An Effective Case Study In Why A Business Should Value Communication

Posted on | November 11, 2008 | Author: | DanS | No Comments

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httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ6Z8kcoi-E

The YouTube video posted above is from a minute-long United Airlines commerical that is now roughly 20 years old. Our posting it is done with the hopes that all concerned parties will understand that we don’t wish to infringe.

The main idea lies in the content of what this fictional business leader is trying to accomplish.

This commercial has always stuck with me. Not just because Gene Hackman (I’d estimate this to be the circa-Mississippi Burning era Gene Hackman) is the narrator: The content of the ad still serves as one of the most memorable lessons one can derive about effective communication in a busy business world. It also adds meat to the teeth of an argument you’ll hear in the November issue of Project Management Tipoffs by one of our guest writers, Trevor Pullen.

The key, at the end of the day, is the personal touch behind what you bring to the message, and the fact that you don’t rely on modern conveniences as a way of spreading the word: get it out there, share it and inject your own self into it!

Although this project leader’s message revolves around the conveniences of the time – ‘I’ll get back to you,’ faxes – just substitute ‘It’s in my email’ and ‘Download the attached file’, and it’s relevant all over again.

What feelings do you get from watching these gentlemen (An accurate sign of the times? The commercial was only released in 1989.) operate?