Communication World articles from March 2006

Communication World archives from March 2006

Flirting with disaster.(crisis management)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... As we compiled on com this communication, I couldn't help but reflect on my own recent brush with the forces of nature. It was New Year's weekend, and I had planned a four-hour journey from my home to the mountains of Lake Tahoe in California....

Human rights leader address conference audience.(inbox: IABC NEWS & EVENTS)(Stephen Lewis at International Association of Business Communicators )
March 1, 2006... Stephen Lewis, one of Canada's most respected commentators on social issues, international development and human rights, will deliver the general-session address at IABC's 2006 International Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 6 June....

It does matter.(from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... It does matter: I must take exception to the central message of TJ and Sandar Larkin's recent CW article, "Mission Impossible: Increasing Employee Trust in Your CEO" [January-February 2006]: that CEO communication with employees is overrated...

A blip on the flat line of corporate communication.(from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... A blip on the flat line of corporate communication: I wanted to comment on Steve Crescenzo's great article "It's Time to Admit the Hard Truth: We're Not Photographers" ["Editor's Angle," CW, NovemberDecember 2005]. I have been a corporate...

The fact of the matter.(from our readers)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... The fact of the matter: Your point about fact-checking is well-taken ["Editor's Angle," CW, January-February 2006]. We produce a daily electronic newsletter along with our print publication for the employees and contractors of our electric...

Technology for your real world: make your professional and your personal life easier with these new applications and gadgets.(tech talk)
March 1, 2006... Today's voice recorders, in our fiber-digital world, are slimmer than a pack of cigarettes and pack as much memory as your son's MP3 player. Does being the "communication guy" in the office make you a magnet for all your colleagues'...

Think before you verb: buzzwords have a place, but too many--or those that are too strange--can put off your readers.(editor's angle)
March 1, 2006... Don't think I'm picking only on pseudo-verbs--the practice applies to any word and any part of speech. Language evolves, and that's a good thing. "Hi, Sue. Give me a call when you get a chance, and HI status you on the project." I...

No offense intended.(on words)(Expletive Deleted: A Good Look at Bad Language)(Brief article)(Book review)
March 1, 2006... While you might not include actual swearwords in your publication, I've got a feeling you've uttered more than one during its production (and hopefully not after it's been printed). If you've ever wondered about the origins and use of foul...

What is the most creative or successful employee communication program you've encountered?(global perspectives)(SAP AG's Velin Velkov, Westpac Banking Corp.'s Simon Covill and JMHCS Consulting's Helen Coley-Smith and Jacqui Hitt)
March 1, 2006... Germany Publishing employees' profiles in organizational publications is one of the best ways to say "thank you!" to your colleagues and to acknowledge their work. When I worked at a small new-media research institute in southern Germany...

Managing intangible assets: if the work you're doing is building needed capabilities, competencies and market value, good. If not, stop--and do something that adds value.(bookmark)
March 1, 2006... Here's the premise: Sustainable shareholder value comes from assets that aren't accounted for on an organization's balance sheet. Why the Bottom Line Isn't! by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood has significant implications for communication...

Ready for disaster? A new survey of IABC members reveals that crisis communication plans are not as widespread as expected.(Cover story)
March 1, 2006... If the unthinkable happens to your organization this year--a natural disaster, the unexpected death of an executive, a corporate takeover or a tragic workplace accident--are you ready to respond? A recent survey of IABC members conducted in...

Toward risk governance: in France, a strategic-management consulting firm chooses an approach to crisis avoidance through risk anticipation.
March 1, 2006... Not a week goes by anywhere in the world without a glaring example in the news of an organizational crisis that has degenerated into a disaster. Those who have to deal with the crisis often adopt a variety of predictable responses: obstinate or...

Ethics in the real world: an upcoming training program will help communicators understand and develop ethical business practices.
March 1, 2006... From writers and editors to public relations professionals, all communicators have the potential to influence public perception. Recently, CW has dedicated quite a bit of space to the topic of ethics in corporate communication, including...

Are you sending the right signals? It pays to be aware of the direct and indirect messages you send to employees. If you're careful, you can help them see what better communication can bring to your organization.(employee communication)
March 1, 2006... In his classic text Administrative Behavior (1976), Nobel laureate Herbert Simon described communication as the most ignored component of the administrative process. Ask any communication professional today, and you'll likely find that he or...

Make yourself heard: are there more effective ways of getting your employees' attention than e-mail? People are spending as much as 20 percent of their workday reading and responding to e-mail. For somebody who works an eight-hour day, that's more than an hour and a half just managing e-mail.
March 1, 2006... Walking around today's offices, it's almost inevitable that you see a personal computer on every desk. It's likely that every employee with a PC also has access to the Internet and e-mail. Executives walk around with their PDAs. Sales...

Nextel emphasizes Service Done Right: the wireless provider uses a multifaceted communication plan to make customer service a priority.(case in point)
March 1, 2006... To continue growing and delivering value to stakeholders, cellular provider Nextel developed and implemented a companywide initiative in 2004 that focused on improving customer satisfaction. Nextel understood that providing a superior customer...

The meaning is in the details: sometimes, it's the little things in photographs that have the biggest impact.(photocritique)
March 1, 2006... In photographic communication, small things can be used to represent large ideas. I often find myself breaking down a potential image into its various parts, looking for details that can convey symbolic meaning. The closer I can get to my...

Farcus.(Cartoon)
March 1, 2006... "Damn, I just get their voice mail."

Putting others at ease: "when you get your mind off yourself, suddenly you realize you're having a blast".(personality)(Tacet Resources' Janelle Schulenberg)(Interview)
March 1, 2006... This issue we hear from Janelle Schulenberg, vice president of strategic marketing at Tacet Resources in Rogers, Minnesota. What historical figure do you most identify with and why? Mata Hari. In communication, you must put yourself in...