Strategic Communication: The Meaning is in the People.

摘要

Strategic communication (SC) is an instrument of national power nested in both diplomacy and information. It is the orchestration of actions, images, and words used to advance or influence one's position. However, SC is often misunderstood and wielded without an understanding of how to use it effectively. If leaders, military or civilian, corporate or government, do not understand the communication process, they cannot effectively develop and implement a successful SC plan or strategy for their organization. This paper sets forth a number of recommendations to facilitate a leader's understanding of the communication process, and how it is critical to the implementation of SC. Today and future environments will be volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Images, videos, and narratives will dominate the information landscape. Desired end-states will hinge on the changing of behaviors, beliefs, or perceptions of a selected audience. The communication process is integral to SC, and because of this, it is imperative that leaders understand it and know how to use it.