Schlagwort-Archive: Understanding

Out of the dilemma

It is a difficult balancing act to filter one out of two unpleasant solutions. The choice between pest and cholera only gives hopes that both will not happen – although fate could still pass you by. And then, because of the different interpretations, additionally many have the public hounding them. There seems to be no way out for the favorable representation of one’s intentions. No matter which solution you choose, you will always be shown that it is the wrong one. A good example is the current debate on the sponsorship of events by political organizations, such as the EU. Can a soft drink producer support an event financially without being under general suspicion of trying to influence?

This is a dilemma for the organizers. If sponsoring takes place, it is assumed that the companies buy favorable decisions from politicians. If the organizers renounce the funding by the industries, it could result in the fact that somebody is accused of wasting public funds. Where is the way out of this dilemma? The following steps will help you find your way out of this desperation.

  • Understanding
    Nowadays, news are almost simultaneously in the media. The immediate consequences often only become clear afterwards. The experienced reporter has a sharpened eye for interesting matters. If then the logo of a soft drink manufacturer is emblazoned on the event sign of a political association with the note “sponsored by”, then speculations start. It is important to understand the situation. Sponsor or not? Influenced or not?
    The real dilemma should be clear; otherwise you will make the wrong conclusions.
  • Rating
    After recognizing the dilemma, you should work out the pros and cons. What speaks for one perspective and what for the other? What are the reasons against it? With this ProCon list you can classify the different options – by the way also the possibility of choosing none of the alternatives. This way you choose the lesser evil.
    The real dilemma resolves by itself, since a reasonable decision is prepared.
  • Dissociating
    The consequences resulting from the dismantling of the dilemma unfortunately still remains fatal. For this reason, the risks are separated into factual consequences and undesirable impressions. Factual consequences are physical or human damages. Damage can be minimized by means of preventive risk limitations or short-term crisis management. Public evaluations are opinions that damage one’s reputation. A coherent reasoning and comprehensive publication can help the audience to better understand their own point of view. However, in the end, the public still values at its own discretion based on the mediated “reality”
    If the dilemmas are not practical emergencies, such as natural disasters, economic threats or war, then these are often political reasons that should be confronted politically with clarifying statements.
  • Accepting
    The decisive factor of a dilemma is the fact that the predicament is not under control, but that somebody has to choose one of several undesirable alternatives. Doing nothing by shock-induced paralysis is only the last option. Through the above steps you understand better, which possibilities exist with which consequences. Since it is not possible of safely getting out of this clamp, it is important to accept the insolvability and to decide on one of the alternatives. You are aware of the consequences and initiate appropriate countermeasures.
    The dilemma disappears, when you adopt the chosen solution – and above all when you are convinced that you are doing the right thing.
  • Explaining
    The most important part of the solution is the justification. Since everyone is always the victim of a limited range of vision, we should always explain our solutions in such a way that others can develop their own opinions based on the available arguments. However, poor processing throws oil into the fire. For this reason, well prepared public relations are indispensable.
    The dilemma is mitigated by proactive media work.

Bottom line: With the sensory overload in the media, attention is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity that everyone is ripping off – with the aim of selling products, services, or themselves. In this context, clever expressions about decisions that can be evaluated differently are a good way to fight for one’s share of attention. This means that all kinds of decisions are always placed on the gold scale. Starting point are mostly dilemmatic situations, such as sponsoring political events. If you get sponsored, you get suspected of being impressionable. If you pay, you waste taxpayers’ money. This desperation is solved by choosing an alternative, usually the one with the least damage. For this purpose you should understand the dilemma and estimating the advantages and disadvantages. As soon as you dissociate the consequences, you select a solution and explain it to the public. Do the least bad thing and talk about it. That’s how you get out of the dilemma.

Meaning is not simply defined

A substantial part of the economy, politics and other areasof life is the exchange of information. The biggest mistake is the assumption that a situation is clear per se. On the one hand, due to generalizations, distortions and deletions parts of the message get lost. On the other hand, receivers of the message extend the actual meaning with their own associations and interpretations. Although contents are passed on deliberately, the meaning lies in the eye of the recipients. The path to the message is steep and uncertain. It requires effort and time. There is no guarantee that the desired outcome can be achieved at the target group. Meaning is not simply defined.

For this reason, a good preparation is important. The actual exchange is not limited to the statement, but requires conscious coordination – talks and discussions. Since understanding only becomes visible in doing, meaning design reaches until practical implementation.

BG-scribble e

Meaning design consists of three steps: developing the idea, exchanging information and the realization in doing. If a step is skipped, the probability of obstacles grows.

Develop
From the idea to the concept, the stability of contents evolves. For this purpose, it is favorable to consider alternative options. In the case of developing ideas, the arguments for the selected solution as well as the counterarguments for the other alternatives arise.
Example: The market for video rentals is breaking down. You develop new business models, in order to stay in business. Alternatives are: starting an on-line business, specializing your offer or giving up the business. You decide for a specialized offer of cultural rare pieces that will be rented and sold nation-wide.

Communicate
From concept to the prepared message to the desired effect, the basis of acceptance is defined. The translation of the abstract concept into the language of the target group is crucial for understanding. Therefore, it is important to know the language and ways of thinking of the target group. In mutual exchange of ideas, the edited message and aspects of the concept are improved. The result is the common understanding.
Example: You visit your branches and present the new concept to your employees. They give you the idea, to add foreign films to your product range that are difficult to obtain. The employees are enthusiastic about your training program that teaches them the new assortment.

Do
From the initial doing to mastery, the desired effect evolves. Not until the message causes an action, it becomes visible, whether the concept functions or not. The involvement of the doers into a regular dialog ensures the desired advantages in the long-term.
Example: After you prepared the market with elaborated advertising for your offer, first issues arise in the support of your knowledgeable customers. With the introduction of appropriate information systems, the employees adjust themselves to the new market. The revenue develops in the desired direction.

Bottom line

The conscious use of meaning design enables the transfer from an old to a new condition. Crucial are the thoughtful concept, the active reconciliation with the involved ones and the continuous improvement of the outcomes.