Internal Communications - Part 2

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Presentation title Date 1 Internal Communications Internal Communications Training Session Training Session Part Two Part Two Piers Schreiber Piers Schreiber HR Academy - 6 HR Academy - 6 th th February 2007 February 2007

description

Introduction to the discipline of internal communications, delivered to HR professionals from 15 African countries in February 2007

Transcript of Internal Communications - Part 2

Page 1: Internal Communications - Part 2

Presentation title Date 1

Internal CommunicationsInternal Communications

Training SessionTraining SessionPart TwoPart Two

Piers SchreiberPiers SchreiberHR Academy - 6HR Academy - 6thth February 2007 February 2007

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Building the Skills

• Principles of outside-in thinking

• Checklist for internal communications

• Two key tools:• Messaging Matrix• Q&A Construction

• Scenario practice - workshop

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Outside-In Thinking

Seeing things from your customer’s point of view…

…in this case your customer is the employee

Strategy, Objectives, Policies, Benefits,

Imperatives, Churn, Restructuring, Synergies, Yadda yadda yadda…

My job, my colleagues, my family, the future, opportunities, hopes & ambitions…

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Outside-In Thinking

Bridging the Gap – Useful Tactics

• Empathy – Select 3 positions in the company, pretend you are each person in turn and imagine 10 questions you would ask

• Brainstorm – Get 3 people together in a room or a secure chat-site and come up with 10 employee concerns in 10 minutes

• Research – Survey a sample of the employee base to understand their needs, interests, fears and especially how they prefer to be communicated to

• Testing – Once you think you have the right messages & language, run through them with an employee to test credibility

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Outside-In Thinking

Success lies not in the delivery….

…but in the reception

‘Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.’ (Andre Gide)

“Have you heard: Peter is now Office Head”

“Have you heard: Peter is now Off His Head”

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Checklist for Internal Communications

For every communication check that it is:

• Clear

• Concise

• Credible

• Consistent

• Constructive

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Checklist for Internal Communications

For every communication check that it is:

• Clear

• Have you removed all jargon?

• Is there any ambiguity in the messages?

• Can people read between the lines?

• Are all technical terms explained?

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Checklist for Internal Communications

For every communication check that it is:

• Concise

• Is there anything you can remove?

• Can you shorten any sentences or paragraphs?

• Have you limited yourself to delivering the agreed key messages?

• Have you succeeded to illustrating your point?

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Checklist for Internal Communications

For every communication check that it is:

• Credible

• Does your message make sense?

• Is there anything that might undermine your message?

• Have you checked the facts?

• Have you tested the message with an employee?

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Checklist for Internal Communications

For every communication check that it is:

• Consistent

• Is the message in line with previous messages?

• Are you using the right kind of language?

• Does the message fit with audience perceptions?

• Is the message internally consistent?

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Checklist for Internal Communications

For every communication check that it is:

• Constructive

• Have you delivered a new piece of information?

• Is it expressed positively and actively (no passives)?

• Have you linked it to the strategic goals?

• Does the message have a ‘human’ voice?

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Key Tool: Message Matrix

A tool for managing internal communications:

• Agree key messages

• Understand target audiences

• Select appropriate channels

• Share tasks among communicators

• Monitor effectiveness of delivery

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Key Tool: Message Matrix

The ACE programme is our global growth strategy

ACE will mean significant changes in the way we do business in Africa

If we successfully execute ACE we will emerge as a Top 10 global player

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Key Tool: Message Matrix

The ACE programme is our global growth strategy

ACE will mean significant changes in the way we do business in Africa

If we successfully execute ACE we will emerge as a Top 10 global player

Man

agem

ent

Loca

l JG

6-8

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taff

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trac

tors

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on /

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Sample completed matrix

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Q&A Construction

The Q&A is a key component of successful messaging

• Test robustness of message

• Prepare executives for effective delivery

• Think through all likely scenarios

• Demonstrate understanding of audience concerns

• Dynamic tool – grows with feedback

• Keeps everyone on the same page

• Supports ‘internal communication checklist’

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Q&A Construction

Tips

• Cluster Q&As into themes

• Keep key messages by your side as you prepare them

• Test credibility with a reliable partner

• Differentiate between Q&A (private) and FAQ (public)

• Keep answers clear, concise, consistent, constructive

• Update based on feedback & share

• Always empathise with employees

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Group work - Scenarios

What is a Scenario • A description of a possible future

The Task

• Imagine the details of the scenario

• Itemise the greatest concerns among employees

• Create 3 key messages

• Build them into a message matrix

• Construct 8 questions & 8 answers

• Verify using the ‘internal communications checklist

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Group work – 5 Scenarios

Scenario One• MTC has bought a rival company in your market and plans to merge both

companies into one

Scenario Two• After three quarters of poor results, your MD announces that he is going to

leave the company

Scenario Three• Anti-government rebels have seized a town, destroyed all the mobile masts

in the area and issues demands to the government and to Celtel

Scenario Four• State investigators have arrived at your office and started taking boxes of

files away from the Finance Department

Scenario Five• Technical staff have gone on strike demanding better pay and conditions

Scenario Six• Management has decided that it needs to cut 10% of the workforce