Time is our only limited resource.
I make sure my time is spent wisely. I’m lucky enough to have a team that doesn’t need a lot of my time. I travel with the boss. I prioritize the rest of my time as I deem fit.
So how do I spend our limited resource? I talk to, hang out with and read about journalists; the pros.
Relationships are important. They become much more important in times of crisis.
Face to face communication fosters relationships. Talk with journalists outside of the day’s agenda. Learn the industry and the local pressures. Listen to their needs and tell them yours.
The more you speak with them and learn their concerns, the better you can think like a journalist and prepare the right content in crises.
Often you can lean on the media to understand. Yesterday the commander needed to understand something that was going on with the local population. The intel officer looked hard for more information. The ops guys called the subordinate commanders. I called our crew of media folks.
The media quickly and readily offered the greatest insight into the situation. Why? Because they are out in the population, talking with people, asking questions, gaining understanding. This applies to America and abroad. The media has understanding that we don’t and never will.
I once compared the media to feral cats, I still think that’s true.
Reduce your time emailing, and get rid of or make your meetings shorter. Spend time where it counts, with the media.
Photo by Sgt. Lena Wakayama
