INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Based on the work of Kevin Thomson in his book Emotional Capital ISBN 1-900961-62-8 Published by Capstone 1998

Why is it so important ?
It ensures that employees are looking, talking, listening, learning and responding to each other, in ways that best serve the "business" needs of the organisation. The objective being to: 1. 2. 3. deliver continuously improving services increase the knowledge and understanding needed to make better decisions help employees work together more effectively

What does it mean for you ?

Ten minute exercise

What would be needed for you to communicate with each other well enough to solve a common problem ?

What's involved ?
Internal communication has six interlocking parts.
? ? ? ? ? ? Instructions Information Involvement Improvement Innovation Integration

Summary of the interlocking parts that make up effective internal communications. 1. INSTRUCTIONS - delivering top-down messages
top down

These are the "must do's" - not for discussion. However, to get compliance the communication style must be one that gets "buy-in" from everyone. Just "telling" may not be enough.

2.

INFORMATION - delivering "top-down" messages AND receiving "bottom-up" feedback

top down

bottom-up The focus is on facts, figures, data and the knowledge held by employees (what's known, what's wanted, what's a problem, etc). It's about matching the needs/concerns of the service with the ability of employees to act and respond in the most effective way to them.

3.

INVOLVEMENT - delivering two-way conversations (listening and responding)

top-down bottom-up

This is the core communication process that puts people together with people, and people together with information that's important to them. Real conversations (open and honest) are needed to ensure that the information that is acted on will lead to the most effective actions. When real conversations take place in teams (and between teams) the action achieves mutual benefits and better results.

4.

IMPROVEMENT - delivering "side-to-side" exchanges inside the organisation.

side-to-side This is often called "continuous improvement" where the objective is to achieve better results - even excellence. It requires the sharing of knowledge and the exchange of best practice across teams, locations, professional disciplines and any other invisible barriers you can think of. This is where communications technology can make a real difference, especially if everyone has the skills needed to use it effectively. Side-to-side communication can create problems if effective top-down and bottom-up communication is in place. If people don't feel informed and involved, why should they care about making improvements or sharing best practices.

5.

INNOVATION - delivering side-to-side communication for the customer's benefit.

New and satisfying for customers

Innovation is about seeking the new, not the improved, to attract new customers or renewed interest in the service.

This requires employees who deliver different parts of the service to the same customer to collaborate, and build on each other's ideas and best practices. This is the challenge of Best Value - innovation inside the organisation and partners outside to continuously improve services for a diverse range of customer needs. People cannot create or innovate unless they can communicate sufficiently well to understand other people, find common ground, develop shared visions and move beyond quick fixes.

6.

INTEGRATION - linking all the above dimensions of communication.

STAKEHOLDERS CUSTOMERS

top-down
"knowing what's going on"

bottom-up
"feeling listened to"

side-to-side
"getting co-operation"

SERVICE PARTNERS

The will to deliver what stakeholders inside and outside the organisation needs today and in the future requires effective communication. This means everyone working as ambassadors of each other's service interests - working as one organisation in fact. Remember that suggestion schemes can vie with instructions and formal information competes with the need to generate new ideas. Communication is needed to help us manage these tensions.