Letters

Communication World, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Brian Allen

Just read the Nov.-Dec. issue of CW magazine and I'm very impressed! This is the best issue yet, and I want to congratulate you and your staff for doing a superb job!

I really liked "Defining Corporate Culture" by Paul Sanchez. He pulls back the curtain on what "corporate culture" can mean. You know, most people probably hear the term and consider it a red flag--"Here comes more puffery and happy talk." But Sanchez not only reminds us that good communication should be informed by the company's strategic goals (too bad most communicators forget to work diligently every day to make sure it does!), he also illustrates how good communication empowers employees and involves them in something I would call the "corporate narrative."

People cast themselves in their own personal narratives all the time. And in a very real sense, our personal narratives define who we are. The same is true in corporations. Employees will see themselves playing a very real part in that corporate narrative--and that's a huge competitive advantage!--but they will do so only if the narrative is properly "communicated" and shared by executive management. Only then can you cross the abyss from the silliness of more unread "missions, visions and values" to create a new and true corporate culture.

Keep up the good work!

BRIAN ALLEN

University of Houston, Cullen College of Engineering

Office of Communications

Houston, Texas, USA