Beautiful! (I'm actually shedding a tear). As one only partially involved in employee communications, I fight whenever I'm faced with what I view as a mistake on that front.

I once took my name off an article I wrote on the results of an employee satisfaction survey that showed good results but clearly identified challenges. The EVP of Marketing under whom I worked at that time, edited out all mention of challenges, saying (and I quote) "Michael, the people don't want to hear about how bad things are. They want their leaders to tell them that everything is all right and under control." I quit soon thereafter.

I know the fight isn't always easy and isn't always won (if one wished to keep one's job). But the fight is always worth it and these are inspiring words to help steel the frustrated Winston-wannabes.

I feel your pain, Michael.

I was once writing a story about the SAP rollout for a big company. After hearing about what a nightmare it was going to be for three years (something every employee already knew), I wrote this lead:

"Though it won't be easy, the transition to SAP will, in the long run, make XYZ a more efficient company."

Or something like that. During the dreaded approval process, the head of the operation actually drew a read line through "while it won't be easy."

And left the sentence otherwise untouched, as the lead.

I got bloody over that one. Had to eventually have a mafia-style sitdown and have the feud settled by someone higher up. I won that one . . . but I've my share of losses, too.

I compare corporate fighting to street fighting as a kid on the south side of Chicago. My dad, a Chicago cop, told me two lessons early on. These are in his words:

1. If you let someone shit on you once, they'll shit on you again and again, son.

2. It doesn't matter if you lose a street fight, son. You only really lose if you don't stand up for yourself and fight in the first place.

As long as we keep fighting, we win even when we lose.

Steve C.

Amen, brother.

It's amazing to me how boneheads like the ones you describe (and I've had my share of experiences with them, too) make it as far as they do in "leadership" roles.

However, there are those rare exceptions, those executives who truly understand and use the power of communication to do wonderful things, that make it all worthwhile.

I'll never forget the woman who was COO of a manufacturing plant where I handled employee communication (yes, a woman was in charge of the plant, itself a rarity!). During one particularly nasty round of management layoffs (which, by the way, she communicated openly and compassionately about), certain employees circulated lists of people they thought were sure to be on the "hit list." It was almost as if employees were taking bets on who would get the ax.

Well, this woman was furious when she found out. She fired off a memo to all employees likening the behavior of those few rotten apples to "buzzards circling their prey." In reviewing the memo (because she asked me to review everything that went out), I asked her if she was sure she wanted to use such a strong simile. She was sure she did.

You can imagine the uproar that ensued. Employees were equally furious -- not because of what some of their colleagues were doing, but because a COO would call them "buzzards!"

I was editor of the employee newsletter and we had a good letters-to-the-editor column going at the time. I received quite a few letters from outraged employees -- and from a few who defended the COO -- and I asked her what I should do with them. To my delight, she said to print them. Every one of them, unless they included vulgarities (which some did). And I did print them.

What a great moment for employee communication. I believe that entire episode actually was cathartic for the organization. It forced everyone in the business to examine how we would treat one another during trying times. And it helped us respect one another a little bit more.

Steve - it's not everyone who can pull off a re-write of Churchill, but you did it, and it works!

As usual, you are right - this is one of those times where to quote another Brit leader (Maggie Thatcher): "Sometimes you have to fight a battle more than once to win it."

The politically correct police, the head-in-the-sand Ostriches, and the "let's just ignore the 500lb pink elephant in the corner and maybe it'll go away" people will always be around trying to beat us down.

So I'm glad we have blogs like this where we can remind ourselves that this fight is win-able if we persevere.

Thanks for rallying the troops Steve!

Inspirational, to be sure. Wish I'd heard it in person. But those of us who've been at this for more than a few years (and who are willing to be ruthlessly honest with ourselves) probably have to admit that we've been all five of these types of communicators at least once.

You can't fight every battle. Some aren't worth the blood, sweat and tears. And how many times can you stick your head up before it gets cut off and they pick somebody more compliant to take your place?

Oops, did I say that out loud? Overcome by a temporary bout of jadedness. Sorry, won't happen again.

Greg

Greg, I was just about to agree with you when I went back and re-read #1. I don't think I could ever be that communicator -- not in a million years. I've worked with a lot of folks like that, and they make me want to puke -- ya know what I mean?

Will

I, too, reread that excellent article. Bravo!

Like others, I've never been –and refuse to become—communicators, 1-4. I'm very passionate about this profession and will defend it.

Although I've learned HOW to pick my battle(s) –and compromise-- when dealing with clueless bonehead management, I would NEVER stoop to those described categories”: Jaded" Julie, "Lousy" Larry, "One Bullet" Barney or “Pitiful" Phil.

While I understand the necessity of compromise, don’t “surrender” to those who lack your experience, knowledge or capability. In doing so, you undermine your credibility.

“I believe that you cannot go any further than you can think. I certainly believe if you don’t desire a thing, you will never get it.”
-Charleszetta Waddles

How do you communicate with a co-worker that is a suck up? He was really laying it on think today as he knows that I don't appreciate his talents. Help!!!

I compare corporate fighting to street fighting as a kid on the south side of Chicago. My dad, a Chicago cop, told me two lessons early on.