The fish usually rots from the head. So let's first look at management mistakes. Not setting a clear direction is possibly the biggest management error as its consequences are the most damaging for any company or organisation. In some instances the CEO or managing director may have the wrong idea about what the communications function can achieve for his or her organisation. Communications people may be left to the relatively routine production tasks such as churning out a flow of press releases, brochures, self-serving in-house newsletters and writing "brochure ware" on the intranet and website. Worst of all, senior executives may use the communications function merely to promote their own profile. Just read a few of the "CEO as hero" articles in our local business magazines and the business pages of newspapers and you will see examples of this shortsighted approach. Predictably, the personality cult CEOs are often soon out of favour. Reading between the lines of their swansong headlines, "Why he/she was pushed out", one gains a sense of the sheer arrogance that led to his/her inevitable downfall. With a clear direction for the organisation and drawing in the communications people, overall communications can be more aligned to the strategic goals of the company. A clear strategic focus sets priorities for communicators that prevent costly misguided effort.
Senior communications people can also make their fair share of mistakes. Usually, the cause is not behaving authentically or standing up to the senior executive or client and telling them what they are proposing is not right or is not the most effective solution. A senior communications person told me of an interesting mistake made some time ago. An executive asked her to propose an internal communications programme to motivate employees in the company. She believed that that unless employees were meaningfully involved in changing the organisation there would not be much chance for success. She was also sceptical of the human resources manager who seemed more interested in the quick, flashy fix rather than a prolonged and serious effort to re-establish a relationship with employees. Her proposal never breathed oxygen as the executive and HR practitioner wanted to impose a themed campaign to rally the troops. She said she should have resisted but, to her later personal embarrassment, did not do so. They insisted that she bring in one of the top PR consultants in the business. He came up with a very good proposal but the costs ran into a few hundred thousand rand. It was a very high sum but probably by throwing this much money at the problem it could have been solved. They thought the figure was outrageous and this plan was also dumped. Then they proposed their plan: to print some big colour posters and basic literature at a local copy shop and present this new "vision" to employees, who would eagerly lap up the brilliant message and be instantly transformed into highly motivated employees, and also great team players. Total cost: a few thousand rand. Guess what happened? Employees were disappointed with management and resentful. Even two years later employees were cynical of change programmes. The communications climate only began to improve after this senior manager left for greener pastures. This mistake must have run into thousands of rands.
Less senior communications personnel may at times also contribute to costly mistakes but theirs seem to usually be in misjudging their roles, even after receiving careful briefs, detailed job descriptions and performance evaluations from their senior communications colleagues. Understandably, they may wish to make their individual mark and possibly try to practice communications in highly unfamiliar ways just to stand out. One also needs to be aware of the brilliant minds whose written plans never seem to see the light of day because they just don't have enough passion or energy to move them forward, even a step at a time. Be careful of those who are supremely confident and out to change the world: they may use your organisation as an example of what's wrong with everything just to advance their career. In one instance, a communications officer stirred up so many employees about problems with management that it seemed that the company had a major employee morale problem. After this communications person left the organisation, employees strangely seemed to forget about their deep misgivings with management, and the general communications climate improved. Perhaps for some people the closeness to senior management is just too much for the ego and these giddy heights produce a sogginess in the cerebrum.
The key message for all those involved with communications in companies is probably to watch the ego, whatever the level in the organisation - whether it is at the lofty executive level, the jam in the sandwich middle management level, or the rising star struggling out there in the open plan. Corporate greed may be the most costly mistake of all for organisations but corporate ego seems to come in at an unhealthy top reason why some of those involved in shaping company communications waste valuable communications rands.
