VerbalizationSeptember 27, 2026

Why Verbalization Is Essential to Management—Four Academic Foundations

Author: Daisuke Irikura (Representative Director, HUV DESIGN OFFICE Co., Ltd.) / MBA / Former INPIT-registered branding expert / Experience delivering over 100 branding seminars and consulting engagements for B2B small and medium-sized enterprises

What You Will Learn

The precise definition of verbalization in management
Four academic foundations for the need for verbalization
What happens to companies that have not put their knowledge and value into words
What to prioritize when putting things into words

Conclusion (Summary)

Verbalization is the process of converting the knowledge, experience, and intuition in an individual's mind into words that can be shared with others. Its essential role in management can be explained through four academic foundations: the inability to share tacit knowledge (Nonaka & Takeuchi), the alignment of decision-making criteria in organizational learning (Argyris & Schön), the inability to communicate value that has not been put into words (Wittgenstein), and the damage that inconsistent communication does to trust (Doney & Cannon).

“We know our company's strengths, but we struggle to put them into words.” We often hear this from business leaders. In companies that have not put these things into words, dependence on individual salespeople, hiring mismatches, and organizational stagnation inevitably arise.

What Is Verbalization in Management?

Verbalization is the process of converting the knowledge, experience, and intuition in an individual's mind into words that can be shared with others.

The following are the aspects of management that need to be put into words.

Priority	What to Put into Words
Highest	Why customers choose your company (reasons for choosing you and brand promise)
Highest	Why your company exists (mission and purpose)
Next	Whom you want to reach (target audience and personas)
Next	How you differ from competitors (positioning)
Next	What you value (values and code of conduct)
After that	How you communicate (tone and manner and communication guidelines)

Getting this order wrong leaves you with polished expression but no substance to support it.

Foundation ①: Tacit Knowledge Cannot Be Shared (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995)

In the SECI model, Nonaka (1991) positions “externalization”—the process of converting tacit knowledge (personal experience, instinct, and intuition) into explicit knowledge (words, documents, and data)—at the heart of knowledge creation. Once tacit knowledge becomes explicit, it “can be shared with others and become a foundation for new knowledge.”

In management, the “reasons customers choose your company” often exist as tacit knowledge held by business leaders and experienced employees. Unless this tacit knowledge is put into words, it cannot be shared across the organization. Every change in the person responsible repeats the inefficiency of “teaching everything from scratch.”

Foundation ②: Organizations Cannot Function Without Shared Decision-Making Criteria (Argyris & Schön, 1978)

Argyris & Schön's (1978) theory of organizational learning holds that for an organization to learn, it must convert its “theories-in-use” (the implicit rules governing actual behavior) into “espoused theories” (policies and values expressed in words).

In many organizations, there is a gap between “what we say” and “what we actually do.” This happens because the implicit rules governing behavior have not been put into words. Verbalization enables the entire organization to act on the same decision-making criteria.

Foundation ③: Value That Has Not Been Put into Words Cannot Be Communicated (Wittgenstein, 1921)

The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein stated, “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent” (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, 1921).

This applies to management as well. Value that has not been put into words cannot be communicated to customers, employees, or job candidates. The perception that “it seems like a good company” can easily become “another company would probably be fine, too.” Branding is about creating meaning for stakeholders. Only value that has been put into words can function as a brand.

Foundation ④: Inconsistent Communication Undermines Trust (Doney & Cannon, 1997)

Doney & Cannon's (1997) research on trust holds that building trust requires consistent behavior over time.

Different people say different things. Proposals differ in content. The website and sales pitch do not align. These are all inconsistencies arising from a lack of verbalization. Consistent communication cannot be achieved without putting things into words.

What Happens to Companies That Have Not Put Things into Words?

Five things inevitably happen in companies that have not put things into words.

①Sales becomes dependent on individuals: Because tacit knowledge is not shared, sales depends on individual salespeople.

②Hiring results in mismatches: The company's values are not communicated, leading to early employee turnover.

③The website fails to work effectively: Without value expressed in words, there is no clear direction for what to communicate.

④Trust among customers fails to build: When inconsistent communication continues, trust in the brand does not develop.

⑤The organization cannot grow: Because successful approaches have not been put into words, the organization cannot learn or grow.

Diagnostic data from 24 companies assessed using BRAND CHECK, our proprietary brand diagnostic tool, also confirms that multiple problems described above occur together in companies where verbalization is insufficient.

Summary

The four reasons verbalization is essential to management are as follows.

①Tacit knowledge cannot be shared (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995) ②Organizations cannot function without shared decision-making criteria (Argyris & Schön, 1978) ③Value that has not been put into words cannot be communicated (Wittgenstein, 1921) ④Inconsistent communication undermines trust (Doney & Cannon, 1997)

Verbalization is not about “coming up with clever wording.” It is a foundation of management that enables organizations to share knowledge, align decision-making criteria, communicate value, and build trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where should we start with verbalization? A: We recommend starting with “why customers choose your company.” This has the greatest impact on management and provides the foundation for putting other aspects into words.

Q: How do we use what we have put into words? A: Incorporate it into sales pitches, recruitment messaging, your website, and internal training. Using the same words across every touchpoint creates brand consistency.

Q: Do we need an expert for verbalization? A: You can work on it internally, but it is difficult to recognize what your own company takes for granted. Bringing in an outside perspective improves precision.

Translated from the original Japanese article. Read in Japanese

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