Anybody working in corporate communications can learn a lesson from a recent news story.
A story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Wednesday, Oct. 12, reported on the installation of an 18-foot wide helix wind turbine at Progressive Field. The turbine was developed by a Cleveland State University (CSU) engineering professor whose work was fueled by a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The story says that this turbine will generate 40,000 kilowatt hours a year, about what it takes to power four homes for a year.
I figure an average Cleveland home’s electric bill to be about $100 a month, maybe less. So let’s be generous and figure the value of the power generated to be about $5000 total.
Am I the only reader wondering how anyone can cost justify such a ridiculous investment? Don’t reporters ask questions anymore?
I’d like to know how likely it is that wind power will ever be financially feasible. We talk about clean energy like it’s gospel. I’m not convinced it’s a great deal, but talking about it and spending other people’s money on it feels good, and that’s all that matters to too many politicians and academics.
This story has a huge hole in it, one that should have been filled in with more information about the finances behind the project. The story says that grants will cover the construction cost and installation. Really? How much does that cost? Where are the grants coming from? What other projects didn’t get funded so we could finance this one?
Without this information, the story sounds like a press release put out by CSU.
Unfortunately, many companies make the mistake of providing incomplete information in their own employee communications. The organization assumes that employees and other stakeholders understand its mission, products, markets and operations. They don’t. If you want to fully engage your employees, you must constantly reinforce the messages you want them to understand.
Failure to do so will generate the kind of skepticism and cynicism I felt when I read about the turbine atop Progressive Field. And that’s not the mindset you want your employees to have when they come to work.
Interesting food for thought for sure. Sometimes things really are just too good to be true. And I think this happens often in discussions of ‘clean energy’.
interesting post–By making the information incomplete the readers,customers or employee’s are unclear of the direction or purpose.
Communication is so important. If employees aren’t fully informed, don’t expect the public to know what’s going on either.
Good communication is key for success in any business, which is sadly ignored most of the time! Thanks for bringing this issue to light John!
As a wife of a serial entrepreneur I know the importance of providing complete information to your employee’s and that they are in complete alliance and understand the companies mission and where you are hoping to go! :)
This is very true, John. I see your application to employee communication. On the topic of wind energy, we have a great local example. Mid-size turbines are used on a nearby cranberry marsh. They are safer and quieter than the giant turbines and don’t require energy usage to keep them turning when there is no wind (like most giant turbines require). In addition, they provide power for all of the marsh’s operations *plus* they are able to sell excess energy back to the local energy cooperative. It seems a viable answer in some locales. We live 1/2 mile away and, due to our trees, could not see the same return on investment.
Thanks, Michelle. That’s interesting. I’m not opposed to wind energy. I just think it’s been oversold to the public, and I wish the press brought more critical thinking to the issue.
Great advise, John! Thanks, for sharing it :)
Thanks, Susan. Appreciate you dropping by!
The comment that stood out to me in this article is the question “Don’t reporters ask questions anymore?” You could carry this into so many areas of today’s “news”. I don’t think they do and no one stops and thinks anymore. Great article about simply taking the time to examine the facts and see if they add up!
Thanks, Kim. Appreciate your input.