Introduction to
Communication
Communication
Every project and every development start with communication. Communication serves as the catalyst for inspiration and creates direction. Experience shows that the more complicated the project, the greater the need for effective communication.
Despite the acknowledgement that communication is key when implementing change, change efforts often fall short due to poorly designed communication. In fact, studies show that more than 50% of all failing change efforts are due to poorly managed communication.
Having worked with over 600 projects for both private and public companies globally, we have identified a fundamental reason for this concerning number – the missing link between strategy and people; between management pushing the change and the employees who are here to take part in the change.
Change communication in an invitation to think differently. To design and implement change initiatives with the fundamental understanding that all change essentially is about people who must do things differently tomorrow.
Sustainability and strategy
The challenges we face as a global society call for new solutions. Companies must find new ways to balance purpose and profits and ensure that customers, stakeholders and employees understand their vision.
For such a change to occur, our conversations need to change. From the shop floor to the management floor, we must be able to translate lofty ambitions and complex data into something meaningful, motivating and actionable. Significant changes start with small talk at the coffee machines and lunch tables worldwide. It begins with communication.
How we help
Any change starts with an engaging story – a purpose that people can relate to and remember. The strategy narrative simplifies the messaging as the starting point for all communication related to the theme. We involve key stakeholders in the process to ensure ownership and credibility.
Creative concepts and campaign formats are crucial in keeping your audience engaged. They make it easy for people to tap into communication and provide a refreshing break in a busy workday.
Talk is cheap. When it comes to sustainability and strategy implementation, acting is what matters. Building new habits, processes and capabilities takes training and continuous education delivered through various engaging formats.
Sustainability reporting standards are about more than just crunching data and presenting it. Instead, they involve translating data into a coherent story that builds credibility and supports your vision. It is about inviting the outside world into the conversation and meeting the need for transparency from customers and consumers.
Town halls are the cornerstone rituals of modern organisations. It is where we come together to reconfirm our shared beliefs and create meaning. If designed correctly, they will infuse the strategy with energy and meaning to fuel the implementation.
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Leadership and culture
Communication has the power to shape the very fabric of an organisational culture, which is the one crucial factor in answering the following question: Can your company reach its full potential and be the unstoppable force it could be?
Leaders play a central role in cultural transformations. The ones who prioritise communication as a key driver of cultural transformation can align their teams, break down silos, increase adaptability and resilience, attract and retain talent and ultimately enhance overall organisational performance.
How we help
Communication eats culture for breakfast. Done right, it serves as more than a means of transmitting information. It becomes a powerful catalyst for shaping and nourishing your cultural transformation, being truly people-centric.
To stay ahead, companies need to skill up and scale up constantly. This is why they invest considerable resources in capability building, and rightfully so. However, effective communication becomes an even more vital component for great academies to truly impact each employee.
Let’s face it. Bringing people together in face-to-face settings has always been and still is the best way to make them connect and feel a strong bond with and deep appreciation of their colleagues and workplace. Large-scale events will always play a crucial role in building corporate culture.
The deal has been announced, and the synergies appear promising on paper, justifying the premium paid for acquiring the target. However, being able to realise the benefits largely depends on your ability to integrate teams while building a results-driven culture. Make sure to manage your culture integration, or it will manage you.
In today’s open world, where all stakeholders have more or less the same access to information, the only way you can build a solid and authentic position is by making your people ambassadors of your vision. Well-crafted company visions serve as the best marketing strategy, mainly amplifying existing partnering and sales efforts.
Is the way that leaders communicate in your organisation fit for purpose? Do they avoid using corporate lingo and instead speak authentically, showing vulnerability and fostering psychological safety? Find out by assessing the effectiveness of your leadership communication.
Telling a story is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world. Using it deliberately strengthens your position as a leader by increasing credibility, authenticity and arousing interest. We help you master the art of storytelling and public speaking.
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Digital and IT
Effective change communication emerges as one of the primary parameters when considering what determines successful IT or digital transformations. In contrast, IT and digital transformations often focus on the technical aspects and the solutions, overlooking that a successful change project more often depends on engaging the people using the solutions.
Effective change communication can bridge this gap by providing the people affected with a clear purpose, providing transparency that minimises uncertainty, ensuring that the change is relevant on an individual level and help driving desired behaviours during and after the transformation.
How we help
Effective communication starts with clear messaging and a compelling story that balances communicating to the heart and the mind. We believe in building a transformation core story and key messages based on insights into the people affected. This process is collaborative, involving the project owners.
Communicating in complex and often extensive transformations can be challenging. However, a well-crafted communication strategy helps define the cornerstone for communication and contributes to navigating communication efforts.
Good communication planning ensures that everyone understands the change and engages the stakeholders in making the change a success. That means killing complexity by ensuring that communication is crafted from an end receiver’s perspective.
Cutting through the clutter in a communication-saturated environment calls for carefully choosing what channels to utilise and creating the right content across print, digital communication, videos, events and other corporate channels
There is no way around it. SharePoint, Teams, Yammer, Slack and Workspace by Facebook are here to stay. They play a vital role in how corporate and change communication flows in most organisations. By recognising these platforms’ opportunities rather than focusing on their limitations, your organisation can experience a significant positive impact.
Old habits die hard, and even the best intentions sometimes fall short. Negligence and forgetfulness are common obstacles when trying to implement new behaviours but understanding the process of behavioural change allows for communication and nudging to shape desired behaviours.
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