The communication channel missing in action and who should care
The revered dean of employee communications makes a case for reviving face-to-face communication by managers. Not even internal social media is a good substitute.
I have been mystified for years why communication professionals have been so reluctant to exploit the most powerful communication channel they have—namely, line managers in their face-to-face communication role.
Maybe the reason is the abundance of technology at the communicator’s disposal. Or maybe they believe that this is HR’s responsibility. Or maybe they just don’t know how to go at it. Or maybe they have been conditioned by that silly parlor game of telephone where people distort messages they attempt to repeat verbatim. Take your pick. Whatever the cause, we have an opportunity you could drive a truck through.
One of the most compelling reasons for addressing this opportunity is the impact of poor first-line communication on the rest of the internal media. A skeptical manager can destroy the credibility of the best-crafted communications with a wink and a nod.
The deficit and the data
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