• There are too many photographs of middle-aged white guys in suits. These guys are completely representative of senior management, but they’re not a reflection of the broader employee population. Why don’t you show some real employees?

• Nobody talks like this: “Thanks to the outstanding vision of John Smith, the company remains well-positioned in the industry with a balanced portfolio of advanced products and services for a wide range of applications,” the lead story quotes the CEO as saying. It’s not even good writing, much less a credible and compelling quote.

• Who would read a 1500-word executive Q&A? Come to think of it, when’s the last time most people have read 1500 words on any subject? Remember that the average USA Today article is 350 words. Unless the (middle-aged white guy) VP of Blah-Blah-Blah is sharing secrets on how to beat cancer, there is no way he deserves that much ink.

• There’s no such thing as “news” in a monthly newsletter. By the time the publication gets in people’s hands, either they’ve heard the news already—or it’s just not important. Unless you’re publishing a daily, your publication should be providing perspective, context and meaning—not trying to “report” on “news.”

• I’ll bet every person quoted or pictured in your 12-page issue is doing something fascinating, or has a completely unique perspective on some issue. But you’ve sanitized them—made them bland, safe, corporate, boring. They’re interchangeable—nothing quirky or special about them. For example, the VP of Blah-Blah-Blah (see note on Q&A above) is a guy who’s accomplished a lot. Instead of asking him, “What fields are today’s cutting-edge technologies originating from?”, why don’t you try a question like: “What’s the most difficult challenge this group faces? Who’s our toughest competitor and why? What keeps you up at night?” And then print the candid answer.

Speaking of candid, I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but I just had to tell you the truth. For all your hard work, your publication deserves to be more effective. Hope this tough love helps.