One day, while on the company elevator, the head of HR is talking to the CEO and doesn't realize his speaker phone is on when the CEO asks, "Do you think that we can afford to keep the downtown branch of the company open? Or is it time to think about across-the-board layoffs?" The HR head frowns, turns off the speaker and replies, "I'll call you later" and hangs up. Four employees from the downtown branch are on the elevator and hear this comment. The HR head tells the four employees (whose names he does not know), "Say nothing about this. You heard nothing." They immediately rush to their cubicles and begin spreading the word. The gossip has hit the entire department and local news agencies by the 6:00 news that night. The CEO is featured saying, "This is nothing but a rumor at this point. We have no current plan to lay off anyone." This is an example of what type of communication plan on the part of the CEO?
- Spray and pray
- Tell and sell
- Underscore and explore
- Identify and reply
- Withhold and uphold