Re-posted from GSPM.org.

The GSPM is launching many incredible classes this autumn. I’m particularly thrilled about one of them, Media, Government, and Social Change, because I helped recruit its professor, Brian Reich.

Brian’s blog, Thinking about Media, and book, Media Rules, lay out some of his thinking about how organizational development, technology, and people. His course, Media, Government, and Social Change, applies those principles to the politics and government space.

Brian recently discussed his philosophy as an instructor for Media, Government and Change:

I designed this class to look at three big issues/questions:

1) Technology and the internet have dramatically changed the way people get and share information.  Those changes impact everything – what we buy, how we spend our time, what (and how) we read, watch television, listen to the radio, talk to eachother, and certainly our expectations of the organizations that we support and engage.  That has huge implications for our government, and the various organizations that contribute to the functioning of our society.  What must we understand and what must we change for government to serve its constituents better, for issues to be addressed more effectively, and for people to be more fully engaged in our democracy?

2) When it comes to organizations – and how they manage their communications, education, advocacy, and more – real success is hard to find.  The groups we hold up as models, because of their size or the level of awareness of their cause, aren’t breaking much new ground.  The legislation that is created, doesn’t do enough to address the core issues that challenge our society.  Even those who have successfully establish their brand or built an audience aren’t necessarily able to change minds, change behavior, or tackle serious issues.  What does a successful organization look like today and how does its role change if the goal is to achieve meaningful, measurable change?

3) There continues to be far too much focus on activity (how big your email list is, how many people signed your online petition) and not enough on impact (whether you are really serving a need, or changing things for the better).  There is too much emphasis placed on brand (i.e. what groups call themselves, or say they are doing) and not enough on experience (what is really happening, are the needs of our society actually being met). There is too much energy put into growth (how big can we be, how many people can we reach) and not enough commitment to sustainability (can we maintain the quality of what we do no matter how many things are choose to do) or impact (are we achieving our goals).  Where should our focus be if we want to improve how we govern, how our society functions – and what role do citizens, media, and others play in those efforts?

I have spent my life working in and around politics, helping to direct dozens of campaigns across the country. I spent two years as Vice President Gore’s Briefing Director in the White House, handling both official activities and activities during his 2000 presidential campaign. Over the past eight years, I have helped hundreds of organizations to understand how technology is changing society and what that does to impact how we communicate, educate, and engage.  I wrote a book, Media Rules!.  I blog, and speak, and write about these issues every day.  But society is changing so quickly, and new opportunities to use technology and the internet to change our society emerge every day.  I designed this class to explore these issues in depth and to begin to apply those lessons to meet some of the real, immediate challenges that we are facing today.

I hope you will join me.

You can watch Brian talk more about the class on YouTube.

Still have questions about the course? GSPM students can contact Brian directly at brian@littlemmedia.com.