The document outlines Stoneking Communications' strategy, which emphasizes approaching challenges with an open mind, relying on experience over assumptions, focusing resources on areas of common ground, considering multiple perspectives, encouraging creativity and flexibility to solve problems, avoiding groupthink, striving for unified outcomes, taking initiative and responsibility, having the courage to develop bold solutions without limitations, balancing humility and confidence, focusing on transparency and improvement to build reputation, and thoroughly evaluating all aspects of communication.

1. Stoneking Communications Strategy
Objectivity:
Approach
challenges
with
a
Tabula
Rasa,
or
blank
slate;
avoid
“this
is
how
we’ve
always
done
it”
mentality.
Rely
on
experience
over
speculation
or
assumption.
Complement
nature
with
nurture.
Focus:
Evaluate
relationships
and
common
ground
in
order
to
focus
time,
energy
and
resources
to
the
intersection
that
can
produce
the
desired
results
in
the
most
efficient
and
effective
manner.
Perspective:
Consider
others’
point-­‐of-­‐views,
walk
in
their
shoes,
to
enhance
understanding,
empathy
and
mutual
appreciation.
Pursue
vested
relationships
and
win-­‐win
solutions.
Innovation:
Don’t
untie
the
Gordian
knot
when
you
can
cut
through
it.
Often
intractable
problems
can
be
solved
through
creativity,
brainstorming,
original
thinking,
and
inclusion.
Adhocracy:
Bureaucracy
can
create
unending
frustration
much
like
Sisyphus
forever
pushing
the
boulder
up
a
hill.
Often,
some
flexible,
adaptable
and
informal
approaches
can
wield
more
meaningful
results.
Individualization:
Avoid
group-­‐think
and
the
Abilene
paradox
of
acting
contrary
to
conscious
in
order
to
appease
the
group
and
arrive
at
a
collective
course
of
action
counter
to
true
preferences.

2. Stoneking Communications Strategy
Outcome-­‐based:
Objectives
are
stepping
stones
to
achieve
the
vision.
Better
to
lose
a
battle
and
win
the
war.
Better
still
that
everyone
in
the
organization
is
clear
on,
and
striving
toward,
unified
outcomes.
Ownership:
Voltaire’s
Candide
recognizes
that
“we
must
cultivate
our
garden.”
Optimism
is
not
a
substitute
for
hard
work,
initiative,
and
concrete
actions
to
ensure
milestones.
All
must
be
accountable.
Courage:
The
architect
must
draw
the
original
blueprint
without
the
constraints
of
resources,
stakeholder
criteria
or
arbitrary
limitations.
Drawing
to
outside
influences
satisfies
the
lowest
denominator.
Balance:
The
yin
and
yang
of
humility
and
bravado
are
interdependent.
The
duality
among
them
is
essential.
We
must
be
humble
enough
to
listen
and
respect
others;
bold
enough
to
demonstrate
our
own
value.
Reputation:
You
can
put
lipstick
on
a
pig,
but
it
is
still
a
pig.
Conversely,
reflection,
objectivity,
transparency
and
a
willingness
to
change
policy
or
actions
for
the
better
can
transform
a
pig
into
a
stallion.
Evaluation:
Effective
two-­‐way
communication
requires
strategic
evaluation
of
environment,
sender,
receiver,
encryption,
decryption,
noise,
intent,
perception,
experience,
bias,
values,
mediums,
messages….