought luminaries including the long time basketball legend in Seattle, Lenny Wilkens and the legendary Bill Russell who lives in the Seattle area. If there was no intent to succeed in getting the Legislature to see the value of keeping the Sonics, why would these outstanding leaders, among others, have been part of the Bennett group presentation?

 

4)      The Bennett group set a deadline of October 31, 2007 for a proposal to become reality or the team would exit this market. This was a position condemned in the Seattle media.

 

Response: The Speaker of the Washington State House made a comment of mockery regarding the Sonics proposal after the legislative meeting and specifically stated there would be no discussion in the legislative session about this proposal.

Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata basically stated that the Sonics offer nothing to the culture of Seattle. He later had to apologize, but his position was already clear. With these attitudes, the condemnation was appropriate for the political leaders, not the group proposing a new arena.

 

Problem: The sports journalists want the team to stay and are not interested in the factual dilemma facing any ownership group. Emphasis must be placed on the reality that there is no “magic wand” and that a husiness decision must be made. When the barrier to good faith efforts to keep the team in Seattle becomes insurmountable, it is time to make a clear and reasonable business decision. That is what the Bennett group has done.

These are just a few examples of the media lack of fairness on this issue of where the Sonics will play in the future.

The Bennett group had the factual basis on which to refute many of the media allegations in this case. They have the opportunity to leave Seattle, if that ultimately happens, with an image that would be far improved over what it is now. Much of that image exists because of a lack of a proactive Communication Strategy Campaign. There is still time to correct the record.