Nature abhors a vacuum
14th Jun 2011
"A point proved by Labour leader Ed Miliband's attempt this week to move away from quiet introspection to begin proactively defining his party's position in the eyes of the public. Whilst some of Ed's advisers may worry that it is too early in the electoral cycle to commit to new policies, in the absence of any explanation of what Labour is for, the public are drawing their own conclusions.
At present, the party's position on the economy and health reforms seem only to be about opposing the government plans, and on many other important and pressing areas - crime, transport, climate change, infrastructure investment, education - there is barely any definition at all. This is the challenge that Ed now seems more willing to confront head on, which in itself is a positive step.
The Labour leader's change of strategy serves as a useful example for any organisation involved in communicating with the public - the absence of communication provides more space for your critics to define you.
For many organisations suffering public criticism fuelled by a hostile media, making the decision to 'get out of the bunker' is often the hardest step. It is very easy to settle into a pattern of reactive response - attempting to redress false or inaccurate stories with factual rebuttals, but failing to 'get on the front foot' to define the narrative itself.
This is where strategic public affairs and communications planning comes in. It is not an overnight process. It requires careful positioning analysis, construction of key messages grounded in evidence, and a process of meaningful engagement with stakeholders. Over time, as performance improves reputation recovers, but it is the first step that's the most important."
Marc Woolfson - Director