Communication is a powerful tool. Throughout my career, I’ve seen people both underestimate and overestimate its power. And I’ve seen many who had no clue about the foundations on which that power rests.
There is one specific meeting from several years ago that I’m sure I will never forget. The organization I worked with at the time found itself under pressure. Its credibility was being publicly attacked by an external stakeholder - someone with deep technical expertise and a broad professional network. His criticism wasn’t rooted in real quality issues but in personal grievance. Still, he presented it as a matter of substance. The conflict had escalated enough to do real damage to the organization’s reputation, and action was needed.
Das Führungsteam kam zusammen, um das weitere Vorgehen zu beschließen. Nach langen Diskussionen schlug ein Entscheidungsträger eine Strategie vor, die mir buchstäblich den Magen umdrehte. Er schlug vor, gezielt Gerüchte über den Geisteszustand des Kritikers zu streuen – Andeutungen, er sei senil, geistig nicht mehr klar, nicht mehr zurechnungsfähig. Nichts davon war belegbar. Nichts davon war wahr.
He ended his pitch with a sentence I will never forget: “And if anyone should say something, well, that’s what we pay our communicator for.” I was deeply shocked. Because I know what communication can do and what it absolutely cannot and should never attempt to do.
Communication can reframe a situation. It can shift the focus to what matters, create support, and reduce fear. At its best, communication doesn’t just transmit information, it enhances quality by encouraging dialogue and paving the way for new perspectives.
Aber Kommunikation ist keine Zauberei. Sie kann die Natur der Dinge nicht verändern. Ein schlechtes Projekt, eine schwache Strategie oder eine toxische Unternehmenskultur – egal, wie gut man sie verpackt – bleiben genau das. Kommunikation kann den Moment hinauszögern, in dem die Realität ans Licht kommt, aber das Licht der Wahrheit findet immer seinen Weg.
Good communication doesn’t make things appear better than they are. It makes them understandable, so they can become better. And yet, the temptation to misuse communication is strong. Especially under pressure. Especially when power is at stake. It is precisely in those moments that the true nature of communication is least understood. The idea that a polished message alone could “fix” a flawed situation is seductive, but it is wrong, and above all, dangerous.
The function of communication is not to rescue poor decisions. It is to create the space for better ones.
That doesn’t mean everything must be disclosed at all times. Strategic communication is still strategic. But there is a vast difference between shining a light on specific aspects and deliberately manipulating perception.
Because when communication starts serving illusion, rather than insight, it begins to erode the very trust it depends on. Credibility is hard-earned, quickly lost, and nearly impossible to fake. And that’s exactly why communication must always be based on the truth.