Learning from the Vatican [part 3]

Today, few believe the Vatican was unaware of the ‘priestly sexual abuse’ that occurred over several decades in Ireland, the US and more recently reported in Germany.  Instead, it is widely assumed that they knew and their response was ‘cover-up, evasion and criminal negligence’.  It is “a time for contrition” it is also a time to reflect on the role of internal communications in this most terrible story.

In the Roman Catholic Church as an organization there are many features we would wish for as corporate communicators [part 2] including a clearly a structured disciplined communication system designed precisely to feed very “rich” information up and down the system [part 1].

It is impossible to believe that what was going on in individual parishes around the world wasn’t known within those communities.  Institutionally, they either knew or they didn’t.  If they didn’t then as communicators I think we need to ask ourselves why?  And, if they did and didn’t act.  Again why?

Collecting such vast amounts of rich information may have contributed to

• Seeing and not recognizing
• Listening and not hearing
• The long time delays

And may also underscore the importance of the art rather than the science of communication.  What can we do to ensure institutionally we’re listening wisely?

Once the institution understood what was going on that same in depth knowledge may have actually served to enable the cover-up and manipulation rather than ensuring swift and appropriate action. Unfortunately and as we’ve seen during the global financial crisis and the aftermath this may not only be an isolated situation.  We as corporate communicators have been fighting to get to the strategic table, so if you’d been in the room when these issues were discussed what would you have done?

And, finally, a lesson:  If the leadership of any organization values the institution over the employees or its clients – where the means justify the ends – then all the great communications systems in the world aren’t enough.  If that is so, what are the implications for us as corporate communicators?

Tags: Disciplined approach, Ethics, Knowledge management, Reaching the front lines, Transparency, Trust