Getting, Maintaining, and Regaining Control

 UnearthedComics.com

Control is yet another word that is closely linked with power. Like many, I prefer to have control - control of my classroom, control of my children, control of my finances, control of my life. Yet what happens when things go beyond our control? There are variety of situational factors that can be set in motion when these uncontrollable circumstances arise.

Sometimes we let our situation just unfold by chance. We throw our hands up and the go-with-the-flow attitude sets in. Other times we attempt to regain control with well-laid plans. Today I watched core members of FPL have a healthy discussion about what those plans looked like for social. It was beautiful - better than any textbook or industry book, this was real-time, real-world discussion of the most minute details.

First starting with a SWOT analysis, the group identified all potential issues involved, and then moved to identifying members of the marketing and communication department to not only assign each to responsibilities, but also to consider how to capitalize on each team members core strengths.

Working together the group assembled a work plan designed to control key messages and content when an emergency situation emerges. By developing a strategy for social, FPL isn’t naive enough to believe everything will go seamlessly. Instead FPL has positioned itself to gain control of its social channels in an otherwise, uncontrollable situation.

There were many highlights today, and all could play into the theme of control and ultimately power, but I’ll save some for future blog posts. I will highlight one more meeting I had today. I meet with Jose Chacon, Senior Director of Brand & Marketing. As a member of the Ohio Northern University (ONU) branding committee. Our team is an internal committee assembled to help build and solidify our brand. The experiences that Jose shared were particularly timely.  

Because FPL is highly regulated, they are very much a different beast that ONU. However, it was interesting to see some of the parallels that both organizations have encountered. Without divulging to much information on either organizations process, at the end of the day, both organizations want the same thing- to resonate with their key stakeholders.

I was particularly interested in how FPL developed their tagline, Change in the Current.  Just like how I’m playing on the word POWER throughout my blog posts, the words change and  current can take on a variety of meanings.  Check out FPL’s video (commercial) and see for yourself how each is defined. Personally, I love how the brand has taken control and seems to somehow transfer that control to the consumer.