I love the new Martha!

I never thought I would see this day; the day that Martha Karua would appear in public in less than traditional corporate colours in parliament. It happened yesterday and she wore an awesome combination of a hot pink top matched with a classy white jacket and a matching skirt.She has gone for the straight look in her hair which has all along been strictly wavy!

I have to say here that whoever is managing her communication has taken sometime to think about how Madam Martha projects as a brand. I am sure you agree with me that she has toned down her, no nonsense- non negotiable stance to one of an approachable friend, mother and leader. Since I work in this world I know it is not easy to achieve this; a lot of thought goes into creating messages, thinking about the right strategy and tactics to deliver that message, so hats off to whoever is responsible for her campaign. I love the new her and certainly hope it will pay off as part of her attempt to the presidency. She has also taken to wearing African (NARC-K Colours)themed attire while on the campaign trail which I understand are all designed locally. Like I said someone is taking their communication very seriously. She is also very involved in ‘non political’ stuff like CHAT Awards and recording music with Juliani.

We will probably not make the attempt to high office but we have careers, families, and friends all for whom our brand is important.We are responsible for our own communication to the world around us. What do you project to people? How do people view you and most importantly how do you view yourself? Answering these questions is certainly a way to begin taking your brand personally. Sometimes we assert that we do not care what people think of us yet that is far from the truth. We like to be thought of as bright, intelligent, humorous and a tone of other feel good adjectives.

In my view though, the internal brand is what matters most. How do you view yourself? Give it a little thought. Please take time to also undertake a fun test where you ask your friends to describe you in the first 3 adjectives that come to mind. Tell them not to analyse it too much just to say the three that come to mind, that way you can understand how the world views you. I found this to be an interesting resource from Steve Pavlina.

That way you can begin to understand some ways in which you can make life work for you. Maybe your career has stalled because people view you as aloof and arrogant which tells you to probably smile a little more and perhaps wear warm colors more.Whatever it is you owe it to yourself to find out what you can do. I hope you enjoy it.

Please feel free leave my three adjectives on the comments page if it is not too much to ask 🙂
Blessings y’all

We the People

A few days ago I had a light hearted albeit short conversation with @danchiziaceda on #Mindspeak. He felt very strongly for the fact that we needed to hold President Museveni to task about the injustice happening in Ug. I joked that at the time, my shoe was tightly tied and hence my compliance -Remember the George Bush Incident- but that next time, I would wear loose fitting shoes.

It did leave me thinking though, about how the middle class knows exactly what is wrong with the system, in fact many of us know exactly what to do yet it ends there. There is a great divide between knowing what needs to be done and doing it or demanding that it be done. As I was in that thought line, yesterday to be precise, an interesting entry showed up on my Twitter timeline; A cry for help by @timnjiru to @Alkags to rally people around another Feb 28 and a quick retort by @ubabz begged for more than just the singing of the national anthem.

When Mutahi Ngunyi was last on the bench with @KoinangeJeff, he asserted that this country has leadership that has come of age that knows exactly what must be done to get this nation back on track, has the experience and even the backing needed. His however sadly noted that this leadership was also reluctant to take on the job they needed to do.

During the last week or two we have no doubt used #walktowork in our tweets for instance, but how many of us have done it. How many of us have abandoned our vehicles and actually walked to work to protest high fuel costs? And how many have carried pots and pans from our homes to protest high food prices? Not many of us;in fact probably none of us. My guess is that we will congregate at our favourite coffee shops talk about how things are tough, have a mocha with cake and go home and tomorrow is another day.

At this rate me thinks we are running out of tomorrows. We the people are the solution, we are the voice of God. Me thinks it’s time to let go of the coffee and cake, the golf club and tennis racket from our hand in exchange for our children, their children and our great gran kids. ENGAGE- CREATE
Blessings y’all

Fireside Chats May Lighten Our Mood, Change Our Attitude

It is a well known fact that one of the reasons America pulled through The Great Depression has to do with Franklin D Roosevelt’s ‘Fire Side chats’, radio broadcasts in which the president encouraged the American people to stay strong and keep having hope in their financial institutions because the nation would pull through. These chats are also-correctly or not- praised for popularizing radio in the 20s and 30s the period that came to be know at the Golden age of radio. The 32nd President faced a huge task of leading a nation deflated by the severe economic depression that left the populace devastated irrespective of their economic status.

President Roosevelt giving his Popular Chats on Radio

Roosevelt I understand insisted on simple and all inclusive language in the broadcasts that brought people together -perhaps like the Tusker ad of yester years here in Kenya. His strategy did work and infact continued through to the second world war when Japan was eventually brought down.

So what? What does this have to do with us? Well I have heard that history holds dear lessons. The ones I draw from this experience have everything to do with the President’s handlers. How is it that the man residing in the house on the hill is working with people who continually potray zero understanding of the communication business and its influence for that matter. Why is he swearing as public functions instead of getting downright personal with his people so he can leave a legacy beyond tough long lasting roads?

In times as hard as this, people need empathy as much as we feel like hustlers left to our own devices to make solutions work#findfuel #ExpensivePower et al. The presidency owes us a fireside chat; not one or two but may nine or ten. A chat about the fact that we can pull through this, that we are a strong and resilient nation that is full of home grown solutions that just need to be encouraged.

The Presidency owes us a chat about humility and an understanding that we the people are the backbone of this nation. A chat about the power of one, the power of two and the power of influence.

Who is this that manages the Presidency’s communication and yet has no clue about the sharing of meaning and the power of influence. How does government relations managers get away with shunning people’s issues and yet wonder why the country is as is. Why is the presidency not listening to the voice of the people and stepping in as a leader should to encourage us to soldier on, to assure us to keep our eyes on the prize. That much the presidency owes us.

Kenya Current President Mwai Kibaki

They may not appreciate my advise but I will share it anyway perhaps the next occupant of the house on the hill may pick up and run with:
1. The nation is the people and they must be protected at all costs. The Presidency must read the mood of the nation and tailor its communication to meet this need. It must know when to balance politics and stability
2. The Presidency must kill the airing of dirty linen to the public- The people matter most
3. The Presidency must not be aloof and stuffy leave that to the old Royals (In the UK of course), the people are looking for realness, truth, humility and action Engage Engage Engage with your stakeholders
4. The Presidency must never lose the confidence of the People.

Blessings y’all

Back on My Feet Again!

Wow! Its been seven months since I walked down the aisle and yes since I made any updates to my posts. It’s been a great ride and I understand the adventure has just begun!
I want to dedicate future posts to all my friends known and unknown and to reveal the joy of shared meaning that is communication and the power that is influence! That is what I do after all on a daily basis.
What do you want to read? Personal Branding,How to say it better, Case studies of government gaffes in Communication, Daily Musings (my life is interesting I can promise you that)Your wish is my command.

Baraka Tele