Strategic Communication and Influence: An Unofficial Primer
“Strategic Communication and Influence: An Unofficial Primer”
Speaker: Lieber, P. (Joint Special Operations University (JSOU))
Date: 19 March 2019
Speaker Session Preview
SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Dr. Paul Lieber (Joint Special Operations University (JSOU)) as a part of its SMA STRATCOM Speaker Series. To begin, Dr. Lieber defined strategic communication and described the components that it requires (sequencing, complimentary conduits, known primary and secondary audiences, an active selection of particular frames, and an ongoing assessment), as well as the characteristics that it must feature (tangible objectives, coordinated communication, designated POCs, SMEs on hand, documented guidelines or a plan, and familiarity with legal requirements). He then contrasted this definition with a description of what strategic competition isn’t. Dr. Lieber emphasized the importance of tying strategic communication and influence activities together. He also defined influence and outlined the components it requires (justification, audience segmentation, measures of effectiveness, external validity, and theoretical backing), as well as the characteristics it must feature (tangible objectives, a known end date, interventions [only as needed], SMEs and linguists on hand, documented guidelines or a plan, and familiarity with legal requirements). He then contrasted this definition with a description of what influence isn’t, as he did with strategic competition. To conclude, Dr. Lieber outlined a series of ideological and logistical challenges that US decision makers face with respect to strategic communication and influence campaigns. He also listed a variety of action items for these decision makers’ consideration.
Dr. Paul Lieber is an award-winning scholar and practitioner in global strategic communication and information operations, with more than two dozen scholarly publications on these topics. He is a Resident Senior Fellow at U.S. Special Operations Command’s Joint Special Operations University (JSOU), contracted through Metis Solutions. He has served as Command Writer for two USSOCOM Commanders and as Strategic Communication Advisor to the Commander of Special Operations Command–Australia.
In academia, Dr. Lieber has been a member of the graduate faculty at Emerson College, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Canberra. In these roles, he taught across the full spectrum of strategic communication, with research focused on social media–based persuasion and methodological design.
He holds a PhD in Mass Communication and Public Affairs and an MA in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University, as well as a BS in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University.
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