10 ways to crush a communicator’s spirit

This article originally appeared on PR Daily in June of 2018.

You can have the most talented staff in the world and still fail miserably at business.

The trick lies in getting each person to realize his or her potential—and creating an environment that uplifts, encourages and edifies workers in ways that generate genuine employee engagement.

Unfortunately, communicators are often the most unloved, underappreciated members of the corporate family. These stoics frequently get the dregs in terms of resources, support, investment and executive attention. That lack of backing results in irksome workplace obstacles and irritations that stifle creativity and prevent communicators from doing their best work.

Here are 10 easy ways to crush a communicator’s spirit and morale, thus bringing ruin upon your corporate messaging:

1. Too much input and/or oversight. Like a great mountain of sedimentary rock, approval processes accumulate and harden over time. Excessive layers of bureaucracy and executive meddling are perhaps the fastest way to crush your best communicators into submission.