Communicate with Purpose

At a recent panel at Hamilton College, David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, said the one skillset that's becoming harder to find is the ability to write.(1) Earlier in the discussion, he also spoke about the value of a liberal arts education, especially when it comes to critical thinking and problem-solving and its value in business.

As communications professionals, writing is core to our daily work. But Mr. Solomon is correct — finding good writers can be hard. Many communicators have mastered the mechanics of writing, but not as many have perfected the art of written communication. And in business writing, the ability to apply critical thinking and problem-solving can often be the linchpin that turns standard communication into pieces that resonate. All too often I see writers who don’t understand what they are writing.

Early in my career, a mentor told me that clear writing is a reflection of clear thinking. He said that writers had to truly understand the message and its purpose before they could write effectively. This advice has always stuck with me. Over the years, I have thought back to that advice many times as I have labored over a written communication piece. I have challenged the premise of every piece I have written, edited or reviewed to make sure it accomplishes its explicit and implicit purpose. As I grew in my career and handed over writing responsibilities to others, I have encountered many communicators and writers who don't fully understand the potential power and purpose of the message they are trying to deliver.

Every written message has a purpose, and it often goes beyond the words on the paper. Strong, resonant writing embraces the nuance of the message and takes the reader beyond the words on the paper to a deeper meaning. In literature, that can be transcendent and turn a book to a classic. In business, it means connecting a business message to a greater vision, purpose or value. It connects the potentially mundane to the meaningful.

And make no mistake — there is always a vision, purpose or value that perpetuates the need for the communication in the first place. Even the most seemingly innocuous announcements have links to business imperatives and priorities. The announcement of a new product that the company is launching aligns to a business strategy. While the introduction of the new product must communicate the product features and value to customers, it also provides an opportunity to reinforce the company’s vision and strategy and how the new product launch contributes to advancing that strategy.

Similarly, a company message marking an awareness day is often seen as a feel-good message for employees. But it reinforces a company’s values and mission. By answering the question of why the company is marking the awareness, the company communicates a greater purpose that aims to engage employees in the work. It advances the company’s purpose with employees and helps better define the company’s mission to external stakeholders.

The bottom line is writing with purpose advance business goals. Some people approach writing corporate communication as a task intended to provide the readers with logistical information they need to know. But understanding how corporate communication supports a bigger vision or objective makes the content richer and more effective. It engages the reader to see beyond the “what” of the message to why it matters. When a writer understands why the message is important, he or she can make it contribute to business goals and strategic imperatives. It can advance a company’s vision.

So I guess, I disagree with Mr. Solomon. It’s not that good writers are hard to find. It’s good communicators who understand how to elevate message, strategy and purpose that are the challenge.

(1) https://finance.yahoo.com/news/goldman-sachs-ceo-on-hiring-recruiting-skill-151104203.html

From Paycheck to Purpose: Engaging Employees is More Important Than Ever

Imagine a world where your alarm clock rings each morning and you jump out of bed excited to tackle the day. You can’t wait to get to work because you know you are doing something meaningful and you willingly put in extra time. Your professional purpose puts a skip in your step.   

For most Americans, that scenario is not reality. Research shows that only one-third of American workers are actively engaged in their work. Despite a strong labor market, companies are struggling to retain good talent and keep them engaged to do their best work. Engaged employees are more productive, innovative, collaborative and drive better profitability. Without an engaged workforce, an organization cannot grow and reach its goals. And it is expensive. Disengaged employees cost companies an estimated $450 million to $550 million in productivity. But employees value meaning and purpose. Recent research says 9 out of 10 people are willing to earn less money to do more meaningful work. The desire is there, but the motivation seems to be lacking.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that internal communications could close the engagement gap, and many organizations increase communications when engagement is low. But it isn’t a matter of volume. It’s a matter of purpose. While many companies communicate often with employees, these communications aren’t having the intended impact because many employees have lost faith in their employers. Research shows that less than one quarter of employees believe their leadership has a clear direction for the organization, and even less believe their leadership communicates effectively with them. If employees feel this way, it’s not surprising they are not engaged in their work. They have a crisis of confidence.

So where are organizations falling short? Most leaders have great passion for their organizations, but it is clearly not coming through to employees. Specific reasons for why will vary, but the common thread is that organizations have not always lived up to the values they espouse, and employees question the authenticity of their message. We have all been in situations where actions do not match words. We have experienced companies that encourage employees to explore new ideas and technologies that help the business grow but then refuse the funding or time away to attend meetings or conferences with potential partners. We have seen CEOs who have spoken about investing in people and the importance of the workforce for a company’s growth only to implement widespread layoffs or salary freezes weeks later. Incongruous communications and actions disengage employees. They aren’t intentional, but they pick away at employees’ trust and passion for their employer.

Communicating – and Living -- Purpose

Employees have a vested interest in the success of their employer organization. After all, their paycheck depends on it. But true engagement goes beyond a paycheck. Engaged employees at all levels can innovate and drive growth for an organization. And communications can play a big role in helping to advance that. Engaging employees with authentic, meaningful communication requires connecting them to a higher purpose, so each employee, no matter his or her role, can understand how s/he contributes to company success. It requires three essential elements:

• Understanding the strategy– All employees need to understand – and believe – the organization’s mission, vision and strategy. They need to know how leadership embodies it. The days of putting profit before people are over. To build trust, employees – and all stakeholders – need to believe their leadership is driven by the desire to live the mission and that they have a clearly articulated plan for how to get there.

• Emotional Connection– Communications are often rooted in rational messages, but rational messages alone to do not incite passion. Employees need emotional connections to the workplace and to the leaders they entrust with their livelihood. Emotional connections come in many forms, and it is critical as it dictates the discretionary effort employees make. If they believe where leaders are taking them, they work harder. If they don’t, they moderate their effort. At the end of the day, an emotional connection is rooted in the sense of security an employee feels with the organization they work for. 

• Day-to-day connection– While mission and vision statements are important, the day-to-day connection makes it real. From the language used to the way people treat each other to the continuous reminder of what is important to clients, reinforcing the organization’s purpose in small, tangible ways keep employees focused and provides credibility. The day-to-day interactions are what makes the mission a reality. If a health care company aims to help people live healthy lives, it should provide healthy options in the company cafeteria and at company-catered functions. If a financial services company aims to provide customers a path to sustainable financial security, it should ensure that its employees are earning a living wage and have access to financial security. If a sales team values teamwork and collaboration, it shouldn’t reward the solo performer who gets the sale by alienating team members. 

A company’s actions speak more than words, and its communications function helps amplify those actions for all to see and understand. Communications showcases how the business lives its mission. Communicators set the tone, and act as storytellers and ambassadors of the message. As such, they have a responsibility to be authentic and inspire passion. They can choose to maintain the status quo and communicate in rational dispassionate tones, but they will never engage employees with that approach. They have find ways to move people from being motivated by a paycheck to being motivated by a true purpose.