Internal Communicators: You’ve Got the Power. It's Time to Wield it.

If I asked you this one question, how would you answer? In 2021, do you feel powerful or helpless?

I’m sure there are several more questions like this? Are your energized or overwhelmed? Do you feel valued and respected or are you simply tired and exhausted?

In this year's Gallagher State of the Sector report, they came to the following conclusion of 2020: “As difficult as they’ve been, there’s no denying that the past 12 months have forced something of an internal communication renaissance.

"But do you want that to be a flash in the pan? An offer of the week? A missed opportunity? Of course, you don’t. Driving that momentum forward has to be priority number-one for IC pros this year.”

There is a reason more than 2,500 communication and HR professionals around the globe took the time to register for my recent Poppulo webinar on Building a Communication Plan for Returning to the Hybrid Workplace.

Change is normal. Employees are valued. Productivity is paramount. And communication has become more complicated. They need you. They always did.

But the pandemic has given more of you access and authority and your role is now seen as critical in smooth operations that limit disruption and have an impact on the bottom line.

And changes will not stop. We’ll start with hybrid workplaces, then digital transformations, then mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures based on organizational sustainability strategies, then reorganizations and restructurings.

Amidst it all, we will continue to accelerate our diversity programs and prepare for the war on talent and demographic shifts.

I’ve always believed that Internal Communication is an integral enabler of business success.

Our greatest opportunity is not to communicate on behalf of our organizations but instead to influence how our organizations, leaders, managers, and people communicate.

When things go wrong, it’s not always because plans and strategies weren't sound; it's often because those on the ground being asked to deliver were not aware or did not understand why decisions were made, didn’t clearly understand their role or what to do.

And they probably didn’t believe in the direction or the reasons why change was necessary anyway because of the communications deficit. A proactive communication plan supporting organizations could be the difference between success and failure.

The question for you is are you ready to use your power to move forward and make progress? Do you have the right resources to help your organization succeed and are you prepared to make the case for investment?

Do you have the tools at your disposal to ensure the right employees, get the right information at the right time? Do you have the right access to decisions makers to move quickly and effectively?

The Poppulo guide based on our webinar How to Build a Communications Plan for a Hybrid Workplace walks you through the transition you need to redefine your role and set yourself, your team, and your organization up for success.

Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

I want each and every one of you to look back at this time as a turning point that helped you harness the power of internal communication to connect the dots between strategies and results, values and behaviors, and brand promise, and employee and customer experience.

Photo by Raphael Renter on Unsplash