Who's in charge?
Now is the time for leaders to be visible.
In his first inaugural address, the American President Franklin Dwight Roosevelt asserted his belief that “the only thing to fear is fear itself” and that “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror” could paralyse the nation when action was needed. He was referring to effects of the Great Depression.
A more recent, new POTUS gave Americans the opportunities to chant, “Yes we can!” Whether you considered this an inspired act of national empowerment or a clever exercise in political oratory, this choice acknowledged the reality that millions are facing formidable personal challenges. To combat the paralysis of fear, this leader chose to build optimism through encouraging people to claim their capacity to rise to the challenge.
On the ABC’s 7:30 Report earlier this year, Kerry O’Brien asked Kevin Rudd if he was creating unnecessary anxiety by talking up the threat of the economic meltdown. Rudd’s answer was that he wanted to provide a sense of hope and optimism based on squarely facing the realities of the current time.
Whether you are partial to either of these politicians or not, we would be critical if in the presence of a financial, or indeed any other crisis, they were to lie low until things improved.
Clearly this is not a time for leaders to be absent. While Australia has avoided a technical recession thus far, the road ahead is not clear. Whatever the industry, the effects of the current crisis will continue to impact on business. We are all part of this narrative and we are all touched by it, even if only by the headlines and the degree to which we are moved by the difficulties faced by others.
If the best scenarios become reality and our economy does rise, and rise quickly, the need for clear and practical vision as provided by leaders will be even more important.
As a means of increasing the visibility of leaders in large entreprises, we find that making a corporate video still represents an uncomfortable challenge for many business leaders. Poor direction, scripting and dodgy production are more to blame than the process itself.
At coup, we want to make it easier for Australian leaders to deliver stabilising, motivating, reassuring or just plain clarifying messages to their workforces. We offer ourselves as a ready resource, a 48-hour production turnaround from “roll camera” to delivery of the media suitable for intranets, email attachments, video and DVD players.
Keep it simple. A clear message, simple, well-lit coverage and expert direction are all that is required to capture the essence of a leader’s optimism and rationale.
We can help craft the language of the address, direct the performance or simply shoot, edit and deliver. Using our green screen, we can position the presenter in front of any background or location shot, regardless of where the shoot takes place. We can organise a shoot after hours at our studio in Brookvale.
We recommend the use of autocue or teleprompter to expedite the process and can work with leaders to help them use this tool easily and naturally. The image that accompanies this article features a very proficient speaker working with one of his tools of the trade. Don’t believe for a minute that using autocue means the presentation will lack authenticity or spontaneity. In fact, many who use it find it makes them more alive and confident.
Consider the options below and give us a call on 02 9938 6933 or send us an email. We’ll discuss the best way to get your message, or your leader’s message, to your people.
Shoot, edit, deliver - $1500 + gst
Shoot with autocue, edit, deliver - $2200 + gst
With direction - add $500 + gst per hour (estimate 2 hours)
With script consulting - add $500 + gst per hour (estimate 2 hours).
If your requirements fall outside these combinations, give us a call and we’ll tailor the process to match your needs.
