Letter from Delahaye President
by Mark Weiner, President, Delahaye
Organizational communication takes many forms among a variety of audiences: employee relations, corporate communication and public relations are three examples which are featured in this issue of The Gauge. The common thread among all communication is the act of exchanging information whether it is through words, visuals or sound. When done properly, it is a process comprised of telling, comprehending and responding; thereby constituting a dialogue. And through dialogue, corporate reputations are made, employees are engaged and the impact of overall communication performance can be understood.
Lois Kelly's "Mind the Gap" seems refreshingly simple in its telling but profound in its implications: conversations are the basis for meaningful communication and yet most communicators rely instead on premeditated mission statements, elevator pitches and talking points rather than subjects which engender interest, understanding and trust. And as you might expect, Lois is one of the most engaging people you'll ever meet, as evidenced in her writing.
Jim Shaffer is one of the great thinkers in the area of business communication. While one aspect certainly is the communication itself, an increasingly important factor is the ability of internal communication to deliver measurable value. In Jim's contribution, "Value-to-Cost Communication Management," he expounds upon the belief we share: that the return on investment for communication is quantifiable, and when quantified, delivers value in greater proportion than the original investment.
As the former managing editor of The Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications for Northwestern University's prestigious Medill School of Journalism, Matthew Merlin oversaw one of the world's great periodicals devoted to market science. Now directing The Delahaye Index of Corporate Reputation, Matt is still in the business of applying science to the communications art, as demonstrated in "Build Your Benchmarking Fortress," a revealing primer on the assessment and management of corporate reputation.
This issue's "Ask The Expert", the expert is Beth Roed, Delahaye Vice President, who offers guidance on how to identify and select a research provider. This useful primer will help anyone who is either in the process of choosing a research provider.
In closing, let me invite you to join Delahaye and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) at our fourth annual Research and Measurement Conference, November 9-11 in New York. The line-up of speakers is excellent, including executives from such leading organizations as FedEx, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, and Volvo (Sweden).
Happy reading,
Mark
