In our never-ending search to make things simple, we forgot to tap one important audience: The military.
What jogged our memory was American Sniper, quickly followed by the “Joining Forces” program FLOTUS and Dr. Jill Biden rolled out a few years back, asking employers not to diminish the skills of returning veterans. To celebrate their accomplishments and recognize talents by providing job opportunities. And to understand that, believe it or not, entrepreneurialism is baked into officer training.
Then one acronym caught our attention as civilians (and, yes, as communicators and marketers and the like): SMESC, or situation-mission-execution-support-command.
These five words serve as the foundation for a five-paragraph (no more!) plan that aids decision making. It begins with the problem described and the ultimate strategy, articulated. The next three paragraphs, in order, talk to tactics, the kinds of logistics and e-stuff needed, and the involvement of other audiences and organizations.
Done correctly, it’s a one-pager that dramatically states “we’re taking care of this.” It could morph into a five-part infographic that visualizes the action intended, with just a few words. And it’s a great sales piece for leaders and managers to use in socializing tangible plans for a sometimes intangible function in the corporation, helping everyone understand exactly how results will be realized.
Now all we have to do is think of a slightly different way to remember the veterans’ mnemonic - Sargeant Major Eats Sugar Cookies.