What does it mean to work strategically in internal communication?
What does ‘strategic IC’ actually mean?!
I addressed these topics in my book, Internal Communication Strategy: design, develop and transform your organisational communication, which has just been published by Kogan Page.
One of the expert views I sought was from Sia Papageorgiou, who is Managing Partner at the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence (CSCE) based in Australia.
She kindly wrote about the importance of measurement and how to use it to demonstrate value.
Today I’ve invited Sia to write for the All Things IC blog as she’s launching a survey in partnership with Haiilo.
I encourage you to have your say, to help capture the views of IC pros around the globe. It should take you approximately seven minutes.
I took the opportunity to ask her some questions about working strategically, measurement and also what IC is like in Australia. I’ve shared her answers below.
Sia and I will also be launching something together soon, all will be revealed in a few weeks’ time.
You’ll also find some resources at the end of this article if you’d like to learn more about these topics.
Rachel.
Sia – how do you define strategic internal communication?
At the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence (CSCE), we define strategic internal communication as a deliberate and structured approach aimed at effectively organising and delivering communication within an organisation to drive business outcomes.
Strategic internal communication aims to align internal communication efforts with the organisation’s goals and strategies to support its overall business objectives.
What do you think is preventing internal communication professionals from taking a strategic approach to their work?
That’s precisely what I aim to uncover with the survey I recently launched in partnership with Haiilo.
When reflecting on my interactions training and coaching communication professionals globally, I’ve noticed a considerable number fail to grasp the strategic significance of their role within their organisation. Consequently, they tend to perceive their work solely in tactical terms rather than strategic ones.
Furthermore, the pressure to achieve immediate results or meet short-term objectives often leads communication professionals to prioritise tactical tasks over strategic planning.
Many of these professionals also lack the essential training, skills, or opportunities for professional development necessary to effectively adopt a strategic approach to their work.
Why do you think internal communication professionals struggle to demonstrate value?
Many internal communication professionals rely on the wrong metrics to demonstrate their value and then wonder no one respects what they do, why people keep telling them how to do their job and why they’re not viewed in the same light as other key business functions.
If you want people to stop telling you what to do and how to do it, stop focusing on what you do (i.e., internal communication activities) and start focusing on why you do it, (i.e., to increase knowledge, change perceptions and behaviours) and who you do it for (i.e., leaders, employees etc.). Become the internal communication professional who thrives on demonstrating business results, not communication activity.
The first and most important step in your ability to demonstrate value is to clearly understand the needs of your organisation.
Knowing this information is critical because it ensures your work addresses a business need and delivers outcome-focused communication.
However, this endeavour is not without challenges. Stakeholders, including senior leadership, often prioritise short-term results over long-term strategic communication efforts. This short-sighted focus can make it challenging for internal communication professionals to demonstrate value.
Nevertheless, the path to recognition and appreciation starts with effective measurement. When stakeholders grasp the strategic significance of communication within the organisation, it becomes easier for internal communication professionals to articulate and communicate value and position themselves as indispensable assets in driving organisational success.
What does ‘demonstrating value’ mean to you?
Essentially, demonstrating value is about making it clear to others why they should care about or invest in something – in this case internal communication. In order to do that however, you need to demonstrate the impact that internal communication has on the people within the organisation (on their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours), and ultimately on the organisation’s bottom line – i.e., how are you helping the organisation make or save money?
The problem is, many internal communication professionals focus on providing senior leaders and other key stakeholders with a report card of their activity, rather than a meaningful dashboard of their outcomes – and call it measurement.
What’s the biggest mistake you see comms pros making when it comes to working strategically?
The biggest mistake I see communication professionals making when it comes to working strategically is their failure to perceive themselves as businesspeople.
I always say, if you want to be a strategic communication professional, you need to act like one–and that means thinking and acting like a businessperson.
When the success of the business becomes your top priority, you naturally focus on facilitating its objectives. Therefore, it’s essential to shift our mindset and acknowledge that we are businesspeople first and foremost, communication professionals second.
What is internal communication like in Australia?
Internal communication plays a crucial role in many Australian organisations, especially those with sizable workforces or complex structures.
The number of practitioners varies, naturally, based on factors like organisation size and type. In larger organisations, dedicated internal communication teams or professionals are the norm, while smaller organisations typically integrate these responsibilities into existing roles like HR or marketing. It’s not uncommon for just one internal communication professional to shoulder the entire organisation’s internal communication needs.
Across Australia, internal communication professionals face challenges and priorities akin to those of their global counterparts.
They’re focused on aligning communication strategies with organisational objectives, leveraging digital communication tools effectively, and adapting to the evolving landscape of hybrid work environments.
Furthermore, there’s an increasing interest in exploring how AI can strengthen overall effectiveness.
While the critical role internal communication plays in driving organisational success has been acknowledged post-COVID, the current economic climate presents challenges. Tightening budgets mean internal communication professionals are expected to achieve more with less, adding pressure to their roles.
What do you hope to achieve from the survey?
Our survey seeks to uncover how internal communication professionals perceive their influence within the organisation and approach their internal communication work.
Our goal is to pinpoint the barriers preventing them from adopting a strategic mindset and showcasing their value within their organisations. We’re particularly interested in identifying the key challenges practitioners face in embracing a strategic approach and understanding how they leverage AI to help them with their work.
How can readers of the All Things IC blog get involved?
We invite all internal communication professionals to participate in this brief survey, which should take approximately seven minutes to complete. You can access the survey via https://haiilo.typeform.com/thecsce.
Further reading via All Things IC on this topic
- What’s the difference between tactics and strategy?
- How to be a strategic internal communicator
- How to be more strategic in internal communications
- Candid Comms podcast: How to be a strategic internal communicator
Learn about internal communication with an All Things IC Online Masterclass
Would you like instant access to comprehensive and easy-to-use training at a time that suits you?
Do you feel under pressure to increase your knowledge so you can do your job well?
All Things IC Online Masterclasses have been designed with you in mind. If you need to access comprehensive, confidential and easy-to-use training at a time that suits you, you’ve found it.
There are no live lessons and most courses have 12 months’ access, so you can learn at your preferred pace.
Topics you can instantly enrol in and access on-demand include:
- How to measure internal communication
- How to review and plan your internal communication
- How to write an internal communication strategy
- How to be a strategic internal communicator
- The internal communicator’s guide to hybrid working
- Introduction to internal communication channels
- How to be an internal communicator
- How to be a Comms Consultant – Exploration
- How to create a 90 day plan.
First published on the All Things IC blog 11 April 2024.
