A NOTE ON COMMUNICATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000900010013-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2005
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: August 15, 1972
• Content Type: MF

A IN I LUUNAaL USE ONLY
Approved For ReIe a 2005/A -3N '- OB01495ROQW00010013-1
SUBJECT . A Note on Communication
Executive Registry
G
Over the years Agency officers of every age, grade, job
description, and component have reliably identified "communica-
tion" as either a barrier to organizational effectiveness or
a major personal concern. Expressions of dissatisfaction with
communication have been amply recorded in special Agency-wide
attitude studies, countless IG surveys, papers of young officer
groups, managerial grid critiques,. and numerous other documents.
Yet, we question whether the expression of this consensus has
been instrumental in effecting meaningful change. Saying com-
munication is a problem tells us very little about communication
and still loss about the problem. Paradoxically, simply saying
communication is a problem is in itself a problem. It deludes
us into believing we know what's wrong, dissuades us from doing
a more systematic diagnosis of what people really mean, and
disposes us to general and ineffectual remedies. What is need-
ed, in our view, is insistence on greater precision in defining
what is meant by communication as a problem. By adopting a
more critical point of view with regard to the oft-heard issue
of communication, all those who deal in diagnosing and pre-
scribing for organizational ills will be rendered a potentially
far more valuable service to the Agency.
Until we develop more precise conceptualizations of the
varieties of Agency communication activities, and evaluate the
Agency experience in relation to them, we will not be in a
position to deal most effectively with the "communication"
issue.
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