In the past week, we’ve watched two senior executives be interviewed on camera who could not succinctly articulate in a single sentence what their company does – the video then shared with thousands.
It was the first question of the interview. The question they knew they were going to get. I suspect the interviewer even told them it was going to be asked. Yet, their fumbled response looked like they had never had to answer the question before and never knew it was coming.
It’s been 13 years since Bill Taylor – Fast Company founder, Simply Brilliant author – published his landmark Harvard Business Review article, “What’s Your Company’s Sentence?” https://lnkd.in/gtY3j3i4 where Bill describes the benefits and process of crafting a company sentence. Every person in the company – from those in the executive suite to those in the frontline service team – should be able to describe what their company does in the same single sentence.
In our modern business world, what a company does is not always obvious from the company name. Company names that imply what the company does or even what industry they’re in are now the exception. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to have a company sentence that’s simple, unique and accurate.
Whether you’re responding to a reporter, an acquaintance at a party or your grandparent, a company sentence offers a chance to tout the work you do, the company’s distinctness in the marketplace, and to build the company brand through accuracy and consistency.
And when the company has settled on its sentence, take time to practice it. If you can still sing the lyrics to the popular songs from your high school years, you should be able to say what your employer does – on the spot. It’s especially important when the microphone is hot and the video is recording.
So add in your sentence with your mission, vision and values and make it part of the fabric of your workforce and culture. You’ll have the confidence that all employees, no matter where or when they’re asked, will respond with a sentence that’s accurate, unique and consistent.