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Sharing insights from Brunswick colleagues around the world on a SP TLIGHT medley of topics n 1899, a parliamentary candidate from Oldham stood I to address a local church gathering. “Never before in the history of Oldham have so many people had so much to Of TIME & PLACE eat,” he declared. As a junior minister nine years later, the same politician stood beside an irrigation project in Africa and said, “Never before in the history of Africa has so much water been held up by so little masonry.” Before he became the greatest orator in British history, before he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, Sir Winston Churchill gave speeches that surely generated some mirth. “He was renowned throughout his career for lavishing verbosity on issues that simply didn’t warrant it,” said Philip Collins, the author and speechwriter for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Appearing on an Intelligence Squared panel called “Words that Changed the World,” Mr. Collins argued that the perfect context for Mr. Churchill’s grave tone and tenor arose only when he was in his 60s, and serving as British Prime Minister amid the Nazi invasion of western Europe. Of Mr. Churchill’s speeches in 1940, Mr. Collins said, “What gives them their real gravity is the fact that the peril is real.” For me and for others who work with words and who love the Churchill legacy, Mr. Collins’ lesson is worth remembering. If we try to emulate the great orator on behalf of a brand or product, we could succeed – and sound as cartoonish as Mr. Churchill did at PHOTOGRAPH: MILITARY HISTORY COLLECTION / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ALAMY STOCK / COLLECTION HISTORY MILITARY PHOTOGRAPH: that Oldham event. brunswick review · issue 15 · 2018 7 SPOTLIGHT That isn’t to say Mr. Churchill isn’t worth studying for routine tips about words and writing. “Short words are the best, and the old words best of all,” he said. In an unpublished 1897 piece called “The Scaffolding The point of corporate tell it as often as needs be – but of Rhetoric,” Mr. Churchill communications is repeat the same message on the identified what he thought not to entertain, but to same facts. There is no need to were the principal elements of tell the truth improvise, nor to elaborate. As a great speech: correctness of pressure rises, the same truth diction, rhythm, accumulation of Exacting HONESTY can be repeated. This is now argument and analogy. commonly done, for example, in Deliberate writers will also take he leader of a public corruption cases. particular comfort in knowing company has a duty to “The Board will not allow that Churchill was slow. He T inform the public of material corrupt behavior in this company estimated one hour of work for events that an investor, actual and will sort it out at once,” is a every minute of a speech. or prospective, would consider typical example. This statement Obviously, those traits alone significant in deciding whether is fact. It tells the market what don’t account for his brilliant flair to buy or sell the shares. He or the view of its Board is, and with words and thankfully he she must tell the truth – and shows their determination to offers other hints. As a film-maker, tell it as soon as is reasonably deal with it. I’m especially interested in how practicable. He has no duty It is tempting to shift from he described his writing style as to spin, nor to comment, nor the provision of necessary a “rapid succession of waves of entertain, although in the information material and sound and vivid pictures.” pressure of the moment, many useful to the market and, under go down this path. pressure, stray into the realms “Short words are The audience, in the form of entertainment – “feeding the of the media, have much more beast” may be the function of the the best, and the old freedom. They can comment, media, but it is not the function they can entertain, they can of the company. words best of all” write, or broadcast, from a point The CEO is concerned with of view: left or right, capitalist or what the public needs to know. Winston Churchill communist, young or old. Some He may wish to elaborate One hopes that circumstances public-service broadcasters have and expand, according to his never arise to emulate Prime duties imposed by the state; the temperament, but he would do Minister Churchill in his BBC, for example, has a duty to well to always bear in mind the moments of greatness. The most be “impartial” in its coverage. But questions, “Am I informing or eminent Churchill historian, Dr. while many in the private media am I entertaining?” and “If I Andrew Roberts, says, “An awful strive mightily for accuracy and comment, why do I comment?” lot of people thought that it was have strong ethical standards, One last word – on apologies: impossible to beat the Nazis, yet they are entitled to select what It can be hard to When disaster strikes, an apology what Winston Churchill did, by they report, and decide upon is often necessary and usually constantly putting Britain’s peril which particular facets in the stick to the mantra welcome. It shows ownership, in the greater historical context diamond of truth they wish to courage and sympathy. It need of other times that Britain had shine their light. of “FACTS ONLY” not become an admission of legal nearly been invaded, but had A chief executive has no such liability; lawyers’ fears in this area been ultimately successful, he luxury. He has to tell it like it in a fast-developing, are overdone. managed to tell the British people is, and dangers surround him unexpected One can be very sorry that that this could happen again.” if he launches into the areas of something has happened, Or, as US President John F. comment or entertainment. and unwanted whether an explosion or a share Kennedy said of Mr. Churchill: “A storm in a teacup,” “a minor price collapse; saying sorry “He mobilized the English incident,” “a forgivable error” can situation and expressing sympathy with language and sent it into battle.” be claimed by the commentators, the victims is a proper human Churchill’s greatest legacy may but less easily by the miscreant. instinct. Sympathy and sorrow be his assurance that victory can It can be hard to stick to the straightforward. First, find and a determination to put be achieved against all odds. As mantra of “facts only” in a fast- the truth. (This is not easy in things right are not the same as Churchill himself once put it, developing, unexpected and complex organizations that have professing guilt. Apologies need “Never flinch, never weary, unwanted situation. lost their way.) When the truth not be about fault or liability – never despair.” Viewed this way, however, has been found, if it is materially they are about empathy. Sonal R. Patel is an Executive communication becomes different from market knowledge Rob Webb QC is a Brunswick Senior Producer for MerchantCantos. much simpler; the rules are or perception, tell it; tell it all and Adviser based in London. BLOCH SERGE ILLUSTRATION: 8 brunswick review · issue 15 · 2018 global economic alignment. Between 2004 and 2014, Sub- Saharan Africa became the world’s second-fastest-growing region after Asia Pacific, driven in large part by the voracious demand for natural resources created by China’s rapid industrialization. However, structural changes – the direct result of political shifts toward democratic accountability and good governance – played a critical role. Applying these trends across broad sections of the continent would be an oversimplification. Among the Eurasia Group’s top 10 global risks for 2018 is rising terrorism in Africa, with the Western powers increasingly Cape Town’s Table Mountain distracted by their own domestic carries its “table cloth” of clouds – a sign, legend has it, politics. Among the best of a smoking contest between performing economies on the a local pirate and the Devil. continent, Ethiopia and Rwanda aren’t exactly model democracies. But they are predictably governed of defense. Yet early evidence risk for inbound mergers last year and focused on trying to AFRICA bucks suggests that João Lourenço, was almost exclusively due to the prioritize economic development technocratic general and newly most sophisticated democracy on over political squabbling. the political elected president, deserves his the continent: South Africa. However, in key economies, corruption-free reputation – South Africa accounts for private markets are growing risk trend almost immediately he pushed nearly two-thirds of Africa’s M&A and thriving. While the decade back against military cronyism activity by value and about half of growth was not driven by ociologist daniel bell, and nepotism. by volume. Political uncertainty manufacturing, early signs show writing in the 1950s about In Liberia, the winner in brought inbound deals by it may be on the rise, aided S mid-20th century ideologies, the country’s first democratic volume down 45 percent in the again by China’s expanding observed, “the old passions presidential election invited first quarter of 2017 – though appetite. Combined with are spent.” That turns out to members of the losing party to measured by value, that activity Africa’s technology leapfrogging be wrong, as recent political join him in a unity cabinet. Africa was up significantly. in areas such as fintech and contests for the souls of major is full of surprises. The hype about South Africa’s communications, this might just western societies shows. The Political risk, once considered institutional arrangements sustain the continent’s promise as brutal rebellion against liberal purged everywhere but in Africa, is proving warranted.

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