Harvard Business Review LogoOrganizational cultureThe Smart-Talk Trap by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. SuttonFrom the Magazine (May–June 1999)PostPostShareSaveBuy CopiesPrintLeer en españolLer em portuguêsPostPostShareSaveBuy CopiesPrintConsider two stories, both sadly true and sadly typical. Recommended For You Leadership And Managing People 4 Styles of Coaching-and When to Use Them Termination When Your Job Breaks Your Heart Managing Conflicts How to Prepare for a Meeting Where Emotions Will Run High Podcast The Keys to Great Conversation A version of this article appeared in the May–June 1999 issue of Harvard Business Review.PostPostShareSaveBuy CopiesPrintRead more on Organizational culture or related topics Performance indicators, Strategy execution and Education institutions Recommended For You Podcast The Keys to Great Conversation Organizational Culture Why Bad Projects Are So Hard to Kill Career Coaching People Who Think They're Great Coaches Often Aren't Leadership Interview: Jimmy Carter on the CEO as Statesman