I prioritize the last as a description of the communication task in the context of the firm—to find (a) a way of looking at the situation or “meaning” that opens up potential for value-adding, and (b) communicating that meaning to others in ways that persuade them to collaborate. This process is ancient, and so is its study. Like strategy, the literature on persuasive communication goes back to the Greeks and is the study of “rhetoric.” Chapter 5 explores how the study of rhetoric can inform strategizing today.
