CIPR Inside Webinar 3 Being a strategic business partner 29.11.13
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This webinar discusses how internal communicators can position themselves as strategic business partners. It emphasizes that internal communicators need a clear purpose of actively participating in and influencing business decisions rather than just executing communications. They also need the right capabilities beyond traditional skills like business acumen and interpersonal awareness. Further, internal communicators can build credibility by using measurement data, keeping informed about the business and external environment, and standing in the leaders' shoes to provide business advice rather than just communications advice.
CIPR Inside Webinar 3 Being a strategic business partner 29.11.13
- 1. CIPR INSIDE WEBINAR: Being a Strategic Business Partner James Harkness & Jane Mitchell 2013
- 3. What do your senior leaders and executive team think of internal communications?
- 4. How are you perceived? • Clear purpose • Right capability • Strong credibility
- 5. Do you have a clear purpose?
- 6. “Are you here to actively participate in and influence critical business decisions?” or “Are you here to execute communications around decisions that have been made?
- 8. A changing purpose… Doing Enabling Communications “Creator and Influencer” Communication “Enabler” Primary objective: Employees understand and believe in company and good values Primary objective: Employees are mobilised around company goals Method: Inform and inspire Method: Provoke and facilitate Communications environment: Largely hierarchical; one-way push; rely on mass channels and manager cascades Communications environment: On employees’ terms; two-way; participatory; rely on interactive channels (face-to-face and web 2.0) Communication skill set: Writing; channel management; persuasion; shaping strategic agenda Communication skill set: Coaching; facilitating; behavioural phycology; identifying business need for communication Typical success measures: Message reach; employee attitudes Typical success measures: Employee mobilisation; business outcomes Source: Communications Executive Council Research
- 9. Do you have the right capability?
- 13. Beyond traditional skills • • • • Business acumen Bias for action Interpersonal awareness Dealing with ambiguity
- 14. Do you have real credibility?
- 15. Use measurement data to make the case
- 16. Fresh knowledge and insight Keeping informed: Keeping informed: • • • • • • • • Intranet Website Annual report AGM Analysts views Executive presentations Business strategy Conversations with senior leaders • Channels from other areas of the organisation • Press • Competitor websites/ publications • Campaign groups • Industry journals • Networking with industry peers • Conferences/seminars The external environment What’s influencing our business strategy? The business goals and challenges What we need people to do differently What’s influencing our people? Employees mood and behaviours Keeping informed: • People survey • Focus groups • Employee sounding boards • Strong internal network • Company canteen! • Union contacts
- 17. Standing in the shoes of your leader Top business leader concerns 2013 • Customer relationships • Operational excellence • Human capital • Government regulation • Corporate brand and reputation Chartered Management Institute 2013
- 18. Winning the ear of your CEO • • • • • • Share a published article that supports your recommended approach Ask questions that lead your ‘client’ to come to the ‘right’ conclusion on their own Provide anecdotes or examples of where a different approach has delivered results Share best practice – use outside world examples Find data – research, case studies, benchmarks to provide evidence for your suggestion Be ready to stand by your advice
- 19. Making your mark when it matters most • • • • • Business transformation Redundancies Operational crisis System failures Executive departures
- 20. Great questions… A great question should: • Demonstrate your own knowledge of an issue • Be one that others have not thought of asking • Be challenging to answer • Lead naturally to more questions • Open up new avenues of thought not explored before • Give you real insight – to the thoughts, and view point of the leader • Spark creativity and innovation • Not expect a straight forward answer
- 21. In summary • Purpose – Define your role and communicate • Capability – Build your influencing skills and confidence • Credibility – Learn about your business and give business (not communications) advice
- 23. Contact James Harkness & Jane Mitchell James. [email protected] [email protected] +44 (0)1483 222730 www.harknesskennett.com