April 14 2019
By: Terry L. Mathis
The president of the company tells his direct reports, who tell regional leaders, who tell site leaders, who tell the supervisors, who tell every worker. Right? Not very often! The trickle-down communication model has valves at every juncture that can be either open or closed. Almost inevitably, some people in authority at some level do not pass information along. 
Others distort the message until it seems like a parlor game where a message is whispered person-to-person and gets completely changed by the time it goes around the room.
In today's world of multiple communication media, it seems archaic to be sending important information by word-of-mouth. The president can now send the exact same message to everyone so everyone not only hears the exact same words but sees the body language and senses the inflection and tone. Excellent organizational communication should now be technology driven, not just a parlor game.
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
