IGCF 2014 Highlights Need For Governments In The Region To Restore Trust And Reach Out To Public

Alastair Campbell, who was Director of Communications and Strategy for Prime Minister Tony Blair between 1997 and 2003, highlighted the need for governments in the region to address the trust deficit and reach out to the public, particularly the youth, in order to establish credibility and shape future communication strategies.

Campbell’s comments were part of the lively one-on-one session titled ‘Internal communication between departments/ministries of the state’ that took place on the third and final day of the International Government Communication Forum 2014.

Campbell said: “During the forum, it was highlighted time and time again that the future is in the hands of the youth. However, there is a myth that the youth is not interested in politics. The truth is that they are simply disengaged. There has been a breakdown in communication between the government and the youth that has triggered a lack of trust.

“Previously, people expected the private sector to deliver top-notch quality as there was a price tag attached to their services. However, they were willing to be more tolerant about inefficiencies in the public sector. Today, people expect governments to deliver the same efficiency that they expect from the private sector.”

Campbell also offered several real-life case studies outlining how strategic communication objectives could be defined in line with the government’s vision and the general policy of the state. The presentation further explored how government communication teams can enjoy a consistent and balanced performance, while speaking in a language that reflects the general orientation of the State.

Citing the examples of Bill Gates, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Winston Churchill, he said: “At some point in their lives, all these personalities were criticised by the government, the people or the media. They overcame such criticism with carefully planned strategies, and more importantly their core convictions or values. We must realise that reputation is not made in the here and now but over time. It is founded on what you say and do and not on what others say about you. Do not worry about labels that you may attract for your actions.

“When leaders are confronted with negative feedback, they must continue to engage with the community, but it is important to decide on the terms of engagement. We must understand that dialogue has to be dialogue in every sense of the term - it can no longer be one-way communication.”

Campbell also said that the success of government communication depends to a large extent on achieving effective dialogue and cohesiveness between the ministries of state and the smaller departments that face the challenge of sending clear and real-time messages to the public.

Drawing parallels from the world of football, Campbell said: “Teams that pass the ball and play together win the game and take home the trophies. Similarly, departments in a government need to work hand-in-hand to achieve the overall objective of governance and retain the confidence of the people.”

On the subject of social media, Campbell said: “Today, we are at the beginning of a revolution in social media. The real genius of the Barrack Obama campaign was about tracking the people who liked him and creating a relationship with them. Earlier, no one had thought about being a ‘friend’ of Barrack Obama. Today, that has changed. However, governments that take to social media must recognise that if they choose to engage in such an interface, the attempt must be genuine, consistent and whole-hearted.”

Concluding the session, he said: “Think simple, think strategic, think team, think how we should do it together and there are greater chances of a successful outcome.”

The first regional government communication event was organised by Sharjah Media Centre in 2012. The forum discussed relevant communication challenges that were triggered by the socio-political occurrences in the Arab world. IGCF 2014 is a first-of-its-kind event that articulates SMC’s efforts to develop government communication mechanisms for the benefit of government institutions in the UAE and wider region.

Emirate:  Sharjah

Date: Feb 24, 2014

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