a cog in the machine

I heard it on the grapevine:harnessing innovationMaking the most of formal and informal organisational networks

The company foctotumtakes centre stageHow communication supports, enables and drives corporate strategy

How and when to show the yellow card at workLearn to anticipate, handle and resolve conflict in the workplace

COMMUNICATION DIRECTORM a g a z i n e f o r C o r p o r a t e C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s

www.communication-director.eu

04/2012

A Cog in the MachineHow communication keeps organisations in motion

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04/2012 COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL

Organisational communication is central to organ-isation success ; that much is clear. But the how and why of organisational communication is an endlessly debated topic of enquiry. Organisations are living, breathing entit ies, so naturally the act of communicating within them also evolves.

Current research on organisational theory and the way that the corporate communications function f its into today’s modern, com-plicated company represents a substantial body of work: our need to label, categorise and compartmentalise group achievement ex-tends to the how and why we reach out and talk to one another as part of a group. But , as we all know, things that work so well in theory sometimes don’t make the grade in practice. That is why, in the Storyteller section of this issue of Communication Director, we have invited a mixture of theorists and practit ioners to share their views on the form and function of corporate com-munications within organisations. And just as the old silo walls are being broken down by the possibil it ies of fered by new technolo -gies, today’s communication experts can f ind themselves wear-ing many dif ferent hats – professors take on consultancy roles while corporate directors give lectures at conferences. Among the authors in this issue, Anders Rendtorf f explains how his compa-ny’s human resources department works together with corporate communications, and Hester de Voogd invites us to take a look at her group’s compliance communications. Dr Leandro Herrero challenges us to not just rethink but reboot the corporate commu-nications function, and Professor Volker Witte draws a surprising and fascinating parallel between organisational communications and the natural world. It seems that the desire to organise the way individuals communicate to each other within large groups is not conf ined to us humans, after all .

Marc-Oliver Voigt

[email protected]

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Instruments of peaceWhere there is discord, may you bring harmony,where there is error, truthAndrea Broughton

THE STORY OF PR Looking back at landmark communications

Partners and pioneers in public relations The husband and wife team that helped set the stage for public relations as we know itMeg Lamme

On decrees, disputes and definitions The evolution of Spanish public relations, from the days of Franco to nowJordi Xifra

THE BIG INTERVIEW Key communicators under the spotlight

Harold Burson Co-founder, Burson-Marsteller

STORY TELLER Looking at the important questions of communication

Part of the process? How does communication happen in your organisation? Who says what, to whom, and how?Dafydd Phillips

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AGENDA SETTER Communication ideas in the eyes of experts

Taking the high roadWhen ministers attack

LEADERS

CEOs in the eyes of the media

CEO Stockwatch by CARMA International

STRATEGIC THINKER The corporate and academic stand on communication

The big picture It may be a overfamiliar buzzword, but what exactly does it take to be a thought leader?Mignon van Halderen and Kym Kettler-Paddock

The unstoppable rise of communications An array of external factors ensures that corporate communication continues to grow in relevance Suat Özyaprak

TEAM PLAYER How to improve personnel management and your career

Good and bad team leaders Positive and negative energies shape your firm’s success, so be careful which one you harnessAnnette B. Czernik

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“Skilful leaders sense which type of energy is present in their organisation.”

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Joining up the pillars Aligning strategy within the organisation is an exciting challenge for communication heads Christopher Storck

View with 2020 vision What will corporate communications look like in the not-so-distant future? Paula O’Connell and Anita van de Velde

ASSOCIATION European Association of Communication Directors

The latest developments in the EACD

QUESTIONS TO... The personal side of Communication Directors

Catherine AlexandreVice President Internal and Sustainability Communications, Delhaize Group

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Enabling strategy The crucial factors that enable strategic initiatives to be launched and supportedCarsten Tilger Innovation networksBoth formal and informal networks play their part in fostering innovation Rick Aalbers, Wilfred Dolfsma and Otto Koppius

Playing by the rulesCommunicating about regulatory compliance helps keep employees on the right side of the lawsHester de Voogd

Your function is not needed: reboot Forget your function; instead, focus on your functionalitiesLeandro Herrero

Creating a powerful combination Breaking down the walls between human resources and communications Anders M. Rendtorff and Morten H. Holmgård

Social communication: lesson from nature Astonishing examples of communication within complex organisations are right under our noses Volker Witte

When everything flows Organisational communication can no longer afford to be a closed-loop system Jesper Falkheimer

“ The people out there – co-workers as well as customers or citizens – need to be invited into communication planning.”

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COMMUNICATIONS READER Book Reviews

“This is a clear example of interventionism and censorship of freedom of expression.”

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a cog in the machine

Documents