# Managing Meaning By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-05-29 Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of business is the prospect of managing meaning. Outside of public relations firms, this activity receives shockingly little attention, given its importance. In many organizations, the management of meaning is perhaps the most important element of business that is summarily and routinely ignored. Meaning matters. Without a focus on the establishment and sustainment of organizational meaning, the workforce is left to either establish meaning on their own or conclude that much of what is going on organizationally is meaningless. The former is idiosyncratic; the latter is detrimental. Neglecting meaning is consequential. From this, it would seem to follow that there would be an organizational benefit for providing meaning. However, there is a hitch. Organizations need to be on guard against generating propaganda. If the presented meaning is manipulative and inconsistent with perception, workers will become skeptical of the organization and its executives. Consequently, there are a multitude of ways organizations can fail with respect to organizational meaning. How might it succeed? It is often said that honesty is the best policy. Perhaps this is true. But there isn’t honest meaning, in the sense that the given meaning is true, as meaning doesn’t exist outside of human minds. There is meaning that is accepted and internalized, meaning that is rejected, and meaning that is ignored. Part of an organization’s role in managing meaning is to offer meanings that are accepted and internalized. Ideally, this meaning will be derived collectively and reflect organic and authentic solidarity. Organizations built around this have an advantage over those united by nothing more than self-interest. #### Related Items [[Meaning]] [[Purpose]] [[Organizational Analytics]] [[Business]] [[Propaganda]] [[Truth]] [[Honesty]]