Translating internal content into different languages is something that’s always been a bit of a conundrum in the internal communications world. The advice I was given many years ago was that it’s best to stick to the business language of the organisation or run the risk of creating silos. But, in 2024, does that still stand? If we want to be seen as a truly global business, surely we should be as accommodating as we can be to of all our workforce? It’s a topic that fascinates me and one that’s clearly still the cause of much debate, if the answers I received in response to a recent LinkedIn ..read more

I’ve often said that effectively measuring the success of internal communications is the summit we cannot seem to climb. Questions around the value of internal communications and how we measure it come up time and time again. From my own research with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) in 2017 to more recent studies from Gallagher’s annual State of the Sector  – measurement is still hit and miss and an area of development for many teams around the world. In this blog I’ll discuss what successful measurement looks like, the barriers to it, and give my top tips on getting it ..read more

I believe that, when it comes to being a good leader, nothing is more important than credibility. The issue of what we really want from our leaders has been at the forefront of most of my working life, but it was the pandemic that really got me interested in exploring the issue more. And the conclusion I’ve come to is that credibility is, above all else, the thing that makes a leader truly excel in their role. We’ve published a research report on the subject this month How To Be a Leader People Will Follow, it’s the theme of this season’s Redefining Communications podcast and, later in the ..read more

Empathy and compassion are crucial skills for leaders, but it’s important to be clear that they are not the same thing. As I’ve been researching more around the topics over the last few years, I’ve found many examples of the two things being confused, of demands being made on leaders to be more empathetic, when actually what people are looking for is more compassion. It’s something that first grabbed my interest on the back of the pandemic, when there was a lot of discussion about leaders needing to be more empathetic. Lots of articles were written about how it was a core trait that leaders n ..read more

What do you think of when you hear the term influencer? Chances are social media is the first thing that springs to mind, and your feelings around the word aren’t necessarily positive. But the ability to influence and persuade is a crucial one for anyone working in internal communications, no matter what role you’re in. In this blog I’ll look at the chaos that can happens when influence and persuasion are not being used in the right way, and I’ll explore the key things you can do to help you become more influential. “I can’t be influenced” Most of us like to think we can’t be influenced. Or ..read more

One of the biggest challenges internal communications professionals may face in their career is navigating a merger or an acquisition. I have been in roles as a global head of communication and communications director where we have changed ownership of the organisation from private to public, and where we have managed an acquisition that saw a leadership team of the acquired company taking over – there are many stories to tell! ‘How to navigate mergers and acquisitions’ is a hot topic that comes up time and again when I’m speaking to communications leaders, and one where it’s so easy to get th ..read more

Leadership isn’t for everyone. And, in my view, we don’t talk about this enough. It’s often something people feel they should strive for, and discussed as something everyone can do, which can make it very hard to say it’s something you’re not interested in. If you’ve ever wondered ‘how do I know if leadership is right for me?’, I hope that this blog will to give you some useful insights into exactly what leadership is and the personality traits needed to be a good leader. It’s been inspired by the excellent book Unleashed by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, which I would thoroughly recommend ..read more

Why effective communication in leaders is essential It’s crucial that leaders are able to articulate where they/their organisation are going if they want people to follow them. So much of my work involves helping leaders articulate their vision and improve their relationships at work and communication is fundamental to success. We can get stuck in meeting after meeting, forgetting the importance of communicating with those around us and making time for those we lead. We know that people need to be able to share their opinions, concerns and ideas in open discussions and in 1:1 meetings, and to ..read more

I was recently a guest on the Supercharged Change and Comms podcast. Hosted by Pete Hodges and Chris Bradley, the podcast speaks to leaders in the field of change management and communication to get their insights on the best internal communications practices, and the lessons they’ve learned during their career. In this episode I chat to Chris and Pete about my top tips for getting started in comms, whether we should be worried about AI, and the skills I think all internal communications teams should be prioritising in 2024. I also talk about our upcoming unconference, Comms Reboot, which you ..read more

If we are to lead, we have to be accountable. Yet so many leaders still find it extremely hard. It’s a topic that comes up again and again in my work. When you’re in a senior role and dealing with a barrage of decisions that need to be made, and constantly changing goalposts, it can be really hard to remain accountable. Yet it’s one of the main areas that, when it’s not there, can quickly lead to crisis within an organisation. In this blog I’ll look at why accountability can be so difficult, why it’s so important and outline some tips to help you and your organisation get better at it. Why is ..read more