by Emma King (@EmmainSA) So, how is your corporate communications policy structured? Is it free and open, or is it rigid, sluggish and fear-inducing? Because, watch out, the way that you communicate, both internally and externally, says a lot about you to the outside world.
(And thinking that you don’t have a communications policy, by the way, is delusional — you make decisions, whether consciously or unconsciously, on how to manage the flow of information, and that paints a picture for the outside world.)
Fascinating insight
Over the years, I’ve been privileged enough to see the inner workings of many businesses — from huge listed corporates to small start-ups. And working within, or helping define, their communications policies, both internal and external, has been a fascinating insight.
Because the way that they communicate to each other and to the world outside says a lot about the way that they treat people, and more often than not, the way in which those at the top treat those at the bottom.
If your corporate comms policy is restrictive and encourages blame-passing with everyone running scared, chances are the whole company operates like that. And chances are, high up in the business, there’s a team of megalomaniac bullies who operate by keeping people tightly in line through keeping them fearful.
Correct?
Alternatively, if your business allows its employees to contribute opinions, to be empowered, and to freely access information, I would place bets on you having an innovative and exciting leadership team, and an open, inclusive culture.
DA/Agang merger debacle
I was mesmirised watching the recent DA/Agang merger debacle. Never mind the backtracking at the end, the first warning lights were flashing when it emerged that followers of Ramphele were just as surprised as the rest of the world when the announcement of her ‘defection’ to the DA came (sort of) out of the blue.
How the hell had they decided to have a press conference to announce the news when high-ranking members of her support team — who had invested time, money and their loyalty in their belief in her — were not informed, let alone consulted on the decision?
Let’s take a moment of silence to consider the awkwardness of the poor soul managing the @AgangSA Twitter handle who, up until minutes before the press conference, was vehemently denying the ‘rumours’ that their leader would be joining the opposition.
And then the confused and conflicting messages floating back and forth that followed it in the week after? Well, there’s not much chance of any way out of a sticky solution after all of that.
Even if the Agang leadership tried to go back and pretend nothing had ever happened, how could the rest of Rampehele’s team, her strongest supporters, not feel betrayed, let down and patronised? And if that’s how your own team feels, there’s not much chance that the rest of the big bad world would be any better.
Sacrificial lamb
Then there’s the companies I have seen that bleat and moan when their customers are turning away because they think that the business is impersonal, aloof and a bully. And yet, when faced with minor complaints or enquiries, they ignore them, fob them off with automated replies, or send some poor quivering junior out to be the sacrificial lamb.
Funny, that.
So, have a think and take a good look at your business. If you are not empowering your employees to be your biggest supporters, aren’t you missing a trick?
Emma King (@EmmainSA) is head of PR at The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town). She contributes the monthly “The Dissindent Spin Doctor” column on PR and communication issues to MarkLives.com.
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