What Bill Murray’s ‘Groundhog Day’ can teach communicators
To be successful, communicators must develop sources of information within their organizations. The movie shows what that takes.
Earning trust is an overlooked skill for communicators. It’s also a little-noticed theme of “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray.
Murray plays a self-centered, TV weathercaster from Pittsburgh named Phil who’s forced to cover the annual Punxsutawney Groundhog Festival, an assignment he despises. He covers the event, gets snowed in and is forced to stay overnight. When he wakes up, it’s still Groundhog Day, and he’s forced to relive the same day, over and over. Each day he does things differently, although nothing changes.
A corporate communicator’s job can seem like it’s the same thing every day. One of the ways to break out of that rut is to act more like your sometimes nemeses — reporters. Work the beat, which means, like a good reporter, develop sources.
“Groundhog Day” isn’t the first movie that comes to mind when reporter’s sources are mentioned. But a good reporter’s relationships are based on trust.
“Trust me”
Of course, Phil’s test lies with Rita, who does not trust him. He repeatedly tries to seduce her.
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