How can you thrive in internal communication? Due to COVID-19, what we do as Comms practitioners has been analysed, appreciated and dare I say valued, more than ever.
I’m so proud of everything you’re doing, well done and keep going. Today I have news of a new podcast episode I’ve recorded. Do take a pause, or put me in your headphones while you work as it’s a long episode.
Before we dive in, I want to check in with you to see how you’re doing. How has this week been for you? What has been useful to help you manage the changes? What problems do you have and how can I help you? Do let me know via my contact form or in the comments below.
This image from Alive With Ideas captures it perfectly for me – we are in business as unusual mode right now. My counsellor last week reminded me to be “in maintenance mode” which really resonated.
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been homeschooling my children and juggling childcare with my husband so I can support you. I’ve been running remote Masterclasses with practitioners 1-2-1, plus desk reviews and phone consultations to problem solve together. My Power Hour sessions have been particularly popular, they’re 60 minutes focused on you.
Thank you to everyone who has got in touch to say thank you for writing all the free crisis comms advice and guidance I’ve been sharing over the past few weeks and months. I’m so pleased to hear my thoughts have helped you have difficult conversations, saved you some time and built your confidence. I’ll list my latest articles at the end of this post in case you’ve missed any. Don’t forget you can subscribe to my email newsletter The Water Cooler to keep updated.
If you’ve attended an All Things IC Masterclass and you’re not part of my closed LinkedIn alumni group, do get in touch and ask for an invitation.
Let’s turn to the podcast…
Podcast: How to thrive in internal communication
At the start of March I welcomed Katie Macaulay, AB’s Managing Director and host of The Internal Comms Podcast to the All Things IC Hub so we could record a new episode together. It was an honest conversation and we even both ended up shedding a tear as the conversation got deep and meaningful.
My beautiful office is now sitting empty as I adhere to the Government’s advice and stay indoors. I can’t wait to get back in there when the time is right and welcome you back in there for my face-to-face work including monthly Masterclasses.
Katie and I recorded just before the UK went into lockdown as the country is attempting to flatten the curve of the pandemic. The world has changed so much over the past four weeks and our conversation feels relevant to help you today.
We covered lots of topics from crisis communication to influencing stakeholders, working strategically, the difference between internal communication and internal communications and much more.
See the AB website for links to the resources and references we mentioned during the episode.
You can also listen wherever you get your podcasts, just look for The Internal Comms Podcast.
Regular readers of my blog will know I was Katie’s first guest back in season one. You can also find that episode online and listen below:
Further reading on the All Things IC blog
- How to communicate business as unusual
- How to communicate with furloughed employees
- How to use messaging in the workplace
- Video: How to encourage your leaders to be virtually visible
- How to run a virtual Town Hall – featuring Jo Bland.
- How to do whatever it takes
- How to communicate COVID-19 working patterns
- Free crisis communication guide
- How to use technology to communicate with employees during COVID-19
- Where to get accurate information about COVID-19.
If you celebrate Easter, I hope you get a chance to celebrate this special season with your loved ones. I was relieved to source some eggs this week and will be decorating them with Sharpies and boiling them this weekend in an attempt to keep our family’s traditions alive, even though nothing else feels the same right now.
Take good care, thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the podcast.
Rachel.
Post author: Rachel Miller.
First published on the All Things IC blog 8 April 2020.
Thank you for this post Rachel. It gave me the chance to pause and reflect on a busy few weeks.
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