The recently closed International Association of Business Communicators’ EuroComm 2013 in Brussels has been, by all accounts, a hugely successful event. Months of preparation led up to three days of intense engagement, lively discussion, friendly disagreement, and – in the best possible sense – disruption. In fact, so successful was the event that debriefing in a concise way, and even highlighting some pre-eminent ideas or themes, is probably impossible; so expect a few more posts from me on the subject of this year’s EuroComm in the coming weeks and months. However, I have to begin to make sense of it all somewhere, and from the wealth of inspiring stories and input from the speakers and participants, I feel that I have to begin with the quite remarkable contribution of Andebrhan Giorgis, former freedom fighter and ex-Eritrean ambassador (now there’s an arresting combination you don’t often find on a CV!).

Andebrhan was my neighbour for many years and I always thought that he had a fascinating story to tell. However, I wasn’t exactly sure how this particular audience would respond to him. During the event, I saw that he connected with them on a practical and very emotional level, and no wonder.

Andebrhan told us about his privileged upbringing in Eritrea and the United States, and how he left the comfort of the US, where he was studying for a PhD at Harvard, to join the Eritrean fight for independence from Ethiopia. He actually fought in the bush, and eventually, perhaps inevitably given his educational achievements, became the official communication spokesperson for the freedom movement. Their struggle was eventually triumphant – a classic story of David and Goliath, given the comparative size of Eritrea and Ethiopia – but after a heady triumph, a slow and painful process of decline and disillusionment began.

The winners of the revolution took over power, as they would of course, but gradually they refused to share that power with dissenting voices. Anderbrhan himself, always keen to offer his views, found that he became increasingly isolated during this period. After rebuilding Asmara University from scratch, he got thrown out of his job; he was asked to start a national bank, but it wasn’t long before he disagreed with the president of Eritrea; and finally, after accepting a more remote position as ambassador, he found that he was cut off from power completely. A fascinating – possibly unique – autobiography in its own right.

But Andebrhan was keen to highlight how his personal story had definite lessons for the EuroComm audience. One particular analogy he drew – between his experiences with unyielding authority figures and the modern CEO who obsessively wants to control what can’t be controlled and refuses to accept criticism or dissent – had me and many others nodding in immediate agreement. Just like the people in power that Andebrhan dealt with, the domineering CEO can stop listening to the voice of constructive opposition and surround himself only with those who are in agreement with him; the collapse of communication can end up with the naked Emperor leading his company into increasing isolation and bankruptcy.

Contrary to this stifling and ultimately disastrous attitude, I firmly believe that engaged dissent, structured conflict, constructive disagreement and disruption (note all those qualifying adjectives: they are important!) are critical for a successful business and for a healthy society. Our job as communicators is not to shut down or avoid dissent and disagreement, but to actually release these forces and channel them in positive ways. I know from my own experiences that if dissent and disagreement are allowed to occur spontaneously and naturally, they can produce beneficial changes. I would go further than this and say that only those of us who are serial dissenters are fully engaged with our surroundings, and what’s more, we pay attention to what we are doing wrong and look to change it.

Andebrhan Giorgis’ own story may arguably have had an unhappy ending, but if we all take only one thing from his memorable appearance at EuroComm 2013, let it be that Communication (with a capital “C”) is not just about selling mere products: it is something that can change our lives. Let’s not forget that.

This wild unpredictability has been captured in a great metaphor that was recently coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: the “Black Swan”, in other words an event that most people believe to be impossible but that shockingly turns out to happen. A Black Swan can be a game changer which forces us to rethink our understanding of the very context in which the event takes place. Think of the Arab Spring, the financial crisis, the recent surprise election results in Italy, as well as the relentless impact new technology is having on human communication. All these are examples of Black Swans.

It is hard, if not impossible, to come up with a convincing theory about what is causing these Black Swans, but what is self-evident is our urgent need to adapt to their effects. This pressing need is why we chose the title “Disruptive Communication for Disruptive Times” for this year’s IABC EuroComm conference. As Nicholas reported earlier, we at ZN have been involved with the IABC for some time, and we could not resist the opportunity of using EuroComm 2013 to explore the consequences for communicators and political organisations that follow when a flock of Black Swans swoop into our world.

We have chosen to host EuroComm 2013 in Brussels at the Solvay School, which gives us us a chance to invite people from a range of different backgrounds and points of view to come together and exchange experiences as well as advice on how to cope with the profound disruption that is going on. The exciting range of speakers is wide and deep: from the EU Commission, and its drive to connect with its citizens, to the European Parliament, and what it is doing to prepare for the upcoming elections; from the Pirate Party, whose players bring a totally new perspective on politics, to the Red Cross, one of the most recognised brands in social media. We will definitely be exploring some fundamental questions in a unique setting.

We have also introduced some new formats to the event. Our experience at launching and supporting TEDxBrussels over the years, made us think of trying out the 18-minute format to get speakers to condense their ideas in short, energetic bursts that can inspire the audience. But in the age of crowdsourcing, the audience (the famous YOU!) is the main reason people attend these events, so we will also introduce a PechaKucha-like concept. This enables the audience to get their “five minutes” in the limelight. Finally, the conference will also be a chance for me to get some of the stars of my book HyperThinking to share their own personal experiences of change and how they developed (or already had) the “agile” mindset that enabled them to overcome some of the challenges they faced.

This will be a great opportunity to be inspired, share new ideas and continue the learning we so badly need in these trying times. So drop by or join us online.

I titled my lecture “Making Things Happen”, and in it I sought to explore my own interest in turning abstract ideas into reality by invoking my personal experiences with starting projects and companies. I explained to my audience the incessant desire I have to “set things up”, as if the fact of turning an idea into a reality was, for me, almost an end in itself. I am motivated by more than just this, of course, and I went on to speak about things beyond these personal generalities; in particular I was keen to stress the critical importance of effectively executing new ideas in any field of management.

Take project management, for example. It is easy enough when circumstances are planned and predictable, but in an increasingly turbulent business world, unpredictable events disrupt our ready-made plans. This is when we need to be able to step back from, and out of, the situation, and revisit our basic perceptions – what I call hypershifting. This is even more important when facing a moment of crisis, but in my experience it is precisely at this critical juncture when this simple “step back” proves to be the most difficult thing to do; emotions run high, people have invested their egos and reputations in a project and cling to their beliefs to the last. Being able to admit that we can be wrong and that what we need to do is to change course is essential. Given how difficult it is to do this in trying circumstances hyperlearning tools can come in handy. Using concepts that force us to re-examine the situation from alternative perspectives is key, but simply being prepared for this, even more so.

In many ways, every project will contain both failures and successes. From that, it follows that the real skill that managers require consists in recognising what works and what doesn’t, and then “pivoting” – to use the term coined by Eric Ries in his book The Lean Start-Up – when the time is right. It is at that crucial pivotal moment, when we shift dramatically, that we are able to see new opportunities, correct mistakes and really start learning afresh. I hope that at least some of Professor Rodriguez’s students took that basic truism away from my lecture, and to judge from the inspiring Q&A session there were hopeful signs.

The students asked about how the kind of ultra-flexibility that I advocate could work in a large, complex and highly political organisation, where “adapting” could be viewed as a mistake and used against you. Clearly taking their cue from this line of thought, others thought that entrepreneurs in small companies would find it much easier to find the degree of flexibility needed.

On the first point, I suggested that the true star performers in large organisations are those who are able to quickly recognize mistakes and move on to the next project; they always have a positive attitude and are focused on results and not politics. It is, of course, important to have political allies and understand the dynamics in one’s organisation, but not to be constantly defending past mistakes and fighting yesterday’s battles.

The second point is interesting, but not, I suggested, necessarily true; in the competitive entrepreneurial setting, flexibility is clearly needed (to the point where the very survival of the company can depend on it), but it will be found that the same rules of innate conservatism that afflict large organisations often apply here: the founder/CEO often finds it difficult to recognise that his or her personal idea doesn’t have a market or simply doesn’t work. They frequently believe in the myth that persistence pays (which can be true, but only if you can recognize mistakes fast). So, being able to make decisions based on facts and not emotions is often actually more difficult in a small business than it is in a larger structure. The leaders of a small firm might feel that the business is their baby, and changing it would be an admission of personal failure.

My conclusion from this was that we need to know how to fail, and to learn from failure fast, but without being personally devastated: we need to convince ourselves that we can come back all the stronger from our experiences with failure.

I think that I managed to convince more than a few of my audience.

Nathaniel Lubin, the guest speaker who had worked on the Obama campaign running the digital media strategy in 2012, described working with a budget of $112 million and a staff of over 20, something that made the European crowd green with envy. In his speech, he also outlined the massive resources and highly sophisticated tactics deployed during the US elections.

One of the key things that I found interesting about Nathaniel’s speech was the mention of Obama being genuinely interested in using new channels to reach his audience and how he enjoys using and experimenting with social networking tools himself. Nathaniel also talked about the incredible precision with which the Obama team tracked the impact of their messages, especially in key swing states, checking which photos got the most likes and shares (Michelle Obama and the kids!), and how they applied these findings to constantly refine and adjust their tactics.

My own speech focused on comparing and contrasting the US situation with that of Europe – which is, of course, different at many levels – and how to draw lessons from the Obama campaigns, so that MEPs could go boldly where no European politician has gone before.

The web is now a mature medium, a core platform for any electoral campaign that will be a default part of political campaigning. The Obama campaigns have demonstrated that it can be used to engage directly with voters, using video, chat, text, and every other available communication tool. From a European point of view, the web can reach the majority of European citizens directly, thus offering a more straightforward and more intimate channel to and from politicians.

But if the web and its tools are indeed to transform politics, we first need to look at the context and the stories that politicians want to share, who they want to share them with, and why they will hopefully create some form of meaningful engagement. Without a political story that resonates, there is no political impact.

With the web and online campaigning, I believe that there are several opportunities for MEPs:

• They can change the nature of political engagement – the web and its various tools offer the possibility of a different kind of political discourse. MEPs can share much more information about what they do and why it matters.
• They can learn about what matters – through searching, monitoring and active online listening, they can touch on issues that matter to their electors in a language that resonates clearly and distinctly.
• They can organise and coordinate campaigns – the web can be used to recruit and mobilise volunteers.
• They can connect directly with the audience – the web is an open channel that enables politicians to talk directly to people, ensuring that there is an actual dialogue instead of a one-sided conversation.

With this, I look forward to seeing our MEPs venture into the online realm.

May you live long and prosper!

My first post, to kick start the year, is about hyperlearning.  Check it out:

The new mantra of the tech world is that the world is changing fast, and that most of us are not prepared. Although this is clearly true, saying it doesn’t really help.

When you watch a presentation, read an article or a book on the dramatic changes brought about by technology, there always seems to be an element of magic.  Someone has created a Facebook group, a youtube video or a blog post that has somehow miraculously garnered millions of views, toppled a government (Egypt) launched a global star (psy) or annoyed a large company (Gizmodo).  In the face of this constant barrage of anecdotes we are left to wonder what we can really do about it.

As anyone who ever tried knows, creating a viral video is nearly impossible, at least if it implies replicating the success of Kony 2012 or Gangnamstyle. These gravity defying stories simply don’t seem to have a rational explanation.

But in the face of such unpredictable change and surprises, there are two things that we can know for certain;

1. We don’t know much.
2. We need to start learning – fast and furious.

The acknowledgement that we know very little about the changes that are taking place enable us to embrace a more humble attitude than our hyperspecialzied world and education system has led us to.  If we recognise that there is a great deal we do not know, then we can open our mind to learning, and to being wrong more often than not.

Learning, revisited

Second, by this ‘ground zero’ approach, we can revisit how we need to learn.  And some things become clear: our education system didn’t prepare us for the world we live and work in today.  Most universities are barely starting to change to respond to an entirely new learning paradigm.  And for good reasons: the role of the institutions that deliver knowledge is being put into question. We simply don’t know how learning will evolve over the coming decade. But we know that it will change. And we can also assume that it will change around the individual.

With this in mind we can already start, not waiting for our school system to catch up with the internet, to challenge and reshape our learning habits.  This is what I have called ‘hyperlearning’ in my recent book where I develop an overall concept to adapt to the age of networks called hyperthinking.

Hyperlearning is the new learning model I believe we are heading towards.  And it boils down to some simple principles:

1. We need to become self-learners
2. We need to master new tools and a new self-discipline
3. We need to form new habits
4. This is going to be fun

For the past few years, I have used my two decades of experience in the business of communication, change and new technology to articulate this concept.

Change is now a permanent fixture on the world we live. News, events and ideas are constantly challenging us to change in a very short period of time while technology rewrites the rules of business and communication. For many executives, this is a real problem.

How do we deal with these conflicting changes and use available technologies to change what we do? What we need is a new way of thinking. A mindset that can enable us to not only survive but to thrive with this permanent change. This is what Hyperthinking aims to do. The book has already received some high level endorsements from experts in a range of industries; here is what they had to say:

‘…HyperThinking is a distillation of his experience at ZN, and provokes us all to benefit from the family of internet technologies, in the way we handle life and work in a rapidly changing world. Profound as well as playful, HyperThinking invites us all to immerse ourselves in the new technologies – and adapt our analysis, thinking and behaviour for the networked world. An important book for all those involved in communicating ideas, policies and activities for their business.’

James Arnold-Baker, former CEO, Oxford University Press and founding of Chairman of Doctors.net.uk

‘…What this book taught me is that we have to live in a world where we cannot rely on traditional thinking patterns – these must be continuously challenged if we want to adapt to the ever-changing environment we live in. This is called hyperthinking, and it is giving people who want to make an impact on the world we live in a competitive edge. Some are natural-born hyperthinkers, others will have to learn it the hard way. This book will give you a headstart…’

Aurelie Valtat, Digital Communications Manager, European Council

‘Phil Weiss invented the concept of Hyperthinking. In these pages he brings his ideas alive and shares the principles with a flair for storytelling and an eclectic mix of sources, examples and case studies. He’s the Tony Buzan of the internet generation.’

Marc Wright, Chairman, simplygroup

As a reader of our blog we are offering you an author’s discount! You can purchase the book with a 35% discount if you buy it online from the Gower site (http://www.gowerpublishing.com/isbn/9781409428459) using this discount code: G12GQQ35

Find out more about the book on hyperthinking.net and the Facebook page Start hyperthinking and spreading the word!

The network has been very useful in helping me meet interesting people, introduce clients to peers and learn new skills.  In fact, it was through IABC that I met several authors who helped me get my publishing contract with Gower for my book.  Coincidentally, (hrmm) “Hyperthinking” will hit the shelves of every good bookstore near you by the end of the month.

IABC also put me in contact with several clients.  However, its most important benefit is that it has served as an open communication channel for a variety of people who bring new ideas and perspectives to the table.  It has also helped me engage with many EU officials in an open and informal way.

The organisation is a volunteer one so it relies on the goodwill and enthusiasm of members to get things done.  In exchange, members have access to a wide network of professionals.  Less obviously, members also gain access to a great learning environment where they discover the daily workings of large company structures and associations (which often run a bit like NGOs).

Next week the organisation’s leadership will meet in Paris for what is called the EMELI – European and Middle East Leadership Institute.  This meeting is both a get together of IABC’s leaders and a learning opportunity.  The theme this year is disruption – a theme I am very familiar with.  At work, it is a by-product all the new communication technologies we encounter and use; but it also occurs in everyday life as it permeates everything we do.  As an organisation IABC will explore ‘How we can Excel in Disruptive Times’ .

Joining this kind of network is often a long term engagement and, in a sense, you get out  as much as you put in.  The learning, networking and the understanding you gain from being involved in such an organisation is great if you want to keep your mind open to new ideas and meet new people that care about improving the communication profession’s standards.

To experience the network, join the Belgium IABC network at iabc.be (we helped create it).  Also, visit the IABC EMEA blog for more information on what’s coming up: http://europe.iabc.com/

Right from the start of the meeting Fadi Bishara  @Fbishara, a Silicon Valley veteran, hit the nail right on the head with this one liner. The secret to the Valley’s success is that people have ‘permission’ to fail.

This was at a networking event in Brussels organised by the Cluster “Software In Brussels” to bring entrepreneurs together and get a few ‘experts’ to share words of wisdom. Alongside Fabien Petitcolas, Director of Innovation at Microsoft Europe @MSEurope and Patrick Crasson @PatrickCrasson from Benovate, I shared the concept of hyperthinking as well as my personal experience as an entrepreneur.

My main point was that being a successful entrepreneur in the 21st century requires a new mindset. Interestingly some of these values, defined in the hyperthinking concept, come naturally to entrepreneurs because they are drawn to innovate and think creatively to start something new.

However, I also believe that articulating this mindset and creating a shared language with your team helps you maintain and develop your company’s vision and skills as it evolves.

I ended the presentation with 5 tips for entrepreneurs that I rather hastily put together. Here they are for your consideration:

1 – Challenge your assumptions

This is really about being able to shift your paradigm (the way you see the world), as captured by the ‘hypershifting’ dimension of hyperthinking. The key for an entrepreneur is the ability to recognize your assumptions, challenge them and see if that opens new opportunities.

2 – Be ready to get it wrong

Being wrong comes back to failing fast. Most plans fail after contact with the market – this is normal. As long as failure can be turned into fast learning and the company adapts to remedy it, the company will survive. Being persistent about trying and overcoming multiple failures is what makes a successful entrepreneur. Unfortunately, it is often discouraged in the European mindset.

We associate being wrong with having failed and having failed with being a failure. The entrepreneur needs to understand that failure is part of learning, and a necessary part of creating a successful business. Real persistence lies in trying again and doing better as a result of it.

3 – Take learning seriously

Learning is key to individual understanding, but it needs to become a habit for the entrepreneur as well as their team and become an integral part of the company’s culture.

It is easy to become complacent and stick with what you know – especially if you have some early success. The habit of learning needs to be deep, on-going and permeate throughout the organisation.

4 – Simple is always better

If you cannot explain your basic concept to a 10 year old, there is probably something wrong with the concept.

Make sure you understand what it is in simple and clear terms, and whenever you have a choice go for simplicity over complexity (even if your business can form a complex combination of simple systems). Simple and low cost solutions should always come first.

5 – Be social

At an early stage in the business, finding the right help and advice is crucial to save time and money. It is also a great way to find out what your potential customer might want or what their pain points are. You can’t grow a viable business in isolation, you have to discuss and engage.

Being social should happen both online and offline. Talking to people, exchanging stories and networking on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. This will help you build up your profile, strengthen your ideas, get feedback on them and help you find their market.

These are, of course, opinions I quickly put together, so I welcome your ideas and feedback. Let’s be social.

Next week, there will be an opportunity for communicators to dig deeper into the challenges and opportunities created by the rise of social media.

This conference created by Luke Brynley Jones – @lbrynleyjones, founder and blogger of oursocialtimes.com, is taking place in Brussels for the first time on Wednesday 26 September, for more information go to: Social CRM 2012.

The name itself raises questions that marketeers are dealing with everyday.  What is the impact of social technologies on our marketing, and how can we adapt our strategy to make the most of these tools?  More practically, how can move to a ‘social’ form of CRM, where a brand can connect to its customers through a multiplicity of channels?

The opportunities sound endless, however the hype around these tools has confused more than one business executive.  What is needed now is practical examples of real challenges and real successes – not the promises of extraordinary opportunities that more often than not fail to materialise. Through a combination of presentations, workshops and Q&A, a group of experts and marketeers will look for solutions to their own specific needs.  They will share their first hand experience from brands such as eBay Europe, BNP Paris Fortis, United Biscuits and many others.

ZN is supporting the event as an outreach partner and I will be presenting some thoughts on these topics.  My starting point will be that the Internet and social CRM are redefining the relationship between companies and individuals; it is their mindset and not resources that is key to face this challenge. I will describes how ‘Hyperthinking’ can serve as a powerful tool to meet the demands of a new customer base and take advantage of an ever-changing world.

We look forward to seeing you there.