Turning over a new leaf
The new year has just begun, with promises and pledges being made and fresh hopes for the future. Throughout 2010 I was asked to recommend books on change, internal communications and social media and referred people to the list I created on Amazon. Seeing as it is the new year, I’ve just created a fresh […]
Read more >Communicating through the blizzard
My thought of the day for Communicators: Snow comms should be like snowflakes – each one unique and tailored to your audience. Like lots of Comms professionals, I’ve been up since the small hours drafting messages for employees, arranging for employee information lines (hotlines) to be updated and dialling into various conference calls with IT, […]
Read more >A week of Comms fixes…
When did you last get a fix? Not of anything illegal or bad, but of Comms? Through our roles Communications professionals constantly give advice and support to other people, but when was the last time you sought some for yourself? Every day this week I have had the pleasure of meeting up with like-minded Communications […]
Read more >What state is the PR profession in?
What state is the PR profession in? This week I read through a report that the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has just published on exactly that – “The Annual State of the PR Profession”. I think it was a mixed bag of results and it was good to have insight into board level representation […]
Read more >Take two meerkats into the shower?
Tonight I went to Hill & Knowlton’s offices in Soho Square for the latest in a line of free events from the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA). This was the first time I’d been in touch with the PRCA and I know they have in-house teams as part of their membership. I hoped they wouldn’t […]
Read more >IoIC, easy as 1-2-3?
Last week the British Association of Communicators in Business (CiB) formally became the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC). The organisation says it aims to champion better communication between employers and employees and wants to “improve business success and profitability through enhanced communication within organisations.” I think it’s a smart move to have a dedicated association, […]
Read more >Internal communications – the future
Next week Communicators in Business (CiB) will formally become the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC). As professional communicators look to the future, I was in touch with Sarah, my mentee, today and recommended she reads a book I came across last year while studying. It’s called Effective Internal Communication (PR in practice) by Lyn Smith […]
Read more >Tipping point for comms professionals
Thank you again to everyone who submitted their top tips to be included in my presentation for internal comms professionals. I had the pleasure of meeting the current group of students working towards the post-grad diploma in Internal Communications Management at Kingston Uni/Capita Learning & Development today. Alongside Geoff Timblick @GeoffTinUK from Vodafone (and ex-classmate […]
Read more >Real resilience in tough times
This morning I went to a Communications Cafe breakfast event hosted by Sequel Group, at the Soho hotel in London. Also known as an aspic seminar, it gathered comms professionals to discuss Real resilience in tough times and the ability to adapt to change. Winston Churchill’s down-to-earth advice for those facing difficulty was: “If you’re […]
Read more >Rolling out the red carpet for employees
This week members of the press, bloggers, photographers and stakeholders are visiting some of our stations to see what’s happening behind the scenes to prepare for the opening of the East London Line section of London Overground. As a company we have been giving our employees the chance to see the new stations first for […]
Read more >Under the spotlight
This week I finished media training my Executive team thanks to another informative training session from MS&L. I found the whole experience really interesting and enjoyed working through the scenarios and seeing how people react under pressure and communicate when put under the glare of a camera and spotlight. I have to say I particularly […]
Read more >Turning ‘Gods’ into ‘Guides’
Last night I went to a Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Inside event to hear John Smythe talking about his book “The CEO, Chief Engagement Officer, Turning Hierarchy Upside Down to Drive Performance” and his upcoming book on employee engagement. It was the first time I’d been to a CIPR Inside evening and I […]
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