Comments on: Corporate Culture: Truth vs. B.S. http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2008/04/bs/ Branding. Not Bull. Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:32:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jim http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2008/04/bs/comment-page-1/#comment-361 Jim Wed, 28 May 2008 22:51:24 +0000 http://www.brandculture.com/culturetalk/?p=5#comment-361 There's Truth and then there's how Truth is delivered. The latter goes to a lot of the real issues in communication. It also goes to the idea that your audience can't take in more than a 3 second message. To deliver the Truth effectively, you have to work to understand your audience and, when you have a difficult or complex message to deliver, start with where they're at. People will typically only listen to those things that speak to their concerns. When you start from that place, it becomes possible to open up a more nuanced conversation. This is not "spinning" a message. It is, in fact, an act of greater integrity and concern for the audience than blurting out the bare bones of the Truth. In terms of organizational culture, the expectation of having a nuanced conversation can be built. Like any kind of cultural change, it takes time. It first must be consistently modeled by those who are influential (not always hierarchically) and repeated until people begin to understand that the approach offers them a consistent opening to also speak the Truth. There’s Truth and then there’s how Truth is delivered. The latter goes to a lot of the real issues in communication. It also goes to the idea that your audience can’t take in more than a 3 second message.

To deliver the Truth effectively, you have to work to understand your audience and, when you have a difficult or complex message to deliver, start with where they’re at. People will typically only listen to those things that speak to their concerns. When you start from that place, it becomes possible to open up a more nuanced conversation.

This is not “spinning” a message. It is, in fact, an act of greater integrity and concern for the audience than blurting out the bare bones of the Truth.

In terms of organizational culture, the expectation of having a nuanced conversation can be built. Like any kind of cultural change, it takes time. It first must be consistently modeled by those who are influential (not always hierarchically) and repeated until people begin to understand that the approach offers them a consistent opening to also speak the Truth.

]]> By: Forrest http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2008/04/bs/comment-page-1/#comment-360 Forrest Wed, 28 May 2008 20:56:42 +0000 http://www.brandculture.com/culturetalk/?p=5#comment-360 Truth will be embraced only so far as it's promulgated by management; the owner/CEO/manager must communicate clearly, honestly, and authentically to send a signal to the workforce. Since each of us leads in some capacity, we must take it upon ourselves to communicate this way to our colleagues and lead by example. Truth will be embraced only so far as it’s promulgated by management; the owner/CEO/manager must communicate clearly, honestly, and authentically to send a signal to the workforce.

Since each of us leads in some capacity, we must take it upon ourselves to communicate this way to our colleagues and lead by example.

]]> By: Paul http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2008/04/bs/comment-page-1/#comment-359 Paul Fri, 02 May 2008 21:56:09 +0000 http://www.brandculture.com/culturetalk/?p=5#comment-359 Truth first last and always! Although in my annual reviews I'm consistently told I need to find a kindler gentler version of myself... Truth first last and always! Although in my annual reviews I’m consistently told I need to find a kindler gentler version of myself…

]]>