Internal
communications
"Communication looks and
feels like a soft skill but it is in fact the
toughest of disciplines" according to People
Management magazine.
Often it's assumed
that communication is easy because we've all been
doing it all our lives. However, the number of
business operational failures, organisational
problems and relationship difficulties that are
attributed to 'a breakdown in communications' prove
that communication is underestimated at one's peril.
I believe there are
three key aspects that make for good internal
communication.
- Telling:
important to disseminate information in a clear
and consistent way
- Explaining:
creates understanding and buy in to the thought
and decision-making processes
- Listening:
establishes dialogue with employees, shows they
are valued and taps into intrinsic knowledge
Many organisations
concentrate on telling but neglect the explaining
and listening stages. This results in
one-dimensional communication rather than a fully
developed approach, which will gain buy-in and
ownership from staff as well as management.
Your people are vital
to your organisation's success so make sure you have
them on your side. After all, you want
ambassadors rather than assassins.
I can help you devise
internal communication strategies and programmes,
inject new thinking into your existing work or help
make change programmes, mergers and acquisitions less traumatic.
I also provide
training at introductory level on internal
communications for the Chartered Institute of Public
Relations. My next
CIPR workshop is on Thursday 17 May 2012.
Client case studies
My assignment for
Lex AutoLogistics
tackled the board's dissatisfaction with internal
communications at the company. My key project
objectives were to develop an effective
communication framework and establish ownership of
communication channels and content. This I
achieved in four months. A communication
toolkit enabled Lex to take project ownership
in-house and run a co-ordinated programme.
For
DePuy International
I headed a nine-month communication programme
that supported the merger of two R&D teams from former
competitors in orthopaedics. It was linked to
the division's innovation programme and concentrated
on communicating the new organisation, processes,
objectives and strategy to internal and external
audiences alike. We created a new journal,
Paradigm, which was key for reinforcing the messages
and style of the division. At the end of the
programme we devised an Open Day for staff and their
families to celebrate the completion of the
integration and the new R&D team culture that had
been established.
Last updated 25/01/12 |
