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Snap – Internal Communications Solutions.
15
Hot Tips for Internal Communicators
Use story telling to paint the picture
I just don’t see how that’ll work
‘… truly flexible, fully integrated, adaptable IT infrastructure using an SOA approach to develop modular,
easily integrated and reused…blah blah blah…’ Does this mean anything to your staff, apart from those
in IT?
How can you make this message sound exciting? Why not get them to visualize it and paint a picture
instead? For example, ‘Just think after go-live, all you have to do is to click on the client contact, and
from there you can complete all the transactions. You no longer have to open several applications, or
photocopy documents, or scan in information. Our new system will do all that for you behind the
scenes.’
Tell stories so staff can visualize outcomes. Many cultures prefer a narrative approach, rather that the
abrupt, business-like approach that we often adopt. In everyday life, most people tell stories to get their
point across, or illustrate their viewpoint by giving concrete examples.
Corporate Story Telling is relevant to all stages of the change communications process. At the outset,
encourage staff to visualize what the changes will look like. Then they can see exactly what needs to be
done. Visualization is very powerful when it encapsulates a positive view of the future. This is especially
useful when trying to get staff to move from ‘Could this work for me?” to ‘I can see how I can make this
work for me.’
Building scenarios makes change seem possible and gets everyone past blinkered thinking. This is partly
because many people are not comfortable with abstract ideas and theory. Making your project concrete
makes it real, and making it real makes it happen.
Creative visualization has long been recognized as an effective tool for planning and implementing
change. So add it to your toolbox.
Try these Snap Internal Communications Channels
Try:
Snap Staff E-Mag: Include articles showing how employees are modeling new values or
implementing new strategies
words’ and can capture people’s imagination. Create an image that shows the impact of the change
on the business and broadcast it around the organization in a highly visual way.
Snap Staff Quiz: Help people to visualize the change working for them. Ask ‘scenario questions’.
For example, “The new technology / new structure / etc will help me do A, B, C, or D= All of the
above?” Offer prizes to drive participation and consider including a silly answer option to make the
quiz fun.
the change will impact their role and how it will work for them.