“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”
– “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak
Written, read or spoken, words can inspire, motivate and just as easily bring you to tears. That's why we at P&G have adopted the phrase Words have power as one of our #Truths, a set of guiding principles that steer our actions within the company and the community.
From social media and text messages on our phones, to conversations we exchange with coworkers, family and friends, we’re bombarded by words every day. They can be easily forgotten or live on through history.
“I have a dream…” “The only thing to fear…” “One small step for man…”
These quotes frame some of the most memorable words uttered in American history. In fact, they can still influence others when repeated today.
But in today’s world, the rate at which a person’s comment is posted online and shared is staggering. The impact of one comment can be devastating or inspiring. It can change someone’s perspective of you or the organization you work for in the blink of an eye.
So imagine what words can do when there’s thought and meaning behind them – when there’s a story that can create a whole movement just because it was told eloquently.
As communicators, storytelling is our greatest tool, and how we tell those stories can impact an individual or an entire community. We can drive people to action or turn them away just as fast. At P&G, we choose to exercise that power to highlight our community and those making change in Michigan’s capital region and across the state.
Words matter. What we say and how we say it, matters.
In short, we believe words have power – the power to change a family, a community or just one person’s mind. And we want to use those words to make our community – and the world – a better place.
