What a DOUG Has Learned about Communicating (2004)

After twenty-five years in the utility business, I admit that I often exhibit the mentality of a Dumb Old Utility Guy--the so-called mentality--when it comes to communicating. My stereotype of a DOUG is someone who doesn't accept change thinking we're still in a monopoly business and that the member, trustee, or employee doesn't know or need to know any different, and communicates on a need-to-know basis. In a DOUG's mind, we're a member-owned, non-profit business and we all wear a white hat. And because we've been around for sixty-plus years, and our membership never changes, and our trustees rarely quit or never get voted off the board, and our employees never leave, so, what's there to communicate? Everything! From telling the cooperative story to talking about the advantages and pitfalls of deregulation, communication and marketing is a must! Yes, I added the Marketing word to communication, because marketing today is yesterday's communications with an added kick. The kick is figuring out who our member is and what they want from us, what makes a member want to be a trustee, and who our employees are and why they work for us. It's establishing rapport and creating common understanding. Not an easy task, in today's environment where always-on power supply is thought to be the standard, where aesthetics, like underground electric service and trees,[begin strikethrough])[end strikethrough] are just as important as price, where trustees have been around long enough to be DOUG's, and where many employees feel they work at the company and not for the company. So, how does a DOUG kick communications up a notch with marketing, without getting kicked out of the co-op? First, hire a full-time marketing professional. In my case, I chose to hire someone from outside the utility business for several reasons: to counteract my DOUG tendencies, develop marketing strategies for our plethora of products and services, consolidate our communication and marketing programs under one department, and get a[begin strike through]n[end strike through] fresh view of our business. After convincing the Board of Trustees that a new position was necessary, not a n easy task, Teresa Staats was hired as our Manager of Marketing. And as a direct result of her efforts, we've developed and implemented a communication/marketing plan for the electric cooperative, each of our subsidiaries, and an overall plan so we operate as a combined Family of Companies, instead of separate companies going in different directions. Second, learn to communicate by marketing who and what you stand for. Some of the ways to look beyond the DOUG mentality of keeping members, trustees and employees in the dark, are: * Listen--Number #1 rule! Ask the members questions, solicit their comments, and seek opinions from them at annual meetings, in surveys, in focus groups, and through the company's web site. Listen to the employees by encouraging questions and ideas at employee meetings, safety meetings--a good way to hear what your linemen have to say--and in the hallway or around the coffee pot (my two personal favorites). My philosophy is that the boss doesn't know all the answers. I never cease to be amazed by the creativity and problem-solving abilities of our members and employees. Use them! * Get personal--Create an environment of free and open door communication. Be visible, try to talk face to face with them on their turf and don't be afraid to talk shop, know them and their family (not by creating a personal relationship, but instead through an informed relationship), and communicate by using examples, especially personal examples. Also, since we're always apprehensive about change, tell them how change may or may not affect them. * Tell the whole story, even the bad news--I don't intentionally try to hide or filter information, because employees are good at seeing through it and then misinterpret your motives, regardless of the reason. …