ABSTRACT
Today, in 2020, nobody is yet declaring victory at the Detroit Fire Department. Room for improvement remains, but undeniable progress has been made in the last few years on the important outcome metrics. For example, they have reduced response times by half, and building fires have decreased by 33%. And the commissioner’s strong organizational communication has been a driving force behind aligning hearts, minds and hands in support of results—which translates very literally into saving lives. In order to have a great reputation—and to sustain it—an organization needs to align its employees’ behaviors and performance in support of business results and reputational interests. Historically, leaders in large organizations have looked to the employee communication function to play a primarily tactical role, focused on delivering formal communication products “to specs.” Communicators provide value and make names for themselves based on their writing, editing, event management, and production skills, as well as their proficiency in the latest communication tools and social media.
