The Next Next Common Sense
and social change. Rather than treating organizational language as a static asset to be preserved, they'll approach it as a dynamic capability that must continuously evolve while maintaining coherent connection to organiza- tional identity and purpose. The Aligned Word: Power and Responsibility Throughout this chapter, we've explored how organizational language functions in digital environments—how it evolves across channels, aligns across stakeholders, interacts with technology, and develops in distributed contexts. Underlying all these dimensions lies a fundamental truth: words matter profoundly. The language we choose shapes not just how we com- municate but how we think, act, and collaborate. This shaping power brings significant responsibility. When organiza- tions select certain words and phrases while avoiding others, they aren't merely making stylistic choices—they're constructing reality. The dis- tinction between "challenges" and "problems," "team members" and "em- ployees," or "purpose" and "mission" might seem subtle, but these choices fundamentally influence how people understand their work and their relationships. In digital environments, this responsibility intensifies as language travels faster, persists longer, and reaches wider audiences than ever be- fore. A poorly chosen phrase in an internal communication might be screenshotted and shared globally within minutes. An inconsistent termi- nology choice might create confusion that cascades across multiple teams and platforms. A values misalignment between external and internal lan- guage might undermine trust when inevitably exposed. The most effective organizations approach language with what phi- losopher Hans Jonas called an "ethics of responsibility"—conscious awareness of how their linguistic choices shape individual experience and collective action. They recognize that aligned words aren't merely about consistent messaging but about creating authentic coherence between what the organization says and what it does.
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