Paul Argenti, book on digital strategies in corporate communications At a time when social networking sites and stray online rumours can make or break corporate reputations, executives need to learn to react with speed. In his new book, "Digital Strategies for Powerful Corporate Communications," Paul A. Argenti, professor of corporate communication at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, explains how executives must respond with bold new digital communications strategies based on transparency, authenticity, and inclusion instead of secrecy, artificiality, and exclusion.“Not communicating is a communication in itself,” said Argenti. “Whether it is AIG and Goldman Sachs executives standing behind glass in Michael Moore’s movie Capitalism: a Love Story, or Tiger Woods’ pleas for privacy in the face of a loss of reputation, silence is its own statement. You either tell your story or have it told for you.” In the book, Argenti and coauthor Courtney Barnes review the Web 2.0 landscape and analyze the increasingly central role that corporate communications play in virtually every organizational function. The book also shows executives how to manage internal communications across language barriers and develop compelling messages based on customer and investor needs. Case studies illustrate best practices at HP, Southwest Airlines, Sony, Starbucks, and others. At Dell, for example, the company entered into what was deemed as “Dell Hell” after failing to hear the complaints of an influential customer/blogger. Dell execs took the crisis as a lesson and subsequently reshaped their entire communications model to put listening and stakeholder engagement first. As a result, today Dell is a best-in-class example of social media done right. But not all companies embrace Web 2.0 and open communication. "Every day companies are either missing opportunities to use social media to their advantage or are unaware of threats to their reputation because they don't understand the power of online communities," says Argenti. "The economic meltdown has put social media on steroids, with the centre of control shifting from institutions to communities of individuals. Some companies see social media as something that doesn't have a role in the workplace and that's a huge mistake." Argenti has provided management, leadership, and corporate communication consulting and training for more than 100 companies and nonprofits worldwide. He is the author of several international bestsellers, most notably the classic "The Power of Corporate Communication." Post to Social Links 
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IESE Business School: Question Your Assumptions
In a Continuous Education session held recently at IESE Business School, Professor Jeffery Pfeffer, visiting from Stanford GSB shared his insights and recommendations on how to achieve good management practices with students, alumni, and professors.
What many of us consider conventional wisdom is not always proven fact. For this reason Pfeffer warns against making decisions based on assumptions, stressing that managers need to "have the courage to challenge convention".
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