The case against newsletters

On the surface, an edict demanding the elimination of a large percentage of an organization’s newsletters can seem arbitrary and harsh. But when viewed as a challenge, slimming down the newsletter portfolio can actually create a more open, effective and regenerative communication approach. For many staff and managers, newsletters are synonymous with “internal communication.” But there are a number of valid reasons why newsletters deserve to be rethought as standard internal communication vehicles:

1) Somewhere to Hide

A key problem with many newsletters is that they tend to publish unattributed information as fact, without any individual authorship of the content or quotes from those initiating, managing or dealing with change. Consequently, such newsletters become vehicles where management disseminates information without taking ownership of it or offering a return address for comments and questions.

2) The Royal “We”