More than a problem of strategy, tactics or implementation, the communication problems of the executive and the government are primarily to be found among their representatives.
Everyone is full of analysis and commentary on the communication problems of François Hollande, and the government in general, judging here theThere are the blunders and clumsinesses, the enmities or disagreements of convictions. Everyone pretends not to see that beyond the scenario and the staging, the main problem is simply to be found in the actors. As if 'communication' were a mathematical theorem that could be applied to automatically solve any deficit in trust, seduction and attractiveness.
The communication problem of François Hollande is simply François Hollande.
It will work better when he himself is better, less tense, thinking less obsessively about the image he has to project, less entangled in his new presidential costume or in his Mitterrandian pseudo-mimicry. Moreover, even Nicolas Sarkozy, often presented as a "pro" of communication, took some time to "embody" his dimension of head of state, and has himself committed a certain number of communication errors.
This part of personal charisma is all the more important, and even essential, as the economic situation makes room for manoeuvre even narrower and new ideas rare. If some great actors manage to be 'present' on screen, even in silence, it is conversely true that the best script in the world will never make a great actor, just as good advertising will never succeed in selling a bad product in the long term. Good political communication can optimise, improve, help to raise awareness, challenge, it can be skilful, tactical, it can help to get messages across (as long as the choral repetition does not unmask the grid of these messages), but we must not confuse the communication of ideas with that of people, for which the product is the man. What is important, therefore, is sincerity and authenticity. If coaching can be done to improve things, it is also important that the communication is adapted and consistent with the temperament and personality of the person it is intended to serve, without forcing his or her nature or style. For a 'natural' president, authentic and spontaneous, rather than 'normal'.
No one else is going to be on stage like Steve Jobs, or patting cows' arses like Jacques Chirac, to each his own style and nature.
The political game is so difficult that it requires presence, ideas and a script, and in that order. For the time being, we have to admit that none of these three components are present, and even less so the fourth, that extra directorial touch that makes it all harmonious, credible and seductive. For the moment, the acting is unconvincing, the dialogue bad when it's not simply improvised out of pretentiousness or a desire not to accept direction from the director, the sets déjà vu, and the story lacks suspense and seems to be written in real time as the film is being shot. Unfortunately, as with a film, a series, a book or even a meeting, the first few minutes, pages and episodes are essential. It's hard to win over fans in season 3 when the lack of a state of grace has already shown the weakness of first-week ticket sales. It's also hard to win over an audience by criticising neighbouring programming, as this campaign argument becomes an inaudible excuse in office.
So much so that today, to say "it's com" has become synonymous with lying, manipulation or scum.
The first media in communication is you, and the first rule is not to give the impression that you are doing it.