COMMUNICATION counts a really interesting action packed fact book
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PROCESS SKILLSET
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Leadership
Why?
…….. EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION
…….. AN OPPORTUNITY
BILL QUIRKE
"There are areas of businesses
which are quietly getting on
with harnessing communication
to change cultures, re-engineer
processes and build their
brands. However, the internal
communication departments
are often busy elsewhere, either
missing the action or being kept
out."
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action This useful little fact book is about doing more of the right things and developing great habits – maybe just half a dozen things! It dips into strategic and tactical communication WHYS and HOWS plus some of the SKILLS required to effectively communicate. It aims to be food for thought, provide maps to get you thinking differently, asking more questions and taking action to put effective communication on your business agenda.
NOW! Think big thoughts – how could you business utilise communication in a more strategic way to help deliver your business agenda. Are your communication team strategic or tactical? What sort of function do you need and want? Are leaders and managers equipped with the training and support they need to deliver effective communication on the ground? What are you willing to invest in time and resources ? How are you going to measure your return on your investment (ROI)? Then what about you and your skills set - identify 6 things you could start doing and 6 things you must stop doing from today. To start with simply keep adding in 1 new task a week until it becomes part of your routine. It takes 30 days to create a new habit – so get that communication counts as a leader, manager, in your career and in life generally – these are life skills you need to develop.
communication counts This practical little fact book seeks to provide an introduction and food for thought to the following:
Plus a call to action, resources, quotes and a little bit about Warwickers
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Big picture thinking on communication as a strategic tool to: support the business agenda; create connections; focus on customers; build an employee brand and engage employees.
Planning focused on outcomes not outputs to work out what you want your audience to think (get), feel (support) and do (act). Focusing on messages, audiences, channels and measurement.
A toolkit for great meetings, email etiquette, designing intranets, dealing with negative publicity and communicating change.
Personal skills and attributes to communicate effectively including you, your brand, your mindset, your state, questioning, listening, speaking, influencing, building rapport, presenting, writing, facilitating, ideas, stories and feedback.
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Communication roles to determine who is involved. What is required from leaders, managers, pathfinders, champions, communication functions and business partners?
John P. Kotter
Without credible
communication, and
a lot of it, the hearts
and minds of others
are never captured.
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COMMUNICATION
COUNTS
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communication internal
What is the Internal Communication Challenge? Is the glue that holds organisations together
and yet it keeps coming unstuck. It has a major influence on organisation effectiveness
and yet it is often a tactical afterthought. It needs a lot more effort, skill and sensitivity than is often shown
and yet it is often just seen as a process. It is based on assumptions and individuals perspective/ views of the world
and yet this is not often acknowledged. It cannot be perfected
and yet this is OK as peoples expectations constantly change !
communication
Effective communication is communication that works! The Communicator understands:
Why they need to communicate (Purpose/ Intent). What they need to communicate (Content).
The skills they need to help them communicate effectively (Skills/ Attributes). The tools, methods and channels available to them (Process).
The receiver confers meaning on the message not them (Perspective). Success is measured by the response in relation to the objective/ intent (Outcome).
The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place. George Bernard Shaw
The purpose of internal communication is to inform and engage employees; to support behaviour change; build pride in the business and to deliver measurable value to the organisation. Companies communicate to ensure that their employees get, support, and do things that will make a measurable impact on the business.
EFFECTIVE = DELIVERED, UNDERSTOOD, ACTED UPON - IT WORKS!
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internal communication
How can we apply communication for strategic advantage?
We are seeing a new business focus with more attention on leadership, less tolerance of average performance and fewer staff doing more work. Every process and function within a business needs to show how it adds value. Communication management is not about improving communication it is about tangible business results. In determining where to focus leaders need to ask:
1. Where are the best opportunities to improve performance by better managing communication, information and knowledge?
2. Where will you get the best pay off for your investment? 3. How can managing communication give you a competitive advantage?
Organisations are complex and multifaceted often serving diverse markets and customers from local to global perspectives. Leaders have to communicate daily with a diverse range of local and global, internal and external audiences. As businesses, more information is available to us than ever before, so managing information flows and know how is key. There is an expectation on leaders to be credible under unprecedented scrutiny and visibility. Many organisations have Communication Functions to manage their communication maze. However many struggle to use it as a strategic rather than tactical resource. This is represents a missed opportunity in today’s environment. Communicating during a downturn is even more important. Make sure your people know your coping strategy in challenging times. Use communication to ensure you build trust with employees, keep morale up, increase productivity, enhance customer service, generate new ideas, build your brand and keep your good people. However some leaders and managers underestimate the effort it takes to translate your plans, so they have real meaning for employees and contribute to business success.
Chip Heath
To make our communications
more effective, we need to
shift our thinking from "What
information do I need to
convey?" to "What questions
do I want my audience to
ask?”
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LONG TERM
SHORT TERM
P R O C E S S E S
Strategic Partner
Change Agent
Creative/ Project Manager
Employee Champion
communication
The role of communication
Internal Communicators as business partners supporting and facilitating the agenda for
employee dialogue on: Customer centricity, Business
strategy and direction. Business priorities,
performance and news, Organisational change,
Business issues and crisis management, The Brand,
Pride, Employee engagement, Risk and
compliance, Corporate social responsibility
Strategic
Tactical
Personal skills
Competitive advantage, value added, strategic enabler, customer centric, brand delivery, innovation, productivity, profit, knowledge sharing, collaboration, employee engagement, skill builder, business alignment, performance culture, knowledge management.
Campaign, initiative, toolkits, conferences, memos, presentations, intranet, social media, meetings, newsletters, town halls, blogs, MBWA, video, surveys, focus groups, training, text, email.
Persuade, inspire, speak, lead, influence, question, listen, discuss, ideas, write, present, rapport, facilitate, role model.
P E O P L E
inform instruct engage educate
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communication
1. What does communication need to achieve to support the business?
2. How do we do it now? How are we doing?
3. What are the gaps between what we have and need?
4. How do we build the new function? 5. What is our IC Strategy? 6. SLA’s and Plans?
Typically businesses audit their communication channels effectiveness rather than a comprehensive review of their business use of communication. This model is used to audit the business and its communication needs from a strategic perspective.
audit
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Begin with the end in mind – focus on what you need the communication to achieve – outcomes not just outputs.
Plan by identifying what you want people to get, support and do as a result of the communication. Also consider what might prevent this from happening and what will help. Simply the planning journey is: Where are we now?; Where do we want to go?; What is the gap?; Why does it matter?; How do we get there?; What do we need from our employees? Focus on clarity – refine the message until you are certain it is really clear what you are trying to say. Avoid corporate jargon, acronyms and management speak. Keep it simple – use the appropriate style, tone and language. Don’t underestimate the power of plain language.
Grab attention – with a great headline. In this busy world choose the right medium to gain impact and to deliver the message; in doing so, recognise the importance of good writing, design and creativity to get noticed.
Understand your audiences and their environment – recognise you may have different audiences for the same message. Identify them, segment them and profile their interests and needs. What is happening for them and what are their hot topics?
TIPs 10
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Translate your message – for each audience based on their needs and interests. The more relevant you are the more likely the message will be received, understood and acted upon. Talk with them not at them.
Use appropriate channels for each audience – keep it simple - have a few core channels that deliver the message effectively: face to face, remote and written. Recognise some audiences do not have regular access/ or time to use a PC so mix your channels. Focus on doing each of them well, in a skilled and proficient way. Have a quality rather than quantity approach.
Make it easy – for your audience to navigate the messages and to respond through using clear visual and verbal signposting. Keep it conversational. Seek dialogue, inspiration and engagement not just information exchange.
Identify the metrics of success – as they are key for determining value. This could vary from simply testing understanding, to measuring communication effectiveness to delivering competitive advantage . So make it an integral part of your communication planning linked to 1. Aim for real business value by helping the organisation achieve its strategy and goals.
Take the opportunity to build a consistent brand – align you internal employee branding with your external brand. Consider behaviours, language, identity, environment and values.
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BIG PICTURE
Chip and Dan Heath ‘Made to Stick’
Stephen Covey in the book ‘The 8th Habit’ describes a poll of 23,000 employees
drawn from a number of companies and industries: He reports the Poll’ finding’s:
• Only 37% said they have a clear understanding of what their organisation is trying
to achieve and why.
• Only one in five was enthusiastic about their team’s and their organisation’s
goals.
• Only one in five said they had a clear ‘line of sight’ between their tasks and their
team’s and organisations goals.
• Only 15% felt that their organisation fully enables them to execute key goals
• Only 20% fully trusted the organisation they work for.
Pretty sobering stuff. It’s also pretty abstract. You probably walk away from these
stats thinking something like ‘There’s a lot of dissatisfaction and confusion in most
companies’.
Then Covey superimposes a very human metaphor over the statistics. He says, ‘If,
say, a soccer team had these same scores, only 4 of the 11 players on the field
would know which goal is theirs. Only 2 of the 11 would care. Only 2 of the 11
would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to
do. And all but 2 players would in some way, be competing against their own
team members rather than the opponent.
The soccer analogy generates a human context for the statistics.
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STRATEG
Y 1. Organisation identity and story 2. Leadership agenda 3. Business context and needs 4. Organisation objectives: focus and priorities 5. Employee perspectives : interests and needs 6. IC strategy, purpose and ethos 7. Remit and roles for IC 8. Framework and infrastructure 9. Channels and activities 10. Process and policy 11. Resources: financial , time and people 12. Plans and measurement
Structure Culture
Management style Communication style
Power sources Change agenda
Audiences
Being strategic means influencing outcomes and affecting results. Being strategic is not just about having a plan. It is more about the quality of the thinking; seeing issues and challenges from different perspectives to gain insights; challenging preconceptions and being a catalyst for change. A communication strategy is merely a means to an end i.e. helping tackle the challenges facing the organisation. These headings and the model provide maps and words to get you thinking about content and context rather than process.
Value proposition: what you are here to do and how you
go about doing it.
strategy communication
Simply: Where are we now?; where do we want to go? = the difference is the gap;
and then: How do we get there?; Why does it matter?; What do we need from our people?; Where can internal communication have the greatest impact?
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Begin by populating your business context map to have a complete overview of everything that is going on in the business. A great learning journey for the business – for customer facing and support colleagues. It is the big picture – literally it should be visual – it provides brain food for focus, opportunities, points of leverage, quick wins, necessary endings, new beginnings, themes, stories, challenges and potential risks. Most importantly it seeks alignment and establishes ownership. A great planning tool too.
business context
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FROM TO Reactive - activity in response to problems Proactive - needs evaluated systematically to
support strategy, plans and initiatives
Hierarchical – pyramid Strategic – networked or inverted pyramid
Information based - tell Communication based - dialogue
Largely top down Multi-directional and involving
Seen as a specialist responsibility Seen as a key competence
Top management encouraged to set an example/ role model
All managers trained how to set an example/ role model
Communication an afterthought Communication on every agenda
Open expression of dissent patchy and not encouraged. Problem focus.
Dissent being aired and constructive ideas harnessed. Solution focus.
Need to know Want to know
Tactical events with no big picture view of communication for business agenda
Clear link with business goals, strategy and plans
Outputs with no evaluation of ROI or just subjective evaluation
Outcomes with impact measured against objectives and valid benchmarks
culture Create a communication
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business HOT TOPIC
Business drivers and sales Key customer satisfaction
The marketplace Finances/ ROI
Shareholder ROI Improving productivity
Navigating change Business issue resolution
Retaining and developing talent Right product and service mix
Innovation, research and strategy development for competitive
advantage
IDEA: Introduce an editorial committee – senior people from each of the main functions (and operational pathfinders) meeting monthly to agree what is important on the business agenda and the main company wide messages to communicate.
A concise 1 page CEO business case 1. What is planned? 2. Business context? 3. Why it is a good idea? 4. Expected outcomes? 5. Value created?
CEO
agenda
Working with your CEO: 1. Use your network on the ground so you can get information for the CEO on how people
feel about particular issues quickly. 2. Be proactive and sell your ideas based on the business agenda, business language and focus
on the benefits. Be succinct but have the detail ready just in case. Keep it to a page. 3. Simplify processes when you meet Summarise previous discussions and actions at the start
of each meeting. Prepare an agenda. Create a framework for sign offs. Provide a timetable of forthcoming events and brief the CEO on the objectives for their events. Highlight important trends and give employee feedback. Ask for feedback too.
4. Be flexible in when and where you meet. Find out the times that work best for them. Seek a minimum of 30 minutes a week. Have contingency plans in place for events involving the CEO including back up presentations, standby presenters and opening questions.
5. Attend CEO Events to ensure they run smoothly and be prepared to coach and give feedback on communication skills. Build on your leaders own style and inherent strengths.
6. Build relationships with the CEO and their assistant to support you in your role.
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customer HOT TOPIC
1. Determine where your customer needs and business value intersect .
2. Identify your brand key words and phrases in.
3. Focus on serving the customer needs and embed a customer orientation in everything you do.
4. Put the customer at the heart of the business and ensure everyone’s facing in the right direction.
5. Live by Max’s Law: ‘This restaurant is run for the enjoyment and pleasure of our customers, not the convenience of the staff or the owners’. Which way is everyone in your Business looking?
Your customers expect your entire
operation to revolve around them. SAP Ad.
Customer
centricity
The language you use needs to match what you do – the brand language needs to be alive inside the business as much as outside. Employees need knowledge, good processes and skills with the right attitude that gives them an emotional connection to the customer. Why do businesses focus on themselves rather than the customer? Are they inwardly focused with a short term focus on profit because they are led by shareholder above customer interest. Both profit and shareholder value are key as outcomes of great customer centric strategies. A great customer experience can only be given by someone who wants to give it. Employees who are passionate about what they do and choose to give the best then deliver that great experience.
Throw away your organisation charts and show people where they fit based on this.
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HOT TOPIC
Bringing your brand to life
Your brand is about who you are, what you do and why it matters. It is about being consistent. Making sure the employee culture and promise to the customer are totally in step with each other. Employee engagement is partly driven by an employer brand experience strategy that actively involves employees in delivering the brand promise. 1. Translate your brand message (point of differentiation) from marketing speak to every
day language – provide one consistent message - also make sure your people understand your products and services and how you position them.
2. If you are developing a new internal or external brand take employees with you on the journey – let them articulate the language with you so they own it.
3. Think in terms of how the external brand values translate out into employee behaviours and link this to the internal brand. How do your people need to behave?
4. Make your employees brand ambassadors and recognise their contribution. 5. You need to clearly define your employee brand and then create an implementation
plan to ensure all employees understand it and buy into it. Make it fun! 6. You are making an implicit promise - ensure your external and internal brands are
aligned through behaviours, language, identity, environment and values.
Ensuring your employees deliver on your brand promise
1. What is your brand promise to customers? 2. How do you explain to each individual how they impact it? 3. Do they know the touch points and moments of truth they own? 4. How are they going to deliver on this promise to the customer – through behaviours, attitude, skills and knowledge?
brand promise
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TOPIC employee brand
We suggest culture surveys are better at highlighting touchpoints for your employee focus than satisfaction surveys as they relate to behaviours. It is important to look at different audience populations to identify their main points of leverage and then use this to communicate with them. Your employee brand is how you bring these experiences together and align them with your purpose and values to give them meaning for employees.
The importance of touch points and points of leverage
You probably already identify your major touch points for employees with customers for your external brand. You need to undertake the same process internally. Identify your major touch points for all employee audiences as part of your segmentation process with customer facing and support teams. Initially you could look at specific points of interaction in the workplace linked to customer experiences/ or performance and through the employee lifecycle above. Where are your touch points and points of leverage (moments of truth) that impact on employee retention, satisfaction and business performance? If you do not know do some research.
The internal brand strategy is how the business consciously differentiates and consistently communicates its reputation and culture to current and potential colleagues as a desirable place to work. For starters consider: 1) How do you live your values? 2) How does your environment reflect your brand? 3) Review your recruitment process, induction,
orientation, appraisals, intranet, events, discussion forums and surveys – how do they build on your brand?
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HOT TOPIC
Internal service providers (Audit, Finance, HR, IT, Operations, Procurement, Properties, Communication, Risk etc) regularly suffer issues around how they are perceived. Many do not pay enough attention to their internal brand and how they communicate with their internal customers. They are often seen as an internal cost centre and their clients don’t see them as equals or partners. They are seen to have a monopoly in the business and their clients may question: their abilities versus external providers; the lack of clarity on their value proposition; their teams business literacy and the jargon they use when they communicate with them. As an internal service provider how can you begin to improve the level of understanding on what you offer and increase satisfaction in the delivery of your service?
brand internal
7 steps to rebrand internal service providers 1) Get clear on your value proposition – What does the customer gets by using your service or
advice?; How do you go about doing what you do?; Where do you add value?; How does your value proposition align with other service providers?; How can you work together? Ask them.
2) Brand - How do you support the external brand and values in how you deliver your service?; Where is the line of sight to your external customers?; What does this bring to your value proposition? Ask them.
3) What do they want from you and value about your service?; What is in it for them? Ask them. Put your internal customers at the heart of what you do.
4) How do you currently engage with them? What communication channels do you use?; Do you deliver what you communicate that you do for them? Ask them.
5) Can you improve the experience and make it customer friendly – the offer, delivery of the service, the ease of use for them and access to your services? Ask them.
6) Can you improve the communication? – How you let people know about your services?; How you make them feel like customers?; and how you communicate? Ask them.
7) Communication counts - Typically you communicate to inform, instruct, educate and hopefully engage your audiences – use this guide to kick start the improvement process - articulate your value proposition, understand your audiences interests and needs, improve your communication effectiveness and become a partner that adds real value.
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engagement
HOT TOPIC
Engagement is a two way partnership of meaning and purpose. When it
works - your employees will be proudly involved with sense of ownership in the business and its success. Their engagement shows in their attitudes and behaviours and your results. You as employer will be engaged in working with them to deliver business success. The Business engagement shows through leadership attitude and behaviours, your culture plus in your processes and policies.
Start with yourselves as an employer; involve your people and ask the following questions: 1. What makes this business a great place to work in our sector? 2. How do we support our leaders and managers to be great people to work for? 3. How do we create a great energising environment to work in? 4. How do we treat our people as partners? 5. How do we deliver on our commitments to our people? 6. How do we look after their wellbeing? 7. How do we keep our people informed on what matters and how they can help? 8. How do we communicate and live our values? 9. How do we involve our people in delivering our strategy and plans? 10. How do we involve our people in delivering great service to our customers? 11. How do we ensure our people have the best tools to do their work? 12. How do we encourage our people to work together and collaborate? 13. How do we encourage our people to innovate and be solution oriented? 14. How do we reward success? 15. How do we recognise contribution? 16. Do we offer our people challenging and interesting work? 17. How do we welcome our new recruits into the business? 18. How do we ensure our people feel part of something important and valued? 19. How do we help our people grow and develop? 20. How do we inject play and creativity into our workplace?
Engagement is a two way recipe so before you seek it from your people make sure you have a great employer brand.
employee
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employee
What the research says matters: 1. The importance of senior leaders and
line managers communicating. 2. A strong sense of purpose 3. Autonomy through employee
decision rights and accountabilities 4. Compensation and benefits. 5. Opportunities for career
advancement and growth. 6. A people centric culture. 7. A sense of belonging
engagement
The communication solution lies in leaders having the right conversations – a formal and an informal ongoing dialogue that connects with your people’s needs and interests: 1. Provide people with regular updates on the business context – about your market, your
performance and your strategy to navigate the tough times. How are you doing – what are the numbers? How are the customers doing? How are your competitors doing? What are you planning to do to survive and thrive in these times? How does this fit with your vision?
2. How do they fit in and how can they help? – Discuss how everyone directly or indirectly adds value, talk about the behaviours that will make a difference, encourage process improvement and ask for their help – involve people in generating solutions rather than talking about problems.
3. Keep messages simple, balanced and honest - be positive but don’t make promises you cannot keep. If you don’t have the answers say so. Don’t keep talking ‘burning platforms’, create opportunities for change – move towards something new.
4. Spend extra time with middle managers and team leaders – support and equip them to have the right conversations with their people and provide them with the tools to motivate and empower.
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employee
A compelling change story that involves
your people
Plenty of face to face communication
Regular dialogue and involvement on
the journey
One learns through the heart, not the eyes or intellect Mark Twain
engagement
When employees perform what makes them fully engage, put their heart into what they do and go the extra mile? What do your leaders need to get, support and do to keep your employees engaged?
In challenging times employee engagement is vital for the success of the business. Engaged employees go the extra mile to deliver. They provide better experiences for customers, approach the job with energy—which enhances productivity—and come up with creative product, process and service improvements. They remain with their employers for longer tenures, which reduces turnover and its related costs. However it is not always high on the business agenda. The questions asked are: 1. Is it a nice to have or must have? 2. Should it just be a general business philosophy or a formal programme? Even if leaders and managers recognise the value they often have difficulty making time to conduct research, develop engagement strategies and tactics, build commitment, change team structures and find new ways of working to engage people more. They are already having to juggle time consuming, stressful operational projects and meet business targets plus many other responsibilities. A motivated and engaged workforce is recognised as driver for business performance – so how can it be achieved without implementing a full blown strategy? You can always start with:
If leaders are not credible and communications are not engaging people are not interested. People will only engage with a subject if they are able to take actions, be in control and bring themselves to the challenge – there is not a standard formula – we are talking about motivating people - it is about doing things with not to your people.
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employee
Strategy Frontline delivery of services
For internal communication to take on a strategic role it must help the sharing of knowledge and information, encourage collaboration, create shared meaning and support decision making. Overall it must add value by connecting the business strategy to what happens on a day to day basis. Through providing for content, context and conversations. The strategy and business priorities need to be communicated in words that mean something to your people so they are heard and encourage action. Talk about the behaviours that will make a difference: going the extra mile for customers, spotting new opportunities, finding process improvements.
Information
Connections
How best to share, structure and gain meaning from data, concepts and messages.
How people perceive and relate to each other involving issues of trust, credibility, collaboration and relationships.
Each individual should be able to see their personal ‘line of sight’ between what they do and business performance; understand who their customers are and their impact on the business customer; know how they add value and how they can help? And how their role fits into the organisation jigsaw with all of their colleagues – the connections that matter. Vertical communication, alignment and connections between teams and divisions across the organisation are as important as horizontal leader to employee dialogue. The more ‘joined up’ the greater the impact for the customer.
connections
KEY TOPIC
How well do you work with other departments? Do you get wars between departments where poor teamwork, poor communication and myopic thinking have led to a hardening of positions over time – and nobody really knows why? When it's time to communicate with others from different departments do you take a deep breath, or smile and relish a chance to renew contact with colleagues from elsewhere in the company? Do you relish or dread committee work with other departments? Does it seem their aims are contrary to your department's? When other departments contact you for help do you regard it as a nuisance, a distraction and a drain of your valuable time? Can you see the greater good that comes from helping them solve their problems or fulfilling their needs?
internal collaboration
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Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. Henry Ford The important thing to know is that all employees, whether coming in direct contact with the customers or not, have an opportunity to make a difference. Once a company adopts this philosophy, there is no stopping them. You need to get internal customer service right too. Functions need to recognise they serve the internal customer well to support the frontline delivery to external customers. This is the starting point for employee engagement. Businesses need to foster a culture where people appreciate each other and how to best work together to achieve win-wins for the greater good of their customers. Everyone says they care about the customer but are you putting pressure on each other without realizing it. The delivery of the customer experience spans many areas of the business. Whilst many excel at their role in silos – what matters is the sum of the parts i.e. when they come together. Many organisations struggle with getting teams to collaborate due to competitive cultures, strong leaders, geography, communication channels and structures. Is your business designed with collaboration in mind? What structures are in place to make it work, what are the barriers and what does you culture depict in the way you do things i.e. the difference between what you say and what you do? Your employees take more notice of what you do than what you say. How do you harness technology to help with this?
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Create a sense of urgency in parallel with a sense of continuity and stability – focus on what is creating the need for change, frame it as moving towards something, say what is changing (process and behaviours) , how the change evolves from where you are now and what is staying the same. Think ‘Endings, Transitions, New Beginnings’ (William Bridges)
Communicate the business context, the ‘why’ and then the ‘what’ – business literate employees, with a grasp of the wider context, who understand the thinking behind the change, will adapt more easily. Seek to separate big picture from implementation communication. Only communicate task related information and implementation details once the context is clearly understood. Do not rush it.
Make face to face communication the main channel – people prefer to receive communication on change from their immediate manager. However for major change messages they prefer a senior manager followed by their manager for questions and updates.
What sort of change? – 1. Culture (changing the way we do things – specific attitudes and behaviours); 2. Structure (restructuring, merging); 3. Initiative (long term impact on behaviour); 4. Campaign (business objective and time specific). Each requires a different communication approach using differing levels of information and interaction depending on how it impacts individuals.
Translate your message – sort your audiences and the messages by perceived change impact first (positive, neutral, negative). Use the ‘change curve’ to understand people’s reactions to change. Then translate what it means for individuals as everyone wants to know how it will impact them and their perception of the change will cause them to react differently. Remember they are unlikely to be where you are on the change journey. So do not sell them on a bright new future before they ‘get’ the need to change.
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change communicating
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Branding, themes and logos – keep it simple and use them to build on your brand and bring a sense of cohesion to large scale change programmes. Keep the use of logos to culture/ structure changes and campaigns not for every minor initiative and project team. Themes and logos should be signposts, helping people understand how things come together and not be stand alone entities.
Train managers in communicating change and for each specific communication provide guidance – success depends more on their credibility, openness, listening skills, empathy and influencing skills rather than presentation skills. They will need to be skilled for one to one, team and large scale change communication. Provide toolkits including information, tips, sample scripts and FAQs. For large scale changes offer courses where they see the communication delivered (Remember they will often be impacted too – if they get the chance to experience the message being delivered to them and then deliver it the learning will stick), get new skills training and have an opportunity to rehearse the difficult bits.
Get people involved – encourage people to participate especially in implementation in their own areas. The more ownership and perceived control the more buy in and less resistance.
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Resources (time, people and money) – communication is a process not an event so give it the attention/ time needed to work. Have a plan. Ensure managers allocate the time to deliver the messages effectively. Provide the appropriate people to provide ongoing support and the appropriate financial resources to make it work.
6 Do not wait – be proactive - if you do not deliver the message quickly the grapevine will and you will put your managers in a difficult position. Talk through the options officially rather than leaving it to the rumour mill.
Mac Anderson ‘You Can’t Send a Duck to Eagle School’
Know the Power of One Page Joe Calhoon and Bruce Jeffrey are consultants who specialize in helping companies create a simple one page strategic plan. I love the idea because there is something magic about one page. Here are the 6 key elements of the plan: VISION: A clear picture of your destination
MISSION: The driving purpose of your business
VALUES: The guide you use for decision making and how you treat each other
OBJECTIVES: The numbers you track
STRATEGIES: The paths you’ve decided to take
PRIORITIES: The work that needs to get done and who needs to do it
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COMMUNICATION
PLANNING
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WHY? Clearly state the business need, purpose and goal for the communication.
WH0 – DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE?
To what degree does the audience know and understand the issue? What do you want the audience to do because of this message? What new attitudes, perceptions and behaviours will the audience need to adopt to be and feel successful? For the audience are there any specific factors that you need to be aware of? (i.e. levels of cynicism, shift work, culture differences)
WHAT – KEY MESSAGES? What does the audience need and want to know? What do you want to say / ask your audience? How can you grab their attention? Translate WIFM (what’s in it for me) message?
WHEN - TIMING?
When is the best time , how often and over what time period? What needs to happen to communicate in a timely way without delays? Will your message compete unnecessarily with or be impacted by other events?
HOW- METHODS?
What mediums are available to use for each audience? (F2F dialogue, intranet, newsletter, payslips, video, team brief, social media, email ,text) What tools are most effective for this message to reach each audience?
1
2
3
5
6
4
message plan
WHERE - DELIVERY? Channel location? – (Intranet , meeting space , offsite , reception , desk drop) What is appropriate and gets noticed by the target audience?
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campaign
Define Objectives
Brief
Expectations established:
Get, Support, Do.
Determine environment and audience
mindset
Research
Opportunities and
challenges determined
Craft themes and key
messages
Message
Themes compelling ,
messages targeted and
translated
Create, test and produce
appropriate communications
Develop & Design
Audience involved and
engaged
Evaluate, take lessons and
present findings
Review & Learn
Targets achieved and
lessons learned
1) Identify what needs to be accomplished (outcomes and outputs) 2) Determine whom you wish to reach (each stakeholder audience) 3) Decide what each of your target audiences should understand (head), support (heart) and do (hands).
1) Review business context and the environment 2)Define what each of your audiences currently knows/ believes 2) Identify the facts, values and perceptions driving those beliefs 3) Outline potential opportunities from and challenges to your message
1) Craft persuasive messages that reinforce positives, counter negatives and enhance people’s understanding 2) Map each message in terms of a theme, a summary statement and supporting evidence 3) Determine the best channels to use and mediums to deliver the message
1) Plan approach, who involved, timings and tactics 2) Create collateral 3) Test with target audiences and generate new ideas 4) Revise collateral 5) Obtain approvals 6) Brief and train those involved 7) Implement plan
1) Measure impact, reactions and opportunities to enhance perceptions 2) Create new collateral needed 3) Present lessons and results 4) Establish new communication briefs
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Often people confuse outputs with outcomes where they focus on the tactic or objective rather than what it will achieve for the business. The outputs are the strategic plan, campaign, intranet, business partner, training course, email or presentation. The tactics (events/ actions) that hopefully move you towards your outcome. An outcome is the final result of your actions – the ‘why?’ or ‘that will enable us to get a, support b and do c which means that’. The key word is result - examples of the outcome could be knowledge gained and acted upon, skills in action, increase employee satisfaction or morale, employee retention, customer satisfaction , increased business profit or competitive advantage. So use this checklist with leaders and managers as your starting point in taking briefs:
The Question What do you need people to ‘get, support and do’
as a result of your communication and how will you measure success?
outcome
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message The aim is to ensure your
business communication encompasses all
four boxes.
Sydney J Harris
The two words ‘information and communication’ are often used interchangeably
but they signify quite different things.
Information is giving out. Communication is getting
through.
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message focus on the individual
However many people are receiving the communication – think individual - you are talking about individual motivation – logic and emotion. Roger D’Aprix’s 6 questions is a good starting point for the minimum you should seek to communicate to each person:
7th
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People don’t resist change. They resist being changed! Peter Senge
Aware Inform
Understand Educate
Accept Involve
Act Motivate
Change Support
Engage Lead
Degree of change required
The greater the impact on the employees the more you need to communicate with them
Employee effect Employer activity
Time and resource
commitment
If you want people to be aware - you inform them. If you want them to understand - you inform and educate them. If you need them to accept something - you inform, educate and involve them. If you want them to act differently - you inform, educate, involve and motivate them to want to do it. If you want them to change - you inform, educate, involve, motivate and support them through the change journey. If you want to engage them - you communicate effectively by informing, educating, involving, motivating, supporting and most importantly leading them!
message change communication
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Communication Methods Words = 7% Vocal tone = 38% Body language = 55%
We recall approximately...
Repetition Increases Understanding • 1st time - 10% retention • 2nd time - 25% retention • 3rd time - 40%-50% retention • 4th time - 75% retention
Actions speak louder than words!
• 10% of what we read • 20% of what we hear • 30% of what we see • 50% of what we see and hear • 70% of what we say and do • 90% of what we explain as we do
Repeat your message using many different mediums, dependent upon your objective and target audience. Repetition is vital – in advertising they expect to repeat a message at least 7 times – take this as your minimum. Recognise with the increase in technology use how much room there is for misunderstanding. Always check your communication has been received, understood as you intended and acted upon.
message
2 WAY
communication mix
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Message maps provide a consistent and repeatable methodology to think more strategically about your key topics core messages. This process ensures they are aligned and delivered consistently. Steps 1 to 3 are usually developed at a facilitated messaging session. The Map with 4 and 5 are the outputs from the session. Once developed they serve as a blueprint for all communication on that topic. They provide the basis for management talking points to make it easy for leaders to develop their communications.
message communication maps
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When communicating it is essential to identify all audiences (often known as stakeholders) for each core message/ or campaign. Too many messages are sent out to all employees or large groups to make it easy. The more specific groups you identify – the more relevant you can make the communication. You can also undertake stakeholder analysis on the likely impact of a communication on each target audience.
Who are your primary audience directly affected by the message? Who needs to get this message directly as a recipient? How should they be grouped? Then who needs it as a support resource? Some people need to be involved and maybe take action – others just need to be informed the communication has taken place. Take the time to get specific.
target audience
Message
Role
Impact
Geography Task or project
Employee profile
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audience segmentation
Each group has distinct needs. You will need to do some audience segmentation to identify useful employee profiles across the business. Without segmentation content, channels and messages become diluted and lose the ability to engage distinct groups. To get to the profiles you can undertake employee research on roles, divisions, grades, locations and access to communication channels. You can also look into generations, attitudes, likes, interests and world views. Create the segments with the data and business context in mind. Keep updating it.
Some examples of profile groups
Do the preparation work in advance. In identifying target audiences do not just think of a downward cascade of information by organisation hierarchy. Most organisations today are made up of lots of distinct groups and networks. Identify key groups, create mailing lists and compile data into profiles. Share the profiles to encourage leaders to think laterally in who they engage with and how. Some examples are shown in the diagram.
Stakeholder analysis Remit
Geography Traits and likes
Business context Objectives
Change impact Culture
Leadership Challenges
Change readiness Language
Communication mindset Communication skill set
For major projects you will also need to do a stakeholder mapping analysis (right) for all the key players involved. With key influencers this is usually mapped by individual to understand their position and how best to influence them. The main message is really understand your audiences and their needs.
Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Audience
newbies
victims
rear view mirror
early adopters onboard
Physiological and safety
Belonging and self esteem
Personal growth and fulfilment
ME
US/ OUR
fence sitters
adventurers
Outlook
WE/I
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Business and Personal There are lots of ways to use this chart to understand about communicating change messages effectively.
Based on
An interesting take on Maslow’s Needs relating to business. Recognise that your audiences perspective based on the success of the business and their experience in your and previous organisations will affect their outlook. A good tell tale sign is how they speak about the business i.e. We/I, Us/Our or Me. If people are in survival mode it is all about ME. Often Senior people bought into a business to save it are Adventurers talking to Victims – very different outlooks!
John Smythe
Employee engagement is first and
foremost a management philosophy
based on the idea of including the right people in the right decisions at the right
time in the right way. Inclusion in
decision making and change is not a
one-way ticket for employees to butt their noses in wherever and however
they want. Leadership sets the
boundaries and governs the process;
and citizens in the process have responsibilities to behave as partners in
the process.
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1) Understanding your audience Their role Their needs and wants Their language Their culture Education level What motivates them? What interests them? What is important? What engages them?
ASK THEM
2) Translate your message for your target audience/ stakeholder Why do you need this communication? Simple intent? Empathise with the your audience and understand their needs. Focus on your intent to get your core content and then your supporting messages. Start with the facts that affect them. Keep it as simple, clear and short as you can. Put the heart in through what you emphasise. Use their business language. Use relevant anecdotes and stories. Where is the value for them? How are you getting their attention? Get the tone right based on the sender and receiver. Review with the audience to check it is relevant and the message is understood as you intended.
translate your message
Recognise for global audiences communication will need to be translated. Even if the business language is stated as English, check comprehension levels of all audiences. Use locals to translate based upon intent/ outcomes and feelings rather than a literal translation. Also do a culture check for language choice, pictures, metaphors and stories. Check preferred communication styles and auditory, kinaesthetic and visual preferences.
Audiences care about value and how the communication affects them (WIFM) – you are shaping what they think about.
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channel
face to face remote written 1 to 1’s
Town halls/ Panels Team Brief/ Huddles
Breakfast Updates Informal coffee chats
Lunches Walkabouts (MBWA) Training/ Seminars
Conferences World Cafes Roadshows Exhibitions
Open Space/ Ai Event Video Conference
Telephone Voice mail Web cast
Conference call CEO Podcast
Weekly Newscast Video
Executive Vlogs
Email/ Memo/Tweet Intranet/ SharePoint
Briefing Pack Executive Summary
Toolkits Training guide
Letter SMS/ Pager
Blog Social Media Sites
Posters Newsletter/ Ezine
Fun collateral Daily Ticker
Persuade with content reinforced by your voice, body language,
eye contact and physical appearance and supporting visual
collateral
Persuade with content reinforced by voice and
listening skills and supporting visual
collateral
Persuade with content, reinforced by attention
grabbing words, visuals, good design
The message comes first, then the target audience and translation followed by the best channel/ medium to deliver the message. You should seek several delivery channels to meet individual preferences. For example:
and medium
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channel 1. Less is more - Limit the number of official channels you use,
choose carefully and use them really well 2. Channel choice - Initially it comes down to considering two
factors – how concerned will people be about the message and how urgent is it to get the message out there?
3. No PC - Recognise some of your employees do not have access (or regular access) at work to a PC. If you want them to use online resources put kiosks in. However do not rely on this as a main channel. Ask if you want to regularly text them if this is the appropriate channel for them.
4. Time and timing: Even if they do have access their role may make it difficult to take time out to read communications i.e. call centre staff. Allocate adequate time for regular communication with these teams. If you are doing events and shift workers make provision for them to attend or be involved in some way.
Intranet Short, quick information
retrieval
Paper Learning complicated information
Face to face
Behaviour change
Use the chart below based upon your intent to think through the channel mix you will need.
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choose your
technology channel
Evolving technology is having a major impact on business communication especially with its accessibility, interactivity and speed – especially mobile technologies. This technology should be an enabler, to provide solutions that can help businesses, to reach the dispersed audience they want to engage. We need to remember it represents new channels of communication that are useful to many but not to everyone – it is just part of the mix. However do not ignore it as it represents a massive culture change within society especially mobile technologies. However be careful of ‘new shiny object syndrome ’ – it can be fatal.
There have been significant changes in employee attitudes, values and behaviours in recent years. With the technologies employees use at home there is an expectation to use them at work. It is changing people’s behaviour, the way they connect, collaborate and share their opinions, ideas and experiences. Influence comes through relationships and social networking is an integral part of building these relationships.
Connection and participation Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate information sharing, collaboration and user centred design on the web including hosted services, web applications, social networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and tagging. These intranets/ websites allow users to interact with each and change content rather than just passively view them. (e.g. SharePoint, Face Book, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, Bebo, LinkedIn). There are so many tools available. Choose carefully and if possible involve IT and your younger colleagues to support you. 1) Ensure the tools you choose are relevant to people and are useful in their work. Ask people
what they want to achieve, listen to their ideas and seek to solve business issues. 2) Keep it simple and develop a limited toolbox of useful tools with guidance/ examples on how to
use them. Let people decide which ones will help them with the support of local technology and social media champions.
3) Publicise the tools internally on a regular basis and hold events/ training sessions to promote how to use them – make the fun and useful. Take action to show you are listening.
4) Establish guidelines on content, confidentiality, etiquette and standards for internal and external social media usage.
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technology channel
Coming in house with SharePoint and Yammer For larger organisations intranets are now seen as the foundations for internal communication. However few have developed these into the online collaboration tools especially if they are led by IT rather than internal communication. However the recent arrival of Microsoft SharePoint with Yammer (a free add on to its Server) provides the technology platform to deliver this much more easily within Businesses. It provides a fully functioning web portal for content management, collaboration tools, shared calendars and contacts, alerts, discussion boards, blogs, wikis, document management, web collaboration and customizable web pages. Allowing you to bring Web 2.0 in house and brand it. Have a look at the website.
The opportunities Technology provides the opportunity to innovate and experiment – it is about creating communities, encouraging dialogue, knowledge sharing, ideas generation, encouraging questions and sometimes dissent. You need to let your employees help create this new world and bring the conversations in-house. Ownership is about championing and nurturing not controlling. IT need a solution oriented remit as an enabler to make it work for you. If increasing dialogue, aiding transparency and breaking down silos are within your communication aims these technologies can be powerful enablers. You do not need to use it all at once just dip your toe in. Begin piloting some of these concepts and tailoring them for your culture. Using employee segmentation and new media provides the tools and support to create online forums for communities to share information, best practice, knowledge, solutions to everyday challenges and ideas i.e. for managers, projects, talent, graduates, champions, pathfinders, locations, specialism's. Also for employee surveys you can set up discussion boards/ build an interactive e-zine on key issues, use twitter for on the pulse feedback or introduce your own LinkedIn/ Facebook for networking within the business. You also have the tools to filter, analyse and digest the content for language, themes and hot issues. Also with the shift to Mobile and Tablet use ensure your content can be accessed and works easily on all platforms. Do not ignore, do not legislate against - just seek out the opportunity and explore the possibilities.
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measure The goal of all communication should be to have the right impact. There is a growing expectation that communication activities should be linked to business performance. However people often struggle to measure the impact of internal communication through lack of skills, resources and management commitment. They say it is intangible and it often becomes more about happy sheets than linking it to the business bottom line and return on investment (ROI). Internal Communication often struggles to be valued as a strategic rather than tactical resource. Without measurement such a shift is less likely to happen as business leaders need to see the value of internal communication in supporting important business activities.
things that matter
In our experience it is about where you start from not where you finish up. You have to identify how you are going to measure outcomes as you establish objectives. The more they relate to business rather than function metrics the better. When you are working within your business as strategic enablers and business partners it will be much easier – get them working on outcomes as well as outputs early on.
1. Go BIG picture first. - The importance of you understanding the business context and business metrics. Measure ROI for the Function and the value it adds to the business – keep evaluating.
2. Involve Senior Management early on in setting objectives and agreeing the measures that address business performance.
3. Focus on desired outcomes not outputs and work out how you are going to measure before you start. 4. Set critical success factors (CSFs) that are quantifiable, achievable and aligned with business goals. As
the project progresses, if plans shift, remember to move the measurement too. 5. Whilst the soft side is harder to measure, the value and learning from both together can be invaluable.
Use pulse surveys and focus groups to gauge the effectiveness of specific communications or channels. 6. If you have resistance to measurement - learning is a good place to start with a softer message in
showing the value of communication measurement and results. 7. Start from an external customer centric position and link to customer data. Then get to know your target
audiences needs really well. These are your foundations. 8. Publish interim results for Divisions/ Business Units. You will create a healthy sense of competition
between units and improve response rates. 9. Consider establishing Pilots studies and control groups to create business cases. 10. Reviewing specific channels is as much about learning as ROI. 11. Measure managers communication knowledge and skills to ensure they know what is expected of them. 12. Use secondary sources of benchmark research like Melcrum and the IABC to support your business case.
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sensing employee dialogue
Sense making - Face to face through focus groups, world cafes, open space events, surveys (satisfaction, culture, pulse), discussion forums and interviews. Online using interactive discussion boards, Facebook, blogs, twitter and innovative tools to track opinions. They should be structured and scheduled as part of the ‘way we do things’ to measure communications impact on business effectiveness and to really understand your audiences. Establish a regular timeframe for your surveys and stick to it. Employee sensing sends out a message – ‘we are actively listening’. It is about involving people – gaining different perspectives, learning, identifying priorities, creativity and new ideas, articulating the business language, giving people the opportunity to contribute, engaging hearts and minds, challenging stuck mindsets and having fun. It also means you need to show you have heard by taking action. 1. Begin with the end in mind – what are you trying to find out/ achieve?. 2. Aim to capture qualitative and quantitative information from employees by engaging and involving
them. Treat them as intelligent business partners. 3. Face to face sessions can be from a traditional ‘Q & A’ to an ‘off the wall’ adventure. Consider using
surveys, voting, listening walls, creative expression, games, storytelling, challenges, role plays within the groups. The sessions should be a learning experience for everyone.
4. Sensing exercises are a commitment in resource; and as they engage hearts and minds they raise expectations that something will change as a result of the dialogue. So there needs to be a commitment from leaders to follow through before you begin.
5. Provide feedback on the results to show: You have listened; what actions you will be taking; what you won’t be doing and why. It is OK not to do but you need a ‘why not’ communication.
6. Take meaningful action and get buy-in by continuing to involve people in action groups and implementation teams.
Employee listening and dialogue to measure and make sense of THEIR world.
What are they interested in? What makes them tick?
How can you engage them?
2 WAY
Feedback as an employer of choice Testing new approaches/ systems Checking awareness Testing understanding Appreciative inquiry Gathering new ideas/ improvements Identifying motivators
Identifying improvements Articulating what the brand means to employees Gathering stories and anecdotes
Peggy Norman Presidential Speech Writer
If I were advising a candidate I would say :
‘Don’t be so eager to be bright and quick and clever and memorable. Be YOU, try to be honest, speak with all the candour you can muster and say it the way you’d say it to your family’
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COMMUNICATION
ROLES
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roles
Managing Leading Planning and budgeting Establishing Direction
Organising and staffing Aligning people
Controlling and problem solving Motivating and inspiring
Producing predictability, consistent results on time, on budget
Producing change – often dramatic
Efficiency - does the thing right Effectiveness – does the right thing
Make communication a formal part of the leaders and line manager’s role, identify core communication competencies, give each manager effective communication training and set performance measures in appraisals. Support them centrally by investing in a Internal Communication Function. Eliminate the barriers and guide them on where and how IC can add value. Consider providing local Business Partners and a Pathfinders/ Champions network.
communication
Communication barriers
1. No time/ other priorities 2. Little or no planning 3. Poor communication skills creates fear 4. Trapped in the tactical 5. Communication is check the box activity 6. Not engaged in role 7. Doesn’t value communication 8. Communication is reactive and scattered 9. Knowledge is power - withholds
information and limits what is shared 10. IC limited access/ not at the table
Communication Counts!
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Let Leaders lead the way – the ideal is a highly visible senior team that get out and about to engage with employees. A team who understand the importance of effective employee communication and show commitment towards it with time and resources. They understand their role to deliver key messages about strategy, goals and priorities so everyone can work towards them. They also seek to inspire, motivate and engage employees.
Credible leaders
Technical skills Relationship
skills Walk the talk + +
Empathy Likeable
Personable Approachable
Competent Expert
Composed Consistent
Action oriented Get things done
Integrity Promises to action
The leader (and manager ) communication challenges
1. Bringing the strategy to life for their team 2. Getting the business message across
meaningfully 3. Leading the team through change and
making sense of all the initiatives 4. Supporting the ‘party line’ in a way that
does not impact on their credibility and integrity
5. Sharing difficult and bad news
communication leadership
The art of communication is the language of leadership James Humes
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leader communicating
Direction and focus – Be visible, manage by walking around (MBWA), set a course for the business (vision, goals, strategy) and the focus/ priorities (business agenda). Provide clarity by simply communicating the business strategy and agenda to multiple audiences to achieve alignment and consensus. Then move forward keeping people informed, involved and aligned by sharing stories, decisions, knowledge and ideas. Also introduce and communicate change as necessary.
Roles – clearly communicate the roles people will play getting to the destination and make sure you delegate responsibility whilst retaining accountability.
Together – create ownership in the outcome by involving people, giving them a voice and ensuring they understand their responsibilities in the journey.
Persuade with passion – be authentic, convey your passion, inspire, influence others and build momentum. Show you care, are committed to the outcome and motivate others to join you.
Empathise – to connect and see things from your audience perspective. Take into consideration how they will be thinking, what they will be feeling and their behaviour. Recognise the impact of different communication styles.
1
2
3
4
5 Celebrate – recognise milestones, others contribution and give recognition ensuring you share the credit with everyone involved.
Say/ Do – actions speak louder than words – we speak with our words but we communicate with our actions - recognise you give as many messages by what you do as what you say – your people are watching - make sure your actions match your words and you always follow through. Role model the change you want to see and lead by example. Be proud of and an advocate for the business.
6
7
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leader communicating
The rules of speech – simple, repeatable, memorable.
Elevator strategy speech 1. One sentence on what the strategy is
seeking to achieve 2. Three reasons why we are doing it 3. Three things we are going to be doing 4. Three benefits of this approach
Bill Quirke ‘Making the Connections’
What does ‘Get, Support and Do’ mean for a Leader?
Guidance for leaders: 1. Focus on the vital few – promise
less and do more often. 2. Be really clear on your intent. 3. Do lots of listening and
questioning. 4. Make sure your communication
is succinct but also content rich not ‘hot air’.
5. Be deliberate about making promises and be willing to say ‘no’.
Peter Drucker
Leadership is not magnetic
personality, that can just as well be
a glib tongue. It is not ‘making
friends and influencing people’,
that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a
person’s vision to higher sights, the
raising of a person’s performance
to a higher standard, the building
of a personality beyond its normal
limitations.
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manager communicating
1
2
3
4
5
Task – plan and manage the allocation and achievement of tasks supported by regular communication with individuals, your team and colleagues who are involved.
Roles – clearly communicate the roles people will play getting the job done and make sure you delegate responsibility for targets. Ensure everyone knows how their job fits into the bigger picture and in meeting customer needs.
1 to 1 – give timely performance feedback to your team members on their roles, development and career opportunities. Act as a mentor and a coach. Involve them in discussions and listen to them too.
Commitment – deliver leader and central communication to your team regularly and give feedback. Show your commitment to leadership direction, convey your enthusiasm and build momentum locally with your team. Encourage collaboration with other teams within your area and across the business. Join in.
Team – build a team with regular scheduled team time for information exchange (business wide programmes, updates on their and other teams activities and senior team messages) and discussion (ideas and suggestions). Tailor messages to the local business context. Recognise milestones, acknowledge contributions and give recognition ensuring you share the credit with everyone involved. Organise regular informal social gatherings too.
6 Say/ Do – make sure your actions match your words. Do not over promise. Role model best practice and lead by example so your team support you.
Managers are popular sources of information as they impact employees daily lives and therefore what they communicate is seen as more credible and relevant. Make sure the manager engages in regular two way dialogue on subjects that matter to their team and they find interesting. Make communication a formal part of the line manager’s role, identify core communication competencies, give each line manager effective communication training and set performance measures in appraisals.
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Navigating change
Targeting communication
Hearts, minds and hands delivery skills
Thinking of the Business context
Effective cascade
Singing from the same song book
MANAGER COMMUNICATION
SKILLS TOOLKIT
Coaching people
Listening
Understanding and resolving conflict
Interpersonal skills
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pathfinders A network of upcoming energised talent sponsored by the CEO as business pathfinders (finding the way through). The task to be advocates for change, lead as role models and promoters of business priorities across the business. The aim is to get the talented middle managers involved in engaging employees and improving their communication skills. Also the role encourages more senior ownership, buy in and commitment to business programmes.
1. To provide Internal Communications with ideas/ feedback on engaging management audiences on their role to lead the business.
2. To provide feedback to Communications on the business environment. 3. To engage peers in supporting and delivering programmes and key business priorities by
selling them on the value of the them. 4. To lead by example – live the values. 5. To promote campaign messages and build momentum. 6. To notice and recognise when others live the values. 7. Support and mentor your Champions network. 8. Support business Orientation/ Induction programmes. 9. As future senior leaders of the business to learn about: driving change, generating and
delivering on ideas, engaging audiences, developing great influencing and communication skills and the value of IC within the business as a strategic tool.
PATHFINDER = TALENT
Direct, Lead, Advocate, Inspire, Engage, Role Model, Support
Role support ideas: Campaign Briefings/ Q & A for programmes; Quarterly open invitation two hour think tank on topical topics; Quarterly IC Ideas Café; 6 monthly CEO Pathfinder lunch – ‘Put yourself in my place’ discussions; Intranet chat room to openly discuss key topics; Represented on Business Working Groups; Involved in Business Orientation/ Induction programmes; Attendance Champions Team Days.
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Working with their Manager Partner and supporter in
their role as an effective communicator
Doing it with them and for them not to them
Manager Briefing toolkit
Tasks. For instance: Explaining and administering
central initiatives for them Targeting and translating
messages for the audience and briefing your Manager
Feedback on the teams communication preferences
Organising meetings and preparing materials
Explaining communication methods and tools
Giving them feedback from your audience (their team)
How do you create a support network for corporate communications internally, support for managers, skill build future leaders and build a network across the business? Introduce Communication Champions for each distinct area of the business. Establishing and developing a team of communication champions across the business creates a network, an official company grapevine, manager support team, content providers, skill builds and adds a local resource to deliver programmes. You need Senior Management support for selection and the roles. Be clear on their responsibilities , brief their managers well and set boundaries so they are not seen as management moles!
Bystanders Champions
Loose Cannons
Weak Links
Emotional Commitment
Inte
llect
ual
Un
der
stan
din
g
GET
SUPPORT
DO
champion
The network of champions needs to reflect the organisation chart with representatives from key teams, functions and geographies. They need to be trained, connect regularly and be briefed at least each quarter. They should also have a toolkit and their own intranet space to build their community. They should be recognised and rewarded as an integral part of the team.
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MPIO
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Core: connected, credible and respected by their peers right attitude – can do Skills: good influencer well networked in Business Unit action planner some experience of delivering presentations some writing skills potential facilitator empathy keen to learn change agent resilient
Role Model Ambassador
Champion Networked Networker
Knowledgeable Well Informed
Planner Communicator
Facilitator Listener
Presenter Coach
Mentor Empathiser
Idea Generator Change Agent
Doer/ Implementer Evaluator
Contributor
1) Content providers 2) Supporting communication campaigns locally 3) Delivering messages within their team 4) Gathering regular feedback 5) Supporting managers to help them communicate
better 6) Building know-how: business and communication
skills
champion
Asking the right questions at the right time? Meaningful conversations
team
There are many different structures for internal communications. A starting point is to set up the discipline to mirror the business structure so that it can provide support with local business partners. You need an effective, senior level head of internal communication leading a professional team . They should be structured and focused on providing business partnering, consultancy and communication delivery for the business. They need to add value and be a strategic catalyst for change. You will also need Senior Executive sponsorship for the Function.
Such a diverse remit requires a team of specialist practitioners with a broad knowledge and range of skills including: strategic and conceptual thinking, business literacy, coaching, creativity, relationship management, communication and planning. The speed of change within businesses and within the communication industry means they also need time to keep abreast of what’s happening In relevant fields.
Internal Communication (1: IC) often reports into another Function: Corporate Communication (2:News Agenda/ CSR), Marketing (3:Customer Service) or Human Resources (4:Employee Engagement) – each of these creates a bias (1 to 4) that needs to be managed. All four perspectives are required wherever it sits.
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Business Partners supporting/
facilitating the agenda and employee dialogue on:
Customer centricity, business strategy and direction.
business performance and news, organisational change,
issues and crisis management, the brand,
pride, employee engagement, corporate
social responsibility
function example
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FUN
CTION
function team
The Senior Team need to define the role of Internal Communication so they clarify what they want to achieve. They need to sponsor the team, provide regular access to leaders and ensure they focus on business objectives. The model shown allows you to: 1) centralise tasks when you need alignment for corporate strategy and consistency in message delivery and 2) devolve tasks to local teams when you need greater alignment to business operations with more tailored communications. The Business Partners can then implement central and local initiatives based upon the operational business agenda. They can share creative and event management resources centrally. This also allows the Communication Director to hold a picture of the complete business context to support Senior Leaders. The Air Traffic Control function can then help develop and manage the channels for the business, ensuring business critical messages get heard..
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The professional Business Partner: 1. Partner with local management as a strategic advisor, catalyst for
change and communication expert. 2. Coach leaders on communication skills and guide on best practice 3. Business literacy – speak the language of the business, understand
the business context and what the customers need help with – outcomes rather than outputs.
4. Support the design and delivery of Local Communication Plans and the IC Service Level Agreement.
5. Co-ordinate and deliver key central messages. 6. Articulate and deliver innovative and creative local campaigns and
messages with local teams. 7. Establish and build local communication channels: 8. Manage employee sensing processes. 9. Support major change initiatives – assess the climate for change,
identify issues and get people ready, engage people and focus on changing behaviours.
10. Measure results and gather regular feedback on performance. Provide local management with a communication dashboard showing the results.
11. Business Unit Representative within Corporate Communications function.
12. Support and skill build the champions network.
Business partner: Proactive business literate Partner, Relationship Manager,
Communicator, Consultant, Coach, Facilitator, Expert, Mentor, Change Agent, Manager, Politician, Influencer, Motivator, Planner,
Deliverer, Measurer, Innovator,
partner business
Be courageous, be curious, look for the possibilities, empathise, broaden your knowledge, enhance your skills as a communicator, lead and support.
Listen and advise Ear to the ground, info
on hot topics and issues, overview on business
context, advise on when and how to participate
Succinctly craft Communicating on their
behalf to protect and enhance their reputation
Channel Consultancy Advice on type of
channel and context it will be delivered in - when to call, write,
meet – face to face or remote. The mix.
Engage as Partner
Engage with their agenda to support them and
their teams to deliver -not direct activities.
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corporate
Stakeholders
Customers
Shareholders
Employees
Partners
Suppliers
Competitors
Government
Regulators
Trade Bodies
Financial Community
Media/ Journalists
Consumer Groups
The remit to deliver effective corporate communication includes: a) Managing and interpreting relationships b) Encouraging listening and engaging in dialogue c) Protecting and maintaining reputation
• Government Relations
• Media/ Press Activity
• Public Affairs
• Investor Relations
• Sector Relations
PR Relationships
• Events and Sponsorship Management
• Agency Management
• Crisis Management Communication
PR Management
• Internal Communication
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Sustainability Agenda
• Brand and Reputation Management
Corporate
It is important to understand Internal Communication is one part of a larger picture where alignment between the external and internal roles is key.
Jim Rohn
Take advantage of every
opportunity to practice
your communication skills
so that when important
occasions occur, you will
have the gift, the style,
the sharpness, the clarity
and the emotions to
affect other people.
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COMMUNICATING
SKILLS
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SKILLS
From business to politics, those who command attention in their personal or professional lives are typically masters and developing and delivering great communication. The ability to speak well, write clearly and communicate powerfully helps you accomplish many things. In a business environment every phone call, meeting; in fact every opportunity to communicate demonstrates your abilities and value – you need to be constantly conscious of the impression (spoken, written and unspoken) you make on everyone - communication skills count – and yet many people fail to recognise their importance in doing their job and enhancing their career prospects. Your communication style, the way you present yourself, how you articulate who you are and what you care about; and the way you communicate with those around you, are business critical skills. You need to be able to connect with your audience. They demand passion, inspiration, preparation, clarity, brevity, presence, simplicity and all delivered in a visually compelling package. What you do needs to support what you say. It is vital to focus on the clarity and simplicity of the content. However it is not just what you say but also how you behave that sends messages . Define your own style and always seek to focus on the small details like introductions, names , manners, thank you and congratulations. They matter and create the right impression.
skill set
Speak Write Present Action
Content Style Delivery YOU
personal communication
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AN
D
brand
Start with the questions above and write an attention grabbing one page introduction to you
WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO AND WHY YOU DO IT
Include a photo! If you are the product – what differentiates you and your personal brand?
Be your brand, be confident and stand up for what you believe in: word, deed, action and package design! Be consistent at all levels. Be proud of who you are and what you do.
What do I stand for?
What am I known for?
What am I passionate about?
What am I best at?
How can I stand out?
How do I add value?
How visible am I?
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SKILLS HELLO
Get comfortable with your story. If it is well thought through, and you believe it then it won’t sound false.
Confidence counts here.
I AM Who I am
Who I serve
I DO What I help them do
How I help, support and add value
BECAUSE
WHY I do it Show your passion
(this is the differentiator and provides the emotional
connection)
hello GET IN STATE
B
L F L
FOUNDATIONS
Image, confidence, skill set, technical ‘know how’, presence.
BUILD RAPPORT
GET INTERESTED
Ask questions, listen, be creative, generate solutions, sell benefits, be enthusiastic, enjoy yourself, be real.
FOLLOW THROUGH
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STATE
state
This is about creating the right frame of mind and way of being to succeed and be confident. We each make choices all the time on our outlook on life. We can change our state in a minute by changing what we focus on, the language we use or simply moving our body in a different way.
To be a successful communicator we can choose to be authentic, live by our values, have an optimistic outlook, with an energised and upbeat can do attitude. We can focus on success and achievement. Having a solution orientation towards our work, with 100% commitment to being a professional and adding value. We can walk tall with confidence and believe in our talents. We can choose to live in the moment. We can choose to own our actions.
Or we can live our life through the rear view mirror, lacking confidence, worrying about past mistakes, politicking, blaming others, concerned about our jobs and lacking any real energy to change anything. We can choose to play victim – it is everyone else’s fault!
1. Part of my work - not an extra task if I get time
2. Positive ‘can do’ attitude and enthusiasm
3. Total self belief – I am ok and I add value
4. Great language 5. Clear and relevant 6. Give and prove your value 7. Enjoy the journey!
OWNER
or
VICTIM?
You CHOOSE your response. Make the right choices and focus on the triad above to directly influence your behaviour. Cultivate a winning attitude.
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SKILLS QU
ESTION
S
question
the conversation 1) Seek to understand their issues/ challenges from different perspectives. 2) Find out which messages are most important to them and why. 4) Go into depth – what is the evidence and what is the impact of the issue for different stakeholders. 5) Summarise to check you have understood. 6) Articulate the core message and supporting messages for each stakeholder.
Start with a genuine interest and do your research beforehand. Ask more questions than you answer. Remember: Open questions to open up dialogue and closed questions to conclude/ summarise.
Effective questioning brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom. Chip Bell
What is the real question rather than the answer? How does this tie into the business strategy centrally/ locally?
What is happening and why? What is the impact of ineffective communication on the business results?
How important is it to communicate right now? What does our culture suggest about the way we should communicate?
Who are all the stakeholders we want to communicate with? What do we want people to get, support and do in your business?
What is the core messages we want to get across to different employee groups? What is the most effective means to get the message across?
Do we communicate as effectively across all locations? Do we communicate consistently to head office functions and within our business lines?
Are our managers skilled communicators? How do we know our communication is effective?
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1. Value the speaker – respect their position and be patient. 2. Actively listen for the content of the message. 3. Communication takes place when information passes from a source to a receiver. If
you spend all of your listening time planning how to zing the other party, then, when they finally stop talking, you haven’t heard them.
4. Show that you are listening – look at the person speaking, give them your full attention. Resist distractions even when other things are going on in the room.
5. Listen to the FACTS that people are saying at different levels to the FEELINGS they are expressing and to the INTENTIONS which may be hidden amongst their words.
6. Note the speaker cues – how it is said - verbal and non-verbal . 7. Listen to your client’s point of view with an open mind i.e. don’t find excuses to offer
others criticism/ feedback. Sometimes what they say is true but you don’t want to listen. Put preconceived ideas aside.
8. Respond to the feelings of the speaker. 9. Listen to what is not said – listen between the lines. Ask clients to expand on their
statements by focussing on what has not been said. 10. Acknowledge information as you go along and ask questions. 11. Remember to summarise and reflect back what you have heard. 12. Check immediately if something is not clear. 13. Do not interrupt. 14. Do not rely on your memory so take good notes including key words and phrases.
• Man’s inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively • Carl Rogers
‘Two ears and one mouth - use them in that proportion’ Listen more than you speak.
DEVELOP THE SKILL OF
ACTIVELY LISTENING
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EAK
speak 1
2
3
5
6
4
• Be real. Make sure your communication comes across as natural, sincere and authentic. The purpose of communication is to deliver a message so always start with the audience in mind not yourself. Think about the issues your audience will care about not what you want to say.
• Be confident and clear about what messages or points you want to make – have a clear goal every time you speak - before you speak, try to be clear in your own mind how your points relate to the topic under discussion. Make the benefits to the audience the common denominator in every message.
• Language – think about the words you use carefully – choose words that connect with people - to build upon, reinforce and powerfully get your message across so that it is noticed and understood.
• Speak in ways that help people understand what you want to say: • Speak loudly enough so others can hear. • Keep focused on key points. Don’t ramble. • Explain special or unusual terms you use: • Avoid jargon when you can • Avoid sarcasm and ‘put downs’. • Practice making eye contact with the people in the room as it helps listeners feel more
connected to you • Try drawing a simple sketch of what you have in mind to support your speech. Many
people understand pictures better than words. • Be prepared to support your ideas with examples, stories, data and information.
• Be succinct – clarity and simplicity. For your main messages, ideas and campaigns - prepare, work it through and practice before you seek to communicate to others.
• Know your audience needs and desires – pay attention to your listeners body language and interactions to check you have not lost them. You have to read your listener if you want to build a relationship – body language, communication style, language and thinking preferences for starters. To understand your and others communication preferences have a look at Myers Briggs or Nigel Risner’s ‘It’s a Zoo around here’. When you understand them better it is so much easier to communicate and build rapport by matching their preferences.
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SKILLS INFLU
ENCE
influence
Communicate Giving information, creating awareness and
encouraging conversations.
Persuade Showing that what you are offering is worth having
and why. What is in it for me? (WIFM)
Differentiate Creating a worthwhile value added difference
between what you are offering versus alternatives.
Your job requires you to influence people just about all the time. It may take the form of gaining support, inspiring others, persuading others to join in, engaging someone’s imagination or in creating relationships. To be a great influencer and create an impact requires a combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation and assertiveness skills; with the confidence and willingness to use yourself to make things happen. It is about acknowledging, understanding and appreciating others. It is about adapting your personal style when you become aware of the affect you are having on other people, while still being true to yourself. Research tools to understand personality types i.e. Myers Briggs (MBTI) so you understand yourself and others preferences better.
Think benefits. If you want to influence others you have to empathise with their situation and translate your message into benefits for them – it is all about the message that is received and what it means for them.
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RA
PPOR
T
Consider the following:
1. Rapport with yourself – feeling at ease with your actions and your life journey. 2. Building rapport in conversations and in interactions with others through choice of
language. 3. Body language and the speed or pace of communication. 4. Empathy—an understanding of situations from the other person’s perspective.
Rapport is essential for effective communication. You need to be genuinely interested in connecting with other people. It calls for mutual respect between people and is often achieved intuitively. Some people naturally connect but others need to work at it. To learn the skill demands focus and concentration. Pick up the key words, favourite phrases and the way of speaking that someone uses. Build these subtly into your own conversations. Respect the other person’s time, energy, interests and money. They will be important resources for them. Start from where the other person is, pace alongside them and then, if appropriate, lead them. If this all sounds alien go learn about NLP in business – it adds real value to your skills set.
CONNECT WITH OTHERS – EMPATHISE WITH THEM
Long after they forget what you said and did they will remember
how you made them feel.
rapport
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SKILLS ID
EAS
ideas
JUST IMAGINE IF: you are the customer you are the CEO you are an
alien you are the message you are the solution you are success you are time you are profit you are a gift ……….. Just keep looking through different lenses
for the difference that makes the difference!
SOME CEATIVITY TOOLS 1. Brainstorming and Gamestorming 2. Mind mapping 3. Edward De Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats 4. Questionating 5. Appreciative Inquiry 6. SCAMPER
Problems cannot be solved by thinking within the framework in which they where created Albert Einstein
Take a fresh look at what you do. We can all generate new ideas. Creativity is about searching for new patterns within our existing world. Take the time to pull a team together to discover core messages, grab attention, find new ways to communicate and differentiate your business.
1. Go looking for them — they are the key to
differentiation. 2. Get outside your comfort zone and
challenge yourself. 3. What’s new – keep up to date. 4. Aim for quantity initially not quality. 5. Incubate—once found give them time and
space to blossom. 6. Conversations are key — bounce ideas off
others. 7. Involve the team. 8. Ask your clients for their ideas. 9. Embrace storytelling and metaphors to
bring ideas to life. 10. Learn about different creativity techniques
and use them. 11. Keep an ideas book to jot down your
thoughts for new ways to do things. 12. Have fun coming up with ideas
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ESENTER
presenter
1. Good presenting is about persuading and entertaining as well as conveying information.
2. Structure - Stick to 5 to 7 key points organised around a theme 3. Open - Grab attention and get to the point quickly - You have 15
seconds in which to make a positive impact and good opening impression. So make sure you have a good, strong, solid introduction with a clear purpose and context.
4. Detail - See the content as an executive summary on what is most important on the topic not minute detail. Use stories, metaphors and anecdotes to bring your presentation to life.
5. The average attention span of a an average listener is only 6-8 minutes, so intersperse your material with ‘spice’ and a variety of stimuli, media and movement to maintain maximum interest. However only use them to enhance the communication – they are just the tools supporting you. Avoid death by PowerPoint!
6. Summarise the key points, next steps and conclude on a high bringing the content together and leaving the audience clear on your objective and with a call to action.
7. Prepare your visuals to support the presentation and leave behind handouts separately. They are different types of communication.
Self awareness Preparation of content
Delivery style
MUSTS TIME with the TEAM, TIME to be CREATIVE, TIME to REFLECT and TIME to REHEARSE
Content and visuals When asked about presentations most people talk of fear and lack of confidence in delivering the presentation. And yet their ability to persuade is dependent as much on organising the content and preparing well. People often do not invest in the planning, thinking and writing time to do this well. What is your objective and what do you want to achieve? What are your most important messages? How long have you got? Who will be there? Who are your team and how can you play to their strengths? How can you grab attention, raise curiosity and make it compelling? What visuals/ support materials do you need?
There are six stages to carry out when making a presentation. 1. Write your objective and
outcome 2. Plan and structure the
content 3. Research and prepare
your material 4. Rehearse, rehearse and
rehearse 5. The presentation 6. Review and learn
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TER
presenter Depth of conviction counts more than height of logic,
and enthusiasm is worth more than knowledge David Peebles
Prepare
1. Notes: Either fully script your presentation or summarise your prepared content on index cards, (with mini versions of each slide if using PPT) highlighting key words and points. Bind.
2. Rehearse your presentation several times especially if a team are presenting. Invite colleagues to review the content and style of presentation to give you feedback.
3. Environment – set the stage, have water nearby, check the AV.
Self awareness Preparation of content
Delivery style
MUSTS TIME with the TEAM, TIME to be CREATIVE, TIME to REFLECT and TIME to REHEARSE
Good delivery is about 80% preparation, 20% perspiration. Confidence comes from knowing your content , your audience, your delivery style and rehearsing..
Delivery 1. Get yourself in state: how do you need to be - to deliver a professional, engaging, passionate and
heartfelt presentation? How do you need to feel? Check your posture? What language will you use? What will you focus on before and during the presentation?
2. Learn your introduction: start strong, grab attention and make that first impression count. Then set the scene.
3. See yourself as a dynamic orator and storyteller with the job to connect with your audience. 4. Be yourself: your talk, walk and look - it is about being authentic, confident, well informed and
passionate about your subject. And sure of your intent. 5. Pace yourself: slow down, breathe and articulate your words clearly. Speak in your own voice, use
it and develop your own style. 6. Smile and relax into it and build rapport with your audience 7. Maintain eye contact with the audience not your visuals. 8. Make it interactive but retain your control to facilitate the discussion and deliver your message. 9. Conclude leaving the audience positive and hopeful. Do not end on questions. 10. Ask for feedback and use it to learn and improve your skills.
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WR
ITE
write
1. Begin with your raw material – what are the facts - plan, new behaviour, data, idea, story, new product . Constantly keep in mind your audience. And the subject.
2. What is the medium/ channel being used i.e. to read, be spoken or to scanned online? 3. What is your intent, objective and outcome – know why you are writing. 4. ‘How can you sum it up in one sentence?’ Find the core - unexpected, concrete, credible,
emotional . 5. Then ‘How do we talk about this?’– what are the key messages that support the core story. 6. Then what is important, prioritise your content – to get the order right.
Content
Narrative
Good writing never goes out of style because it maximises the impact of messages. All leaders and communicators should optimize their technical skills and develop their own style. Aim to compel and motivate audiences to engage with the topic, think differently and take action.
1. Craft a great headline to hook your audience – positive, short and informal. To learn this skill look for good headlines in newspapers and on the web to learn from them.
2. Mind your language – down to earth and straightforward. Use plain English. 3. Use words to provoke vivid imagery and seek out language that provokes an emotional
response – keep it conversational and engaging. 4. Your opening paragraph should build on the headline not repeat it. 5. Develop your writing style to talk with not at people – a conversational style. 6. Relate it to your audience – filter and translate for them – talk to them about it – write
from their viewpoint use ‘you’ as much as possible. 7. Use signposting to provide good navigation and flow - keep it clear, simple and appropriate
– what will make it easy for your audience to understand and remember your message. 8. Get the tone right for the message and medium - be positive. 9. Tell it your way in your style, your voice - to be authoritative, true to yourself and credible. 10. Read it through for clarity and persuasiveness – can it be immediately understood and does
it motivate you to act.
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SKILLS STOR
IES
stories
6 types of stories to influence others
1. Who I am 2. Why I am here 3. The Vision - WIFM 4. Teaching – what and how 5. Values in action - examples 6. I know what you are thinking
A story is a narrative account of an event or events – true or fictional. The difference between giving an example and telling a story is the addition of emotional content and added sensory details in the telling. A story weaves detail, character and events into a whole that is greater than the sums of its parts.
Annette Simmons in ‘The Story Factor’
Stories are incredibly powerful ways to get your message across. For businesses wanting a more creative and memorable way to communicate stories are engaging, easy to remember and people like them. They create vivid images and emotional ties to characters. So communicate using stories and pictures, with less corporate rhetoric, for business priorities and calls for action. They help business leaders connect their people to strategy, vision, values and change making it seem more relevant.
Do not just focus on the story itself but what you are using them for. A great story can change the way people think about things, spark the imagination, simplify complex messages and encourage dialogue. When people hear a really good story they also tell others. Employees can be involved in the process too, adding their own content to bring it to life and generating practical ideas to help increase engagement and productivity.
1) Start with a character your audience can relate to i.e. your ideal customer as the hero of your story.
2) Set the stage: tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you told them.
3) Establish conflict/ a problem: man against an external pressure or himself.
4) Create tests and obstacles and hint at what is to come to build suspense.
5) Use dialogue: stories are about people and people talk.
6) Conclude with a message, moral or lesson.
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STOR
IES
stories You can entice, inspire, cajole, stimulate and fascinate but you cannot make anyone listen to anything. Embracing this fact upfront lets us focus on what we can do. We want to create curiosity.… not only do you want to be engaging, but you want your story to be congruent.
Annette Simmons in ‘The Story Factor’
The Skill
How can you use stories to communicate more effectively? Learning how to tell a good story will increase your ability to influence. To stay interesting as a storyteller stay connected to what is interesting to your audience plus what is interesting about you and your story. Get specific on hopes, dreams, annoyances, challenges or secret fears. Create curiosity and always leave them feeling hopeful. Do not tell a story that is too long or goes nowhere so it is boring. If you are genuinely interested and passionate you will be interesting.
It is not just about the narrative and being articulate – it is also about message delivery through appropriate mannerisms, voice and body language.
Listening and learning
Listen to great presenters and how they weave stories and anecdotes into their content. A good place to start is www.ted.com on ‘ideas worth spreading’. Encourage storytelling and make sure you listen to others stories at work. Create a safe place for people to talk and let the stories emerge naturally. Collect anecdotes and stories within the business. Ask employees to identify patterns and themes from their stories. With large scale change initiatives look at employing professional storytellers to support your programme.
*
* Rory’s Story Cubes are a great tool to help you develop your story telling skills – available to buy at Amazon
Annette Simmons
Influence is a function of
grabbing someone’s
attention, connecting to
what they already feel is
important, and linking
that feeling to whatever
you want them to see,
do or feel.
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CILITATE
Those leading communication efforts are often asked to facilitate meetings and events. The role of the facilitator is to make things easy for others. In meetings the task revolves around designing and managing an inclusive process to achieve the agreed outcomes. The facilitator is in charge of process and not content. You monitor the content, make suggestions through questioning and manage what happens. Contract with the group on roles, establish ground rules and use an ‘energy meter’. Set up a ‘car park’ to park important things that are not relevant and take you off track. It is useful to create a process map with tools for the key stages of the session that you think will achieve the outcome. However the role requires flexibility to move with the room, encourage dialogue but stay focused on the objectives.
facilitate Role Overview 1. Challenges habitual thinking and behaviours 2. Creates the right atmosphere/ holds the space 3. Models behaviours 4. Notices and reflects back 5. Looks for opportunities to get out of the way 6. Cope with uncertainty 7. Use power of credibility to help address issues 8. Be calm in times of emotion 9. Support and counsel the others on process 10. Be understandable 11. Mobilise the energy 12. Surface difficult issues and help others to do so 13. Take themselves less seriously 14. Empathise
The facilitator is concerned about the overall meeting or workshop, encouraging
participation, surfacing dissenting views, encouraging listening and dialogue, and
building connections and meaning.
1. The role of the facilitator is to make things easy for others to discuss things and make decisions.
2. The task revolves around designing and managing an inclusive process to achieve the agreed outcomes. Facilitating the event not every moment.
3. The facilitator is in charge of process and not content. You monitor the content, make suggestions through questioning and manage what happens. Process is not more important than content – the one is the means to the other being effective
4. Contract with the group on roles, establish ground rules, use an ‘energy meter’ and set up a ‘car park’ to park important things that are not relevant and take you off track.
5. When you design the session it is useful to create a process map with tools for the key stages of the session that you think will achieve the outcome.
6. However you need to also cope with uncertainty, knowing things might not turn out as predicted and be willing to just manage what happens. Good facilitators frequently change what they planned, on the spot, trusting their intuition.
7. The role requires flexibility to move with the room, encourage dialogue but stay focused on the objectives.
8. The need to be attentive, actively listen well, empathise with people and really engage with them.
9. Communicate clearly – describe things in understandable and interesting ways
10. You need to mobilise energy in others and yourself 11. It helps to surface difficult issues and help others to.
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ACK
feedback
Giving Feedback Is it ok to give you some feedback?
1. Understand that everyone does the best they
can, at that moment in time, based upon their circumstances.
2. Their lens of the world is different to yours – so both positive and negative feedback are great learning opportunities – for both of you.
3. Check your intent is positive - you are seeking to help/ add value.
4. It is a gift – treat it as such. 5. Review the actions and decisions that led up to
the moment. 6. Give feedback sooner rather than later. 7. Choose an appropriate time and place. 8. Think and choose the words you use carefully 9. Start by describing the context. 10. Describe your reactions and reasons. 11. With negative feedback ask for the change you
would like to see. 12. Allow time for the person to respond and listen
to them – if they don’t hear the positives take time to reinforce your message.
A core competence in 1 to 1 effective communication is the ability to give and receive feedback. Positive and negative – both are learning experiences. Look for the things people do right more than what they do wrong. See yourself as a coach helping the person learn for themselves with your support.
Catch someone doing something right today
and tell them!
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feedback Receiving feedback
Thank you
1. Relax, accept the gift and see it as an opportunity to learn.
2. Listen actively and carefully. 3. Consider the other person’s intent
as you hear the feedback. 4. Ask questions. Make sure you
understand what the other person is saying.
5. Seek to not be defensive with negative feedback. Acknowledge valid points even if you don’t agree with the other persons view and interpretation.
6. Acknowledge both positive and negative feedback and take time to sort out what you heard. Just say ‘Thank you’.
7. Reflect on the message. What can you take from it to understand yourself better?
8. When you are ready communicate tell them what you have taken on board.
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92 TOO
LKIT GR
EAT MEETIN
GS G
UID
ELINES
meetings I wouldn’t miss – they are so good!
Real work
(useful uptime not downtime)
Framework (purpose, agenda, your role)
Time is money (90 minute rule)
Discuss not digress
(keep on track and use a ‘car park’)
GAPS
(Good Action Points – real time notes).
meetings
MIWM NB
Meetings can take up a lot of time – so make
sure they are productive, SMART and worth
attending.
Guidelines 1) Plan it - recognise the need to consider content, process and people. 2) Have a clear purpose – set an objective/ outcome for the meeting and for each item on the agenda. 3) Objectives focus the group, drive the outcome and act as a performance measure. 4) What are you wanting from each item i.e. a discussion, a decision? 5) Structure the agenda appropriately and allocate time based on importance. 6) Make it interesting - to maintain the energy throughout the meeting by varying the content and participation. 7) Attendance - agree who really needs to be involved. 8) Publicise the meeting agenda and background notes to read beforehand. 9) Be punctual so start and end on time. 10) Check in and check out (using the left hand column) 11) Prepare by having all essential materials organised and ready. 12) Follow a decision making process. 13) Encourage collaboration. 14) Action by assigning responsibilities and target dates. 15) Summarise each agreement/ actions as GAPS. 16) Evaluate the meeting. 17) Communicate - agree what needs to be communicated as a result of the meeting – write notes – photocopy – give to each attendee. 18) Circulate GAPs with public follow up mechanism. 19) Environment – match to the pace of the meeting and offer refreshments. 20) Use an Energy Meter to maintain a peak state.
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TOPIC CHECKLIST
1. What is happening/ changing? Always followed by:
2. Why is this important for:
• employees (WIFM) • your team • the business? 3. What you need
employees to get, support and do?
4. Test understanding of topic and actions
5. Get ideas to address any issues, challenges or concerns
6. Get ideas for measuring success
7. Gain commitment for next steps
8. Answer questions 9. Conclude with
confidence
Make managers accountable for local MIWM
Regular effective team meetings are a fundamental process at the heart of good communication within a business. If they are not being done, don’t involve everyone or are not done well - you are missing a basic building block to deliver your strategy. Keep it simple, involve everyone and make it regular. They are as much about ‘why’, ‘WIFM’, creating local context and building business literacy as ‘what’. Make it a cycle with a feedback loop not a cascade. Here is a sample template:
MIWM meetings
94 TOO
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ATE MEETIN
GS
What went well?
What could be different?
What actions could we take?
Left hand column – give it to me straight
Celebrate progress and
successes
Personal reflection
1. What were your objectives? 2. Did you achieve the results you
intended? 3. How did you contribute to a ‘MIWM’
with your actions and energy? 4. How might your comments have
contributed to any difficulties? 5. What didn’t you say that you were
thinking? 6. What assumptions were you making
about the other person or people? 7. What prevented you from acting
differently? 8. How might you use your left hand
column as a resource in the room?
meetings
What is felt and thought but not said
What is said
Work on getting the ‘left hand column’ into the room not outside once the meeting is over.
Team reflection
Share
Using ‘Check In’ and ‘Checking Out’ to gather expectations and outcomes/ feedback from participants. At large scale events evaluate during and after the event – it is about sharing and learning. Real dialogue means getting the ‘left hand column’ in the room – what do you need to do to make it ok to share?
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EETING
RU
LES
meeting rules
A blank Flipchart on the wall to handle digressions/ time wasting – ‘That’s a really important point/ conversation but unfortunately it is not relevant/ part of the agenda so we need to take it offline and park it – we will come back to these at the end of the meeting to make sure they get carried forward’.
A really useful list from Intuit
Set a time limit and agree the rules – put them on the wall and abide by them.
96 TOO
LKIT EMA
IL DO
’S
email do 1. Do clearly state in the headline the objective of sending the email to
this person with the relevant subject title i.e. action, read, information. If someone needs to urgently action something – let them know in the first line with the deadline.
2. Do try to review the message content before you send it out for clarity of structure and brevity. Many people read emails on their phones so the first few lines need to summarise the whole message.
3. Do make sure that the content is relevant to the recipient – match the communication tone and style to the person and their communication preference to get a response rather than a reaction.
4. Do work through multiple email cc’s to leaders to ensure they know who has received the email in their team but they only get one copy.
5. Do check your mail regularly and always reply promptly - even if a brief acknowledgment is all you can manage.
6. Do be polite. Terseness can be misinterpreted. Seek to ask rather than tell.
7. Do try to quote from the original message where relevant. You can break the quoted message down into paragraphs and comment on them individually to make it clearer.
8. Do include your email signature with contact details on your email messages.
9. Do be careful when replying to mailing list messages, or to messages sent to many recipients. Are you sure you want to reply to the whole list?
10. Do tell your correspondent if you forward a message to somebody else to deal with, so they know who to expect a reply from.
11. Do read the company email policy to understand the rules re confidentiality and personal emails.
NB: Some may think it is a little old fashioned to still include email but it is still a regular ‘big’ issue during communication audits.
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AIL D
ON
’TS
email don’t
1. Don’t cc others unless it is absolutely necessary. 2. Don't reply to an email message when angry , as you may regret it
later. Once the message has been sent, you will not be able to recover it. Put it in your drafts folder and come back to it later.
3. Don't keep mail on your server longer than necessary, especially large attachments.
4. Don't type in CAPITALS as this is considered to be SHOUTING. This is one of the rudest things you can do.
5. Don't over-use punctuation such as exclamation marks ("!") as these are meant to be for emphasis. In particular avoid more than one exclamation mark ("!!").
6. Don't send large attachments without checking with the recipient first. Many organisations limit the size of attachments they will allow to be received.
7. Don't send excessive multiple postings to people who have no interest or send chain letters or "make money fast" messages. There are several hoaxes about to do with viruses - never pass these on without checking with your IT department first.
8. Don't conduct arguments in public - for example on a mailing list. Seek not to use email to argue – put your case and then seek dialogue with those involved.
9. Don't make personal remarks about third parties. Email messages can come back to haunt you.
10. Don't use an over-elaborate signature on your email message. Never, ever, use scanned images in a signature as these tend to be very large.
11. Don't mark things as urgent if they aren't - because then when you really do have an urgent message it may not be treated in the way it deserves.
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ILD A
BR
ILLIAN
T INTR
AN
ETS
BRILLIANT
Create a credible, useful and preferred resource for information and collaboration
intranet If it doesn’t get used – reinvent it. An intranet should be set up to ease information overload, bring the big picture to all employees and speed decision-making. See it as essential piece of the communication infrastructure. Crucially, the intranet needs to be defined as business critical from the outset — not as a technological experiment. It needs to be maintained and continually enhanced to integrate new technologies. Find out what people will use the intranet for and what the business needs them to use it for rather than want they want from it.
It’s easier to lay the foundation before the house is built. You need to capture the people and processes already using best practice, then involve them in the new intranet design. First establish a cross-functional “Intranet Strategy Team” to oversee the intranet development and work with an intranet communication specialist to plan the program. There are some great technology tools available to help but build the foundations right first.
Divide your intranet evolution into four areas: technology infrastructure content management designing the user experience updating to maintain the currency of information
1. Simplify and overhaul - a simplified content management system for business units launching new content/sites, in order to unify user experience and provide a distinctive editorial style for the entire intranet.
2. The intranet challenge – First define a good user experience and understand what each of the site owners would require. Give the site a personality that enhances your brand.
3. Provide accessible information – As first base create a useful, reliable intranet for everyday use so users can find information easily. Design it to enhance employee productivity, reinforce corporate messages and provide space for employees to connect. Do not let it become a dumping ground for information.
4. The value of workshops - Workshop groups should be asked to describe the current intranet , how it could be more audience centered and what tasks they feel they would use.
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5. Create an ecosystem – Build an intranet ecosystem whereby different groups work together
to build a “platform,” so that the intranet can be a learning, messaging and collaboration process. Look at web 2.0 technologies and SharePoint case studies for ideas.
6. Define the features of content management – ask what the features of content management are — documents, records, web publishing, learning content, legal and imaging management. The existing systems need to be analyzed and a migration road map created to calculate the scope of the project, what problems it expected to encounter and how to obtain the resources to deal with them.
7. Improving the user experience - While the content management analysis is being carried out, user experience should also being analysed. Check for good design through 1) logical and consistent layouts, 2) good use of white space, 3) consistent labeling and formatting and 4) visual cues that encourage interaction.
8. Focus on two way communication - The intranet is about “employee connections” and should be run by an intranet strategy team (IST) working with the internal communication team. Using the intranet try to instill in the workforce a sense of what the business is trying to accomplish and encourage interaction. It should be useful, interesting, thought provoking and represent the culture of the business. It should be a living communication medium.
9. The intranet strategy - Once the homepage is completed coordinate an environment for all other groups within the business intranet. The IST should manage only a fraction of the total intranet content. IST just need to devise common content architecture and templates for all site owners and developers to use. This will set down the standards, guidelines and agreed practices. Ensure processes are in place to keep the content updated regularly.
10. The intranet developers' toolkit and forum - This is a virtual resource and community group who meet on a regular basis to create a sense of ownership, while giving other groups within the organisation the opportunity to share practices, ideas and intranet tools. It should be all-inclusive, have an archive capability and provide value. The toolkit should include guidance on standards, writing styles, an image library, list of useful words, jargon busters, example pages and templates.
BRILLIANT
Create a credible, useful and preferred resource for information and collaboration
intranet
100 TOO
LKIT NEG
ATIVE PU
BLICITY
1 Do not ignore the publicity – SAY SOMETHING and say it soon – the ostrich approach is the worst you can do. If you pretend the negative publicity is not happening, people will assume you are trying to hide something – even if you aren’t. Recognise with the speed and intensity of online communication how quickly things will move and you need to adapt and react accordingly.
Acknowledge what is being said – and acknowledge people’s concerns – you do not need to agree with the publicity to acknowledge that it is happening. Even if you believe the publicity is unfounded, you should demonstrate to employees that you recognise the effect it has on them and then explain the facts you can.
If the publicity is unfounded or incorrect, identify what needs to be done to remedy this or identify any information you need to add to it – sometimes information in the press will only be partly accurate or will be sensationalised so you may need to explain more information or give background supporting details.
How to deal internally with negative publicity
THERE IS NO WAY TO AVOID COMMUNICATING – think of the messages you give out if you do nothing. If you aren’t saying anything, you can be assured that your employees are spending a lot of company time speculating about what is happening. Not only can this have a demoralising effect on the workforce and cost a lot of money in wasted time, but it breeds myths around the publicity, making it harder to combat.
Head in sand and blind to what is happening
In the age of Twitter - when things go wrong you may find yourself in an environment determined by breaking news, speculation, arguments, rumours and panic – intense times where an agreed crisis process and a clear head are essential. In times of change and crisis, internal communication must work with leaders and their management teams to win the support of staff and keep them engaged.
3
2
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EGATIV
E PUB
LICITY
Be honest in your communication and focus on the facts. What is important, what are the reasons and what are the consequences. Seek transparency to maintain trust and leadership credibility. When there is a delay and the information cannot be shared at that time deal with it head on and honestly – no news is still ok – just say so.
Remember how you communicate will be just as important as what you communicate – Increase the frequency of internal communication. Always seek to communicate internally before or at the same time as you make external announcements, The most trusted form of communication will be face to face. Some complicated issues will require presentations or videos as well as supporting material. Ensure it is written and presented in a style appropriate to the audience. Hold meetings and town halls with Leaders and publish the content on the intranet. Email may not be a suitable means of communication as it can easily be distributed to others and may fuel the negative publicity.
How to deal internally with negative publicity
Identify the audiences that will be most affected by the publicity, how they will be affected and what you need to say to them. The negative publicity may have more effect on some groups of employees than others. Think about who it impacts the most, how it impacts them and what needs to be communicated to these groups. Provide them with the total facts, allay any concerns the publicity might have generated, and, if appropriate, allow them to make informed choices.
Head up high and confident delivery of the facts
4
5
6
The less people know, the more they yell! Seth Godin
NB Sometimes ‘timing/ confidentiality’ means you cannot fully communicate on the ‘story’ – employees usually ‘get’ this - but in this era you have to agree what is to be said and communicate that through the ‘line’ structure to ensure consistency of message. Centralise written message dissemination and brief managers well – you need your people on board and trusting you.
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AN
GE
change Change is a process and not an event. It can be challenging as it takes people out of their comfort zones. As the Business goes through a transition period it needs employees support. Change creates uncertainties, so people need more information, guidance and direction. They will usually look to local management for this information - if these formal channels of the organisation do not work the grapevine will take over and provide the information instead, which creates more uncertainty and unrest. The role of the Line Manager and the Senior Management Team are therefore vital in managing this change effectively. Here are a few guidelines on the role as a communicator of change where you do it with your people not to them:
As a Leader ensure you: 1. Understand your audiences and positively support the need for change within your teams. 2. Communicate the case for change, based on market and customer realities. Ensure that as new
information about the future is provided it is put into context as part of the whole process rather than communicated on an ad hoc basis. Remain neutral and focus on the facts.
3. Communicate in a style that is participative in that you actively involve people in discussions, listen to their concerns, inform them regularly of changes and provide guidance on future direction;
4. Understand that anxious listeners lose from 20% to 80% of the message. Keep meetings to no more than 20 minutes including time for questions. Keep repeating the messages.
5. Test understanding - communication is a two-way process. Just because you tell somebody something does not mean that they have understood you. Listen, ask questions, clarify and answer questions.
6. Keep reinforcing the message in what you say and do.
Focus on the Individual: 1. Be sensitive to each individuals needs. 2. Recognise the impact of the changes on each individual within your team. Individuals will differ in
how much they are affected by the changes, but also in how they deal with and resist the changes, which is affected by their views on their current job and their personal circumstances.
3. See the ‘change curve’ which shows the typical emotional response to change. Recognise that each individual (including yourself) goes through this curve in order to understand and accept changes. People take different lengths of time to go through this journey. This is an important point to consider, others may not be at the same place as yourself, so be guided by their reactions not your own. Segment your audience based on where they are as each stage requires different communication – think cynic, saboteur, fence-sitter, co-operator and champion.
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MM
UN
ICATING
CHA
NG
E
Style of Communication: 1. Listen more than you talk. 2. Deliver difficult messages face to face, and one to one if appropriate. 3. Answer difficult questions, but if you are unsure of the company response find out – do not assume
or make personal judgements – it is really important that the company gives out consistent messages so that people know where they stand.
4. Regularly review the ‘Questions and Answers’ provided by Internal Communication. 5. Be open in your communication, which includes saying when you do not know the answer. 6. Do not fuel the grapevine – careless talk impacts in people. Recognise that these changes impact on
individual lives and respect this. The Business aim is to ensure that these changes are carried out in a dignified manner – you have a responsibility in achieving this.
7. Act quickly to deliver messages you receive, but make sure you translate and target all messages for maximum impact.
Informing People: 1. All messages need to be targeted and translated locally. Translate the information that you receive
for each audience (recognising that some individuals may need additional support). 2. Recognise that the information will need to be provided several times in different ways referring to
the changes over again. Initially, all you should ensure people understand the changes, they accept that they need to happen and finally that they buy-in to the new future – this will happen over a period of time, not all at once.
Please recognise the importance of the direct line manager communication role during this time of change and the need to work with people as individuals . To do this role well ensure you get the support and training you need.
Communicate
change
Ashley Montagu
Human communication, 'as the saying
goes, is a clash of symbols' it covers a
multitude of signs. But it is more than media and messages, information and
persuasion; it also meets a deeper need
and serves a higher purpose. Whether
clear or garbled, tumultuous or silent, deliberate or fatally inadvertent,
communication is the ground of
meeting and the foundation of
community. It is, in short, the essential
human connection.
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Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientists can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow. (Denis Waitley)
Great ideas but I don’t have time !
Why did we start this little Fact Book with what are you going to start doing and what are you going to stop doing? It is the BIG excuse – current workload, targets, balance, income, commitments, priorities etc. Time is a leveller – we cannot manage time – it’s a fixed asset – it is all about choice – how you choose to spend it and where you choose to make savings. How can you work smarter? Is it an important part of your job or for your career do you need these skills?
It is unlikely that you are blessed with hours of free time each week – so it is a matter of priorities and making the right choices. If it stays as a should or could rather than a MUST it is unlikely you will build any momentum.
Decision time – make communication count!
So WHY is communication a MUST right now for YOU and YOUR Business?
time
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ESOU
RCES
resources Books
Web 1. www.internalcommshub.com
2. www.simply-communicate.com
3. www.melcrum.com
4. www.iabc.com
5. www.boxofcrayons.biz
6. www.ted.com
7. www.lulu.com
8. www.istock.com
9. www.surveymonkey.com
10. www.changethis.com
11. www.simpletruths.com
1. Bill Quirke: ‘Making the Connections: Using Internal Communication to Turn Strategy into Action’
2. Stephen Bailey +: ‘Life’s a Pitch’ 3. Roger D’Aprix: ‘ Communicating for Change’ 4. Nigel Risner: ‘The Impact Code’ and ‘It’s a zoo around here’. 5. Chip and Dan Heath: ‘Made to Stick’ 6. Carmine Gallo: ‘’10 Simple Secrets of World’s Greatest Business
Communicators’ 7. Carmine Gallo: ‘Fire Them Up’ 8. Josh Gordon: ‘Presentations that Change Minds’ 9. Garr Reynolds: ‘Presentation Zen’ 10. Michael Bungay Stanier: ‘Do more Great Work’ 11. What If: ‘How to have kick-ass ideas, get adventurous and get
creative’ 12. Andy Bounds: ‘The Jelly Effect – How to make your
communication stick’ 13. Marc Wright: ‘Gower Handbook of Internal Communication’ 14. Arbinger Institute: ‘Leadership and Self Deception’ 15. Becker+: ‘Mastering Communication at Work’ 16. Harriet Diamond: ‘Perfect Phrases for Writing Company
Announcements’ 17. Rajesh Setty :‘Upbeat’ 18. David Meerman Scott ‘The New Rules of Marketing & PR’ 19. Neil Davidson: ‘Inbound Marketing – Google, Social Media and
Blogs’ 20. Christine Hogan: ‘Understanding Facilitation’ 21. Ian R McClaren: ‘Communication Excellence ’ 22. Sue Knight: ‘NLP at Work’ 23. Jon Moon: ‘How to Make an Impact’ 24. Jenny Rogers: ‘Sixteen Personality Types at Work’ 25. Mac Anderson: ‘You Can’t Send a Duck to Eagle School’ 26. Annette Simmons: ‘The Story Factor’ 27. Richard H Axelrod: ‘Terms of Engagement’ 28. Dean M Brenner: ‘Move the World’ 29. James Berg: ‘Persuasion’ 30. Robert Cladini: ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’
Watch your thoughts;
they become your words
Watch your words;
they become your actions
Watch your actions;
they become your habits
Watch your habits;
they become your character
Watch your character;
it becomes your destiny
Customer Culture
Embracing Change
Engaging Communication
Creative DNA 21C Career Skillset
fresh ideas training coaching
Get your people thinking differently …..
Warwickers is a small inquisitive consultancy that seeks to ask thought
provoking questions to explore business issues and identify your business
‘differences’ that drive your success. Our approach is fresh and
interesting, yet our style is practical, helping people to get involved,
learn new skills, take action and deliver results. We have no set process
but our business experience and ‘know how’ provides a huge variety of
proven tools and creative processes to support our inquiries, and share
best practice with your teams. Our creativity and energy provide the
inspiration for innovative solutions with plenty of common sense to
support their implementation.
Our Consultancy and Training lenses are focused on your external world
and how best to connect your internal world with it. Warwickers
combine strategic and creative thinking to deliver compelling and
effective solutions. We help take your strategy, external brand and
customer message and bring it inside engaging all colleagues in
consistently delivering that customer promise. Through our 5 C’s:
Customers, Communication, Creativity, Change and Careers.
A competent, business focused team that can take on the roles of
consultant, guide, facilitator, trainer, champion, coach or adviser as
required. Our consultants and trainers have extensive experience of
working in senior marketing, sales, human resource and line
management roles within companies. They are supported by researchers
who are the knowledge gatherers for our client businesses. We work from
the UK and Saudi Arabia.
‘Get Fresh’ creative workshops to challenge
the way you think about ….
… your business, your customers, your ‘Why’,
your ‘difference’, your potential, your
opportunities, your obstacles, your colleagues,
your careers and change!
Get your people behaving differently …..
We work with clients on business improvement projects that impact on the operational capability of the business. We help leaders articulate their strategy, engage their people, stay focused on their external environment and create teams to deliver sustainable change. We facilitate discussion, act as a catalyst for change, listen, provide advice, develop fresh ideas, discover solutions with you, help create plans and most importantly support implementation. We support people by creating the right environment to help them deliver great work, learn (and change). We focus on the attitude, skills and knowledge needed to work effectively in a 21C context. Our programme emphasis is on future skills that support change for individuals, teams and businesses. We offer bespoke training programs that centre on our clients strategy, employee engagement and our 5 C’s. They have included: customers count, embracing and leading change, communication counts, change and communication champions skills, discovery skills, facilitating innovation and creativity, 21C future skills for leaders and having fun at work.
We also facilitate energising and fun ‘Get Fresh’ Workshops and Events to encourage colleagues to generate new and fresh ideas for your business whilst learning lots of new techniques you can use in the business.
Jim Rohn
There are always a half dozen things
that make 80 percent of the
difference. A half dozen things.
Whether we are working to improve
our health, wealth, personal
achievement or professional
enterprise, the difference between
triumphant success or bitter failure
lies in the degree of our commitment
to seek out, study and apply those
half dozen things.
CALL TO ACTION 6 things to do
WHAT FIRST STEP WHEN BY
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TACT U
S
Get in touch
• Jilli Warwicker:
• Mobile UK: +44 7967 968022
• Office UK: +44 1789 532132
• www.warwickers.com
• www.hikmaty.com
© all rights reserved Warwickers 2013
1 Goldicote Hall, Goldicote, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 7NY
Call us for an exploratory chat on how we might help you better engage your employees in delivering a great customer experience.
COMMUNICATION counts a really interesting action packed fact book
