Marketing Briefs

Is improving leadership even on the radar screen in the public relations profession? The short answer appears to be no, according to the results of the Plank Center’s Leadership Report Card 2019. Though numerous blogs, articles and research studies in our field recognize the importance of improving leadership to help the profession achieve positive outcomes, the industry struggles to make it happen.

It is no longer enough to be an expert in communications to succeed as a communications professional. A recent research brief titled The Case for Business Acumen published by IC Kollectif spotlights key findings from primary and secondary research on the importance of business acumen for internal and external communications professionals.

What does the Director of Communications at Microsoft Digital, Services, and Success think of internal communications? Tom Murphy says there's no longer one way to approach communications. Companies, he says, must measure the effectiveness of programs and combine that with insights into the organization.

How do executives perceive internal communication and what role and value do they want to see in their communication team? IC Kollectif reviewed recent surveys and reports from renowned organizations and experts to get an overview of their perceptions and expectations. The findings are published in Internal Communication in the Eyes of C-Suite Leaders.

Are internal and external communications the same thing? In this interview, Leslie Quinton, Vice President of Global Corporate Communications, and Events, at Canadian recreational products company BRP, argues that there are almost always reasons to target your communications differently according to the audience.

What does strategic internal communications look like at a Fortune 100 insurance company like Nationwide? Rick Phillips retired in 2018 as Chief Communications Officer for the company. In this interview, he discusses, among other things, the importance of alignment between internal and external communication with corporate goals and how to demonstrate the impact of internal communication.

As the lines between internal and external communications blur, does your organization ensure the needs of internal audiences are not overlooked? Research from IC Kollectif has found that companies are increasingly adopting an integrated approach to internal and external communication. But if internal stakeholders are treated as a distinct audience—a common practice, according to the research—external content alone is not enough to respond to their needs.

Is your organization evaluating its internal communication in a way that makes business sense? Measures of internal communications often focus on intranet usage or employee satisfaction or engagement. Companies rarely measure employee attitude or behavior change, understanding of key messages, or internal communication’s impact on strategic and financial objectives. These and a range of other metrics will give more insight into the effectiveness of internal communication on business results.

internal communication professionals need to do a better job of demonstrating their value to senior leadership. To be considered trusted advisers and counselors by executives and senior leaders, internal communication professionals should, among other things, assess and measure their value, bring unique insights, and better understand the financial metrics used by business leaders.

Until there is a strong line of sight between internal communication and business results, internal communication will continue to be seen primarily as a support function, not a management function. The internal and external communication functions may be converging, but both disciplines appear to remain distinct for now. However, tighter alignment between internal and external functions will improve reputation and brand.