kc/iabc lunch july 18, 2013 - building internal partnerships - dave seifert
DESCRIPTION
Getting leaders to listen.TRANSCRIPT
Building internal partnershipsOR ... Getting leaders to listen!
Kansas City/IABC July 18, 2013David P. Seifert, ABC
SEIFERT COMMUNICATIONwriting • editing • internal communication consulting
Our agendaInternal communication ... what it
IS ...and ISN’T ... with expert opinions
Top 5 principles of building successful internal partnerships
Audience participation ... cases/examples
QuestionsThe tale of a Pufferfish
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Internal communicationWhat it is ... and is not
◦Yes: Engaging employees on behalf of business objectives
◦No: Internal PR/marketing; employee relations
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The internal communication cycle
Information distributor: send out stuff
Internal PR: babies, birthdays, bowling scores
Business partner: influence behavior to create results
Where are you? Where do you want to be?
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To be a business partner ...Takes more than sending out
better/more stuffIt’s about building relationships
and trust ... partners, not “internal clients”
Not INSTEAD of electronic communication/technology but “both and”
People still matterSEIFERT COMMUNICATION
Jim Shaffer:◦ “In the old days when internal
communication managed formal communication channels, practitioners could do most of their work sitting at their desks.”
◦ “Today it's essential that internal communication people know the business of the business. That can't happen without solid partnerships throughout the enterprise.”
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Carol Kinsey Goman:◦ “Because relationships are the key
to innovation, organizations are using architecture to create physical environments that stimulate
both arranged and chance encounters.”
◦ “The success of any collaborative effort is dependent upon well-developed personal relationships among participants. And nothing builds relationships better than face-to-face encounters.”
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5. LISTEN AND LEARNListen ... before you talkAsk questionsLearn ... about the leader’s
business and what keeps him/her awake at night
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4. COACH AND ENCOURAGETalk to the leader about
his/her communication roleCall out their successesWhat about training?Check for progress
(measure the right things)
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3. BE REALISTICTailor a solution to the situation
(not “off the shelf”)Communication can’t solve world
hungerYou can’t save them from
themselves
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2. TELL THE TRUTHYou may be the ONLY one willing
to deliver bad newsMark Schumann:
“Our commitment to truth as communicators, and our diligence at strengthening the competencies to enable us to communicate with truth, is at the heart of what it takes to be an ‘ageless’ communicator.”
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1. BUILD TRUSTRemember: It’s about the
business, not just the information or the technology
The strength and breadth of your relationships will determine your success
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CASE #1A leader is trying to
communicate business priorities and progress
His primary method is a monthly managers’ meeting where he shares information to be used by those managers
But the information isn’t getting through to the front lines
WHAT’S YOUR SOLUTION?
CASE #2A major change management
initiative is breaking down in Phase 2 even though the leadership team is focused on the right priorities
The grapevine is running rampant with (incorrect) information; leaders want to solve the problem and move forward
WHAT’S YOUR SOLUTION?
CASE #3A business unit has developed a
new marketplace strategy and wants to communicate to its customers
But employees aren’t yet aware of the strategy ... and there’s no established process to talk to them
WHAT’S YOUR SOLUTION?
CASE #4Middle managers in a small to
medium business are working simultaneously on multiple initiatives for growth
The initiatives are being pursued separately and, as a result, there are duplications, re-work, delays, etc.
WHAT’S YOUR SOLUTION?
CASE #5Employees in a small sales unit
(~15 people in a single location) say there’s no communication in the unit ... even though they’re sending each other lots of emails
WHAT’S YOUR SOLUTION?
Questions?
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The story of Puffer, a sprightly little Pufferfish
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