Comments on: Communicators too often out the door in hard times http://www.communicationammo.com/meas/communicators-too-often-out-the-door-in-hard-times/ We help people and organizations make their communications more effective and measure the results. Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:09:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: skw http://www.communicationammo.com/meas/communicators-too-often-out-the-door-in-hard-times/comment-page-1/#comment-459 skw Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:32:03 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=314#comment-459 Sean [irrelevant text removed by editor] -- More relevant to your topic would be: a great communicator can help an executive overcome his/her own fear of communicating. And all execs have communications fear...or execs would always tell the complete, unvarnished truth, which is, um, rare. Every PR guy I know pushes for more disclosure, and almost all execs push back. So much easier to remove the uncomfortable Jiminy Cricket buzzing in your ear.... [irrelevant text removed by editor] I should never comment after midnight.... Sean [irrelevant text removed by editor] –

More relevant to your topic would be: a great communicator can help an executive overcome his/her own fear of communicating. And all execs have communications fear…or execs would always tell the complete, unvarnished truth, which is, um, rare. Every PR guy I know pushes for more disclosure, and almost all execs push back. So much easier to remove the uncomfortable Jiminy Cricket buzzing in your ear….

[irrelevant text removed by editor]

I should never comment after midnight….

]]> By: skw http://www.communicationammo.com/meas/communicators-too-often-out-the-door-in-hard-times/comment-page-1/#comment-458 skw Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:21:09 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=314#comment-458 Most executives do not understand the difference between "managing downwards" and just plain tellin' the folks what's goin' on. Having worked with many senior executives as a management consultant, I can confidently state that nationwide, executives are more concerned with looking smart and in control than with laying out facts...and just as concerned with their employees as with their customers. In fairness, however, how often have you seen a junior employee go up in front of a VP and say, "um, excuse me, but I messed up"? Precious few times...and I say precious because those who do are usually either the most valuable people in the company, or are hidden high-potential staffers. So when the hoi polloi demand truth from their masters...how often do they feed truth upwards themselves? It must be 4 am because I'm getting cynical. But I think the fault somehow lies in our natures, not in our communicators.... There's a mendacity that shapes our ends.... Most executives do not understand the difference between “managing downwards” and just plain tellin’ the folks what’s goin’ on. Having worked with many senior executives as a management consultant, I can confidently state that nationwide, executives are more concerned with looking smart and in control than with laying out facts…and just as concerned with their employees as with their customers.

In fairness, however, how often have you seen a junior employee go up in front of a VP and say, “um, excuse me, but I messed up”? Precious few times…and I say precious because those who do are usually either the most valuable people in the company, or are hidden high-potential staffers. So when the hoi polloi demand truth from their masters…how often do they feed truth upwards themselves?

It must be 4 am because I’m getting cynical. But I think the fault somehow lies in our natures, not in our communicators…. There’s a mendacity that shapes our ends….

]]> By: Sean http://www.communicationammo.com/meas/communicators-too-often-out-the-door-in-hard-times/comment-page-1/#comment-447 Sean Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:01:57 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=314#comment-447 Hi John - thanks for your comment. You're absolutely correct, but the ROI question is one that communicators have been buffaloed by in the past. There are so many inputs to the equation; we need structural equation modeling and other advanced stats to get to the root of real ROI. Value is another question, and one we're a bit better prepared to answer. We can cite value metrics - but if they don't match the leadership expectations, we're sunk. Hi John – thanks for your comment. You’re absolutely correct, but the ROI question is one that communicators have been buffaloed by in the past. There are so many inputs to the equation; we need structural equation modeling and other advanced stats to get to the root of real ROI. Value is another question, and one we’re a bit better prepared to answer. We can cite value metrics – but if they don’t match the leadership expectations, we’re sunk.

]]> By: John Ettorre http://www.communicationammo.com/meas/communicators-too-often-out-the-door-in-hard-times/comment-page-1/#comment-446 John Ettorre Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:50:07 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=314#comment-446 I think folks in this role always have to be ready to demonstrate over and over what the return on this investment is for the entire enterprise. It's not obvious to upper management, so you need to continue to sell its value. I think folks in this role always have to be ready to demonstrate over and over what the return on this investment is for the entire enterprise. It’s not obvious to upper management, so you need to continue to sell its value.

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