Writing Boots

On communication, professional and otherwise.

It’s an old trick, but it just might work!

02.11.2009 by David Murray // 7 Comments

Hey, here's a neat new idea: Blow smoke up employees' asses. They love it!

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Comments

  1. Sean Williams says

    February 12, 2009 at 10:59 am

    Hey David – how bout instead we do a publication detailing just how completely f’d up we are as a company and a society? That’ll work even better, right? I mean, who needs factual information about what’s going right with a company?

    Reply
  2. RareOne says

    February 12, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    Heck, I feel good after watching that! I’d run right out and apply at Volkswagen, if I weren’t in thrall to the Gecko.

    Reply
  3. Tim Hicks says

    February 12, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    So they can’t ever put out just ONE good-news piece containing information that is true? Tell us why that is automatically “blowing smoke”. I will grant you that if it’s the ONLY thing they put out then we should all be coughing.

    Reply
  4. David Murray says

    February 13, 2009 at 2:23 am

    Tim, et al:
    That’s what they say it is: just good news.
    That’s what’s dumb.

    Reply
  5. Tom Keefe says

    March 2, 2009 at 3:41 pm

    David, thanks for sending me an email to let me know that you posted this.
    “What’s Good @ VW?” was a standalone publication to update employees regarding the performance of Volkswagen A.G., Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., and VW Credit, Inc. (VWGoA’s captive finance subsidiary). It also reconfirmed the automaker’s commitment to the U.S. market.
    Good news isn’t always newsworthy, but we did the right thing by providing this document to our employees. It gives them facts to share with customers, neighbors and family members–many of whom lump us with deeply troubled global automakers like GM.
    As the following article states, VW finished 2008 strongly (compared to the industry as a whole). The current year will be tough–duh!–but our employees have a better understanding of what has been done to improve our sales, and what differentiates us from the competition.
    http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Volkswagen-profit-up-15-2008/story.aspx?guid=%7B8D086B8A-72B8-48C2-9533-B87AA11A9E09%7D
    One final comment: Although we expect new-vehicle sales to decrease this year, we are seeing increased sales of our Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. So people are cutting back on spending, but still choosing our products.
    Tom

    Reply
  6. David Murray says

    March 3, 2009 at 4:41 am

    Tom, I misunderstood “What’s Good@VW” to be an ongoing periodical. Are you saying it was one-time only?

    Reply
  7. Tom Keefe says

    March 3, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    Yes, David, “What’s Good @ VW” was a one-time, standalone document–not an ongoing publication.
    It addressed the immediate need to communicate facts to employees regarding the company’s performance and commitment to the U.S. market–in one piece that can be shared with customers, family and neighbors.
    Thanks.
    Tom

    Reply

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