Comments on: Words, Actions Both Matter, Right? http://www.communicationammo.com/strat/research/words-actions-both-matter-right/ 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: Sean http://www.communicationammo.com/strat/research/words-actions-both-matter-right/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Sean Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:02:08 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=192#comment-168 Jim - thanks for your thoughtful comment; you probably, likely are right about Big D and me being largely on the same page. Ed - thanks so much ! Hope all is well for you. I look forward to reading the abstract. Jim – thanks for your thoughtful comment; you probably, likely are right about Big D and me being largely on the same page.

Ed – thanks so much ! Hope all is well for you. I look forward to reading the abstract.

]]> By: Ed Malinowski http://www.communicationammo.com/strat/research/words-actions-both-matter-right/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Ed Malinowski Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:51:22 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=192#comment-167 Good post...good argument. It brought to mind a course I took last year that addressed the say-do gap that I believe you're referring to. It was a great course on leadership and some of the pre-requisite reading was a paper on integrity and its impact on performance for individuals, groups, organizations and societies. It's a heavy read - put into action at a personal level it has had a large impact on my life. The paper addresses honoring your word and the condition that can be created when say and do are in line - essentially your word (or a company's) becoming law in the universe. You say it - it happens. If interested here's a link to the paper - http://ssrn.com/abstract=920625. Good post…good argument. It brought to mind a course I took last year that addressed the say-do gap that I believe you’re referring to. It was a great course on leadership and some of the pre-requisite reading was a paper on integrity and its impact on performance for individuals, groups, organizations and societies. It’s a heavy read – put into action at a personal level it has had a large impact on my life. The paper addresses honoring your word and the condition that can be created when say and do are in line – essentially your word (or a company’s) becoming law in the universe. You say it – it happens. If interested here’s a link to the paper – http://ssrn.com/abstract=920625.

]]> By: Jim Savage http://www.communicationammo.com/strat/research/words-actions-both-matter-right/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Jim Savage Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:52:22 +0000 http://www.communicationammo.com/?p=192#comment-166 Great post, Sean. I think you and Big D are actually more in agreement than you might think, but I'm leaning to your view. A company that truly values people and treats them well may nevertheless have to let some people go in bad times to save the firm, just as a general at war may have to put soldiers at risk for a greater good (although in that instance the risk element of the 'social contract' is well understood by the soldier from the time he enlists). There is a terrible but natural tendency for firms to hide bad news (esp. to employees) within High Spin, as you point out. I've seen this attempted by good people who simply (and incorrectly) thought such concealment would soften the blow. These things never fool anyone, of course, and in the one particular instance I am thinking about we were far better served by honesty and transparency, which reflected the basic decency of the leaders who had to make the hard, necessary decisions (but dreaded communicating the bad news). As you note, our counsel is especially valuable in such instances. Our artistry is not then one of using words to conceal some dark truth via "spin" but helping the firm articulate how it will live up to its genuine values in hard times. Again, good stuff and looking forward to part deux.... Great post, Sean. I think you and Big D are actually more in agreement than you might think, but I’m leaning to your view. A company that truly values people and treats them well may nevertheless have to let some people go in bad times to save the firm, just as a general at war may have to put soldiers at risk for a greater good (although in that instance the risk element of the ‘social contract’ is well understood by the soldier from the time he enlists).

There is a terrible but natural tendency for firms to hide bad news (esp. to employees) within High Spin, as you point out. I’ve seen this attempted by good people who simply (and incorrectly) thought such concealment would soften the blow. These things never fool anyone, of course, and in the one particular instance I am thinking about we were far better served by honesty and transparency, which reflected the basic decency of the leaders who had to make the hard, necessary decisions (but dreaded communicating the bad news).

As you note, our counsel is especially valuable in such instances. Our artistry is not then one of using words to conceal some dark truth via “spin” but helping the firm articulate how it will live up to its genuine values in hard times.

Again, good stuff and looking forward to part deux….

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