Storytelling at its best – the tale of the tiger and the loaf

A blog that is short and sweet… just look at this wonderful letter which brought a smile to my face this Australia Day as I came upon it on Facebook.

An employee who completely 100% gets customer service, so much so that it’s been reposted online – and Sainsbury’s will reap the reputation benefits as I have no doubt this will get re-shared and liked many more times over the coming days.

In our world of employee engagement two things struck me. One is organisations must now start to trust their employees to have the brains to do the right thing when customers (of any ages) want to interact with them and secondly it highlights just how powerful tailored communication can be. While this is just a cute story, it really shows Sainsbury’s has really got it right and not only engaged its customer service team, but is showing strength and authenticity of brand in communicating like this.

And now thanks to social media, we’ve been able to share it too. Just imagine if your organisation was brave enough to empower the front line to communicate online in this way. A true army of passionate employee ambassadors – just so powerful.

In the meantime, I’m off to find some giraffe bread.

Tam Sandeman
aged 41 10/12ths (but wishing she was still 3)

How many leaders does it take to change a light bulb?

How many leaders does it take to change a light bulb in your workplace? Chances are, they’ll delegate it.

But you can’t delegate leadership. In fact, especially in 2012, you shouldn’t be running a business where leaders deflect responsibility.

It’s impossible to plan for 2012 – there’s game changing carbon legislation in July, dangerous surf conditions for our manufacturing and retail sectors and the wild rodeo ride of mining. And yet, everything hinges of China and Europe behaving well.

Wherever you are in Australia’s two-speed economy, your leaders need to be ready to engage employees to improve productivity and deliver exceptional customer service in the face of disappointing business results, or ready to reward and retain employees in strong performing industries. The Australian Financial Review (6 January 2012) reported recently that leadership is moving from the old concept of command and control to more intelligent leadership. Leaders need to learn and exhibit skills that include:

• Conflict in the workplace
• Cross-cultural communication
• Presentation and plain language communication
• Managing through change and uncertainty
• Working with a global, dispersed workforce
• Communicating with employees in a digital world

From our experience in employee engagement consulting and advice over the years, we sense that more than half of those in middle management and senior leadership positions are exceptional business managers, and have been promoted for those skills – rather than the inspirational and important employee engagement and internal communication skills required at that level to engage employees to be advocates, strive for performance and retain the best performers. So more than half your leaders are not fulfilling the basic requirements of their role – and you, and they, may not even know it.

All it takes is three steps to turn this around:

1. Benchmark what your people think about their leaders’ communication competency; how well they articulate and contextualise company goals and strategy; how they give and receive feedback that changes business outcomes.
2. Determine the gaps between your leaders’ competency and ideal leadership skills
3. Invest in leadership communication skills training

The art of creating conversation

Not long ago I blogged about Australia’s PR industry dialling up its interest in the power of employees as brand ambassadors. So it was with great delight that I accepted the invitation from the PRIA (Public Relations Institute of Australia) to speak on employee communication at its annual conference yesterday – PR Directions 2011.

While it was clearly a positive move to see internal communication on the agenda – for me what was even more exciting was the title of the session – Cool watercooler conversations in your organisation: Effective internal communication – highlighting the industry’s understanding that we deliver so much more than newsletters, CEO blogs and mouse mats with the company strategy on it.

Driving conversation and dialogue is absolutely what it’s all about – and to be fair, in our view, always should have been. Long gone are the days when a charismatic (and unfortunately sometimes the opposite) CEO’s town hall speech at the start of the year was enough to rally the troops. Today, more than ever it’s simply not enough. Employees are more comfortable to ask questions after hearing from the CEO and actively demand more transparency around company decisions. We say leaders are at their most powerful when they don’t really think they’re communicating – in the corridor after the big meeting, on the way to the car park, in the bathroom (not ideal) – but it is these informal interactions during which more authentic, genuine communication takes place that really counts – because they’re believable and tailored to the individual.

I was asked to give 10 minutes of insight from our rather enviable position of having a bird’s eye view into the employee engagement and internal communication of many of Australia’s top organisations. Here were the four points (there would have been more, but 10 minutes goes fast) I believe all organisations need to consider when it comes to driving conversation:

1. The introduction of social media has meant ‘water cooler’ conversation now has a new channel – with informal conversations enabled online as well as face to face.  Companies taking social media seriously as an external channel but not for their own people do so at their own peril.
2. Avoid MMM (Middle Manager Madness) – Time poor leaders and diverse workforces mean that many organisations are simply not giving communication the time it deserves. But who is it that needs to be skilled up on the art of conversation with the right content? Not just the senior leaders. It’s the middle or frontline managers who are key to succcess – they have the opportunity to converse with the frontline every day – so it’s clear – THEY are the ones who need to be invested in and at the moment they are clearly forgotten.
3. Great conversations don’t just happen. Well, they do sometimes – but they need help. Providing managers with the right tools to stimulate conversation is key. Be creative. Provide them with stuff they actually want to talk about – something they see the point in. Journey maps and conversation guides are just two of the tools flying off our shelves at the moment. What’s better is… when measured – they really do work.
4. And finally…  be culture and demographically appropriate with your tactics. If you want to drive a culture of conversationists – it’s got to come from the top. Don’t choose something crazy and out there if you have a cynical workforce. This may come in time – road test anything you’re not sure about. Nothing worse than getting it wrong – this could do more harm than doing nothing.

As we say – it’s not rocket science, but we are all different creatures and there’s an absolute art to getting it right. Thank you to the filled room at the Hilton today – it’s great to know so many PR professionals are interested in this side of communication. I hope to meet you all at a water cooler some day…

Don’t reach for the stars

The goal was simple. Spell the words correctly and the gold star was mine. Get it right the next week and I’d be looking at two stars.

Being slightly competitive I underwent a strict training regime. Work was taken home for evening review. Flash cards were created and poured over in alphabetical order. Invitations were repeatedly offered to test my spelling prowess.

You may think this rather excessive behaviour all for a simple sticker. But a recent HBR study reported in this week’s New York Times made me reflect on whether the goal of my primary school spelling bees was really a star or something more.

Research conducted by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, authors of “The Progress Principle”, asked 669 managers from companies around the world to rank five employee motivators in terms of importance. They ranked “supporting progress” last. But recognising progress in meaningful work was identified in the study as the primary motivator amongst employees. Even more than incentives like raises and bonuses.

In working with organisations on their Employee Value Propositions (EVPs), we often hear of new and improved formal recognition programs. Of course it’s critical to have the right processes in place to recognise employees going above and beyond. But it’s not awards or incentives that will mobilise the efforts of all employees in a sustainable way.

In the end it comes down to employee engagement and how good managers are at having the day-to-day conversations with their people. It’s about knowing the right questions to ask. It’s about listening, finding out what a person is working on and talking through any challenges. It’s sometimes as simple as saying hello and asking the person how they’re feeling.

Pretty simple stuff. But for many managers such behaviour may not come naturally. Or other things take priority and time becomes the excuse.

In my experience, there’s an opportunity for organisations to do more. It doesn’t have to be formal manager training as such. Highlight through your internal communication channels the business benefit of happy, motivated employees; reinforce their responsibilities in supporting their team and outline different things they can do to show their people they care.

In the end, no matter how old we are, we all want to be noticed for doing a good job. For me, as a ten year old there was nothing better than seeing my parents’ faces when I showed off my stars. That’s the driver. Not the stars.

Apple: simplicity at the core

Last weekend I’m sure I was not the only one shocked to see the pictures of a frail Steve Jobs after what will no doubt become a historic shift in leadership for one of the world’s most impressive and much envied organisations. Handing the reins to Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook can have been no easy task for the man who has defined so much of the technology lifestyle innovation so many of us take for granted.

This change however does present an interesting challenge from an employee engagement and a leadership perspective. How does a successor to someone who ‘is’ the brand, someone who is known the world over, someone who is admired by employees and consumers alike, ensure that they come out of the starting blocks the right way. How do they build on the legacy at the same time as carve the right leadership niche for themselves and the company.

Admittedly in this instance, Tim Cook is an insider – he’s been with the business for 13 years, but despite the familiarity, it’s still a challenge.

My observation comes from the email sent to Apple employees (see below) immediately after this announcement from Tim Cook. The message is strong and clear and therefore very powerful. Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure being Apple, this note will have had rigour behind it in its crafting – really making sure the tone hit the spot would have been critical. But it’s simple.

Simple. Passionate. Authentic. Focused on recognising the past, but also recognising what could be. With a strong call to action.

Clearly this can not exist in isolation. The incoming CEO needs to maintain momentum, demonstrate he’s listening, keep up the visibility and continue to inspire people in Apple’s vision and drive a clear strategy in which everyone can see how they play their part. However, if all new leaders take a few lessons from this simple email and ensure their communication ticks these boxes when they take over big roles – no matter how big – they too could capture some of that Apple factor that has clearly contributed to making them what they are today.

Something to think about.

Team:

I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as CEO of the most innovative company in the world. Joining Apple was the best decision I’ve ever made and it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share Steve’s optimism for Apple’s bright future.

Steve has been an incredible leader and mentor to me, as well as to the entire executive team and our amazing employees. We are really looking forward to Steve’s ongoing guidance and inspiration as our Chairman.

I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple’s unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that—it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.

I love Apple and I am looking forward to diving into my new role. All of the incredible support from the Board, the executive team and many of you has been inspiring. I am confident our best years lie ahead of us and that together we will continue to make Apple the magical place that it is.

Tim

(Source: mashable.com)

Employees recognised as critical channel in new Australian research

Last week I was fortunate enough to be on a panel discussing and debating the findings of some fantastic new research, out this week from Ogilvy PR Australia and the IABC, looking at the future of the communication/PR industry in 2021. The good news for us who work in the internal communication fraternity – and for business in general – is that 79 per cent of respondents agreed that employees would emerge as the most critical channel for an organization in the next decade. At last I say. But I also say – given the respondents were communication professionals, I can’t help but be disappointed this was not closer to 100 per cent. This is by 2021 we’re talking.

Organisations should have realised this already. In fact, those we are working with who put their employees first are creating powerful armies of brand ambassadors who now, thanks to the internet and prolific use of social media, are delivering an extremely authentic and believable voice. They are able to exert influence about a brand in a far greater way than advertising, and perhaps more than PR. But can they? That is the question?

When will organisations learn to loosen the hold they have on what employees can and can’t say online? When it boils down to it, it’s a trust issue.

Many organisations simply don’t trust their people to do the right thing. And this therefore becomes a culture issue. If organisations want to make this work they have to let go, empower their people to say the right stuff online, not stop them from saying anything. Most companies spend more time telling their people what they can’t say rather than helping them with what they can.

We’ve been saying for years that until people see internal – i.e. their people – as part of the external solution, we will stay still. As all employee communication professionals know – a mighty untapped resource lays dormant in many organisations and we’re still trying to wake the giant. But we can’t do it alone.

For employees to be great brand ambassadors – and I mean really great brand ambassadors – we must equip them in being able to tell a good story.  As we know, people remember stories not facts.  There’s nothing more powerful. However, if genuine and compelling storytelling is at the heart of what we do, then why did only 56% of respondents in the survey say that by 2021 equipping employees on message delivery would be a core discipline? That’s nearly half of respondents who said it wouldn’t be. And this is from communication professionals.

So, to our crystal balls – what will the future hold for our industry? Looking forward, we will see internal communication as a core competency of all leaders and middle managers and a significant rise in training in this regard; storytelling for all employees; KPIs around communication.

Finally, marketing teams who are starting to look at their internal audience strategically, a word of warning: mugs, mousemats and posters will not achieve behaviour change. Only authentic engagement and empowerment with trust at the centre will suffice…

The power of the corridor conversation

A mad old lady who lived in the village where I grew up (no not you mother) in the sunny climes of deepest Sussex in the UK was known as ‘Have A Chat’ for obvious reasons. Bear with me…this IS relevant to what we do.

Fast forward to today, I’ve just come out of an internal communication planning session with the CEO of a large Australian organisation. We discussed many things. How to truly engage employees in the company’s exciting new vision and company direction; what should launch look like; how could he tell the best and most powerful story to his people. One that would really resonate. The list went on.

But said CEO had one clear light-bulb moment during that conversation. I repeated something very powerful once said to me: “Leaders are at their most powerful when they don’t think they’re communicating”.

It’s those casual conversations which take place in the corridor, after a meeting, in the car park, in the canteen queue (and heaven forbid in the bathroom) which are more authentic, more believable, less rehearsed.

It’s precisely those moments leaders need to embrace and respond to which are so powerful. Not only embrace, but actively create opportunities for them to happen. Now while this is rare, I know tales of one CEO who won’t come out of his office even to get a sandwich, who will go out of his way to avoid conversation. It has made his people challenge his authenticity when he is delivering messages about people.

As internal communicators we must remind our leaders of the strategic value of those moments. Whether it be about change management communication or regular organisational messages, the informal communication channels are just as, if not more important than those which are formal. And as Rose Kennedy said: “Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments”.

It’s cost effective and it’s powerful. For those leaders looking to provide more authenticity in their communication, it’s a no brainer really. In my book it’s better to be known as willing to ‘Have A Chat’, than only able to ‘Have A Corporate Chat’.

…but beware…  Mrs Have A Chat would be over 110 years if she were still alive today, but if you see someone sporting a blue rinse and Dame Edna style glasses at about 5ft tall… run the other way, FAST.

Young professionals demand an internal change of focus

Like many employees in the communication industry, I undertook an internship while still at university. My four weeks with Impact proved to be invaluable as I gained contacts, advice and most importantly, my first real taste of the industry. However, as it was not covered in my bachelor of communication degree, it took me the longest time to completely understand what ‘internal communication’ was exactly, and I still don’t think I’ve nailed it!

As a public relations major I understood the part PR played in a company’s success, but didn’t see the reason for internal communication management – not because I disagreed with it, but because there simply wasn’t enough about it on my course.  I’m learning, this lack of understanding about just how powerful galvanising employee support through great internal communication can be, exists across many organisations.

It soon became clear as I better understood what Impact does, just how powerful what we do can be in driving organisational success. Companies who invest in employee engagement are shown to have a higher rate of productivity and lower turnover. Employee communication ensures that the correct messages flow between all levels of management and that two way communication is facilitated. In short, it is crucial!

More and more companies are discovering the advantages of internal communication and it is becoming a growing industry in Australia. I really feel that it is time for all Australian universities to include an internal communication unit in their core communication degree requirements. By skimming the surface it is impossible to understand the significance of employee communication and the influence it can have on the smooth internal and external operations of an organisation.

Luckily I have an entire team of internal comms professionals surrounding me at Impact who are helping me to work out my EVPs from my ELTs. It may take me a while, but slowly I’m piecing everything together. Ask me again in another few months and hopefully I’ll be better able to explain ‘what is internal communication’.

But then again, don’t be surprised if I’m still completely overwhelmed!

Nestlé Australia: Achieving Olympic sized sales effort

Challenge

With growing consumer demand for low pricing, greater competition from supermarket ‘own brand’ products and a massive rise in cost base, 2008 would bring a number of challenges to the Nestlé Sales team. The employee engagement challenge was significant. How to drive greater effort from an already stretched and high-performing team with the ultimate aim of maximising sales.

Insight

Insights gain from the merchandiser research revealed head office was seen as an ‘ivory tower’ which lacked understanding of the needs and challenges merchandisers faced in their roles.

Campaign

Impact’s strategy included research, a series of engagement events and ongoing momentum activities whilst capitalising on Nestlé’s sponsorship of the Australian Olympic Swim Team. Strong messaging encouraged employees to challenge their own limits, resulting in the creation of the ‘Personal Best’ (PB) brand. The PB brand was launched via an Olympic-themed roadshow. To ensure message retention, divisional messages were delivered via interactive team games with a quiz element to test recall and create a sense of competition.

Outcome

As described by Nestlé’s National Sales Director, “The Roadshow and comms strategy more than delivered what it set out to achieve…some say this is one of the hardest challenges to overcome, motivating a team who are already at the top of their game. The balance of strong message direction, creativity and experiential communication has meant our team is motivated and inspired to step up their pace and deliver an even higher performance in 2008.”

http://www.impact.com.au