In a time when cooking the books gets more attention than cooking porcini risotto, Martha Stewart has managed to stay at the center of America's attention. Unfortunately for her, it is not the kind of attention she craves.

The guardian of American home décor melted down in the heat of the CBS kitchen and completely vanished from public view. We think Martha's disappearing act is a big mistake and offer some advice in an open letter to her.

Dear Martha,

We miss your omnipresence.

Surely, a savvy businesswoman such as you has learned a few things about surviving a crisis. Do you remember that the most important thing you can do is to tell the truth, tell it all, and tell it fast?

It may not be our place to intrude, Martha, but you can't hide. The court of public opinion waits for no court of law. A nationwide jury of fellow Americans -- loyal consumers and curious rubberneckers alike -- is already judging you.

There's a saying: If you can't get out of it, get into it. Maybe it's time to get into it so we can all get on with it. Talk to us, Martha. It's a good thing.

Human personalities and organizational personalities have some things in common.

Sigmund Freud defined human personalities by three elements: id, ego and super-ego. The constant interaction of these three elements defines how we think, the decisions we make, how we interface with the world, and, ultimately, our personality.

Organizational personalities are also defined by three elements:

• Strategic identity
• Behavioral identity
• Visual/verbal identity

The interaction and alignment of these three identities determines how credible and well understood your organization is with your stakeholders.

Dell is a great example of a company that has aligned its three identities well and achieved an enviable position in the minds of consumers.

• Dell Strategic Identity
  The company's vision is to be the best computer maker in the world and, at the same time, to offer the best customer experience.
   
• Dell Behavioral Identity
  Its online ordering system has set the standard for e-business and puts enormous power in the hands of the consumer. The online system is integrated with and backed by outstanding customer service.
   
• Dell Visual/Verbal Identity
  Its name is short and easy to remember. Its logo is stylistically simple, yet contemporary. And its tagline is …well…"Easy As Dell"

Aligning the three identities -- strategic, behavioral, and visual/verbal -- is not a guarantee of success. For example, Dell still had to provide some of the world's best computer systems and affordable prices to grow their business.

However, failure to align your identities is a sure way to confuse, frustrate, and potentially alienate stakeholders who are key to your organization's success.

What is your company's reason for being? Many organizations make the mistake of stating their core purpose by saying what they do -- not why they do it.

Next time you are involved in a discussion about your organization's true purpose, try starting with the descriptive statement "We make ____ products" or "We deliver _____ services." Then, ask why is that important? When you have the answer, ask again, why is that important? Around the fourth or fifth time, you should be getting at your fundamental reason for being.

The following are core purposes of some well-known and successful companies:

• Merck -- to preserve and improve human life
• Nike -- to experience the emotion of competition, winning, and crushing competitors
• Walt Disney -- to make people happy
• Mary Kay Cosmetics -- to give unlimited opportunity to women

Rather than describing results or desired customers, these core purposes reflect the idealistic and motivating reason for each company's existence. They capture the soul of the company, can last 100 years, and will not be confused with specific goals or strategies, which can change over time.

For years, corporate philanthropy has been seen as an effective strategy to win the hearts and minds of consumers. CEOs desire an outstanding reputation, and social consciousness plays a key role in achieving that goal.

But along with corporate good deeds come pitfalls as companies walk a thin line between letting consumers know about charitable contributions and being perceived as exploiting the giving to promote self-interests.

In October, The Reputation Institute, a New York research group, in conjunction with Harris Interactive Inc., surveyed nearly 22,000 people about corporate reputations. The study found that Americans are skeptical about corporate philanthropy "because there hasn't been a long tradition of doing good in this country. …The typical reaction is, 'Hmm, there must be something in it for the company.'"

So, how does a company inform the public about its charitable side? Click here to read the Wall Street Journal article about the do's and don'ts of corporate philanthropy. (http://webreprints.djreprints.com/ 00000000000000000024690001.html)

www.thegauge.com

The Gauge is Delahaye Medialink's newsletter on "worldwide communication research." Updated every two months, the newsletter provides excellent information on the latest trends in reputation management and public relations measurement. Interesting articles include "How much is your corporate reputation worth?" and "PR and Advertising: An AT&T Showdown!" The site offers an archive of more than 200 articles and a subscription e-mail service to alert you when a new issue is available.

Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don't by Jim Collins

This book is the "prequel" to Collin's bestselling Built To Last, which examined reasons why some of America's greatest companies sustained success over time.

In Good To Great, Collins took a step back and looked at 11 companies that had made the leap from good results to great results. In the process, these companies beat the cumulative stock market by nearly seven times and trounced their nearest (and often more visible) competitors. Here are some of their findings about good-to-great companies:

• "Level 5" leaders. These leaders offer a rare combination of professional will and personal humility. They channel all of their energies into building a lasting company rather than personal ambition. Rarely boastful or public figures, they show unwavering determination despite the odds and act with a quiet, calm approach.
   
• The Hedgehog Concept. Put simply, good-to-great companies do one thing better than anyone else in the world, and that's all they do. They are ruthless about maintaining consistency with their Hedgehog concept even when presented with what appear to be great opportunities.
   
• The Flywheel. Good-to-great companies build success through incremental progress not overnight change. Collins uses the analogy of a flywheel, which is difficult to set in motion yet nearly impossible to stop once its momentum reaches a certain point.
   
• The Stockdale Paradox. Good-to-great companies combine an unwavering belief in a brighter future with the discipline to confront brutal facts about their current situation. Collins and his team named the phenomenon after Adm. James Stockdale and the philosophy that he used to survive years of captivity as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Read Collins' summary of his book in an article for Fast Company (http://www.fastcompany.com/online/51/
goodtogreat.html).

© Copyright 2002 Atkinson Public Relations