Thoughts on leadership, communication and culture.

The right message in the wrong channel is still the wrong communication

We spend enormous amounts of time perfecting the words. But sometimes the biggest communication decision isn’t what to say, it’s how, when and where to say it.

Because even the most carefully crafted message can fall flat if it reaches people in the wrong way, at the wrong time.

The words matter. But how you deliver them can make all the difference. 

Your employees don’t need more communication. They need more clarity.

When uncertainty strikes, businesses often respond by communicating more.

More emails. More updates. More briefings.

But more communication doesn’t automatically mean better communication.

Sometimes the most valuable thing a leader can do is stop adding to the noise and simply focus on what people actually need to know.

Clarity beats volume. Every time.

Who should deliver the message?

It’s tempting to assume that important messages should always come from the most senior person in the business.

But the CEO isn’t automatically the most credible messenger.

Sometimes people need to hear from their manager. Sometimes it’s a subject matter expert. Sometimes it’s a colleague they trust. And sometimes it absolutely should be the CEO.

The right messenger can be just as important as the right message. 

Are you communicating your strategy – or simply presenting it?

Your strategy might make perfect sense to the people who spent months developing it. But what about everyone else?

A beautifully designed presentation doesn’t mean people understand where the business is heading, why it matters or what it means to them.

If people can’t see themselves in the strategy, it’s much harder to bring them along with you. 

The CEO shouldn’t always write their own communications

There is a misconception that for leadership communication to be authentic, leaders have to write every word themselves.

I disagree.

An excellent communications advisor doesn’t replace a leader’s voice. They help uncover it, sharpen it and make sure it connects.

Authenticity isn’t about who comes up with the words. It’s about whether they genuinely sound like you.

Before you send the all-company email, ask these questions

We’ve all seen them. The all-company email that lands in everyone’s inbox and leaves people wondering what they’re supposed to do with it.

Before pressing send, ask  yourself:

1. What am I trying to achieve?
2. Who really needs to hear this?
3. What to they need to understand, feel or do?
4. Is email actually the right way to communicate this message?
5. Am I the right person to deliver it?
6. What happens next?
7. How will I measure it’s had the intended impact?

Sometimes the best communication is not to send the communication at all.