How do you lead and influence in complex strategic communication?

Remember that you aren't there to edit copy. You are actually editing the organization. The words and tone you choose, the messages you emphasize and the diversity of the faces you platform have real implications. Own the power of your role in shaping them.

Your purpose is the cornerstone of your strategic communication brand. In other words, is the reason you or your client exists and what makes you unique in this competitive world. I’ll help you in communicating targeted messages and values that will make a difference. By not taking your eyes off your purpose, you will know what information should be communicated, who is your target audience, etc. Understanding your audience will help you select an appropriate message and the right channel.

At its core, one must unveil the 'why' before the 'what' when it comes to strategic communications, creating a foundation of understanding that invites a collaborative finesse through clear direction. I have always called this 'why' the guiding North Star, that keeps both my team and the audience aligned. This North Star shapes every aspect of communication. As the compass for the organization it provides the direction, context and emotional resonance. Providing a consistent reference point which one can always look back at when confronted with the complexity of messaging.

Start by understanding the purpose and strategy of the project at an organizational level before honing in on the purpose and strategy of the communications plan. Communication plans must align with the larger business strategy to be relevant and effective. We are partners in driving the business forward, but that’s only possible when the communications plan reflects the project plan that we’re contributing to. Otherwise, it’s just noise.

Consider that communication is not just the leader’s job but that of everyone in the organisation. You only lead in strategy. Use your skills set to encourage team members in the organisation to recognise and accept that they are part of the communication system. In my experiences, I have come to realise that communicating in unison helps build, repair or enhance trust faster between the organisation and its various stakeholders (internal and external).

Recuerda que no se trata solo de ti. NUNCA olvides ser generoso con tu conocimiento. Si puedes, siempre ayuda y responde.

Start with a question like this: "If we had a magic wand to create some effect, or bring about some result, what would it be?" Working backward from your, or your boss's, ideal end state will help inform all the decisions you're making along the way. It'll also -- critically -- help in deciding what *not* to do ... a part of "strategic" communications that often gets lost. "We want X person to take Y action." Perfect. Let's build that plan. And in so doing we also know we don't need to try to reach audience Z, enabling us to tailor our work and use our budget to the best effect.

Understanding and staying steady with the purpose is the key. Make sure you keep tabs on the current developments surrounding the topic and ensure you fact-check the communication material sent out.

1st, engage your stakeholders both internal and external. Develop communication plans for each group and take into account their needs and concerns. 2nd, complex situations often require flexibility. Be prepared to adapt your communication strategy as the situation evolves. 3rd, be able to navigate ambiguity and inspire your team to remain resilient in challenging times by example.

To make sure people understand you, think about who they are and what they care about. People see things differently based on where they come from and how old they are. So, you need to know who you're talking to and what they believe. This means more than just using the right words. You need to understand what matters to them. Doing this will help you be more effective and make people trust you. This is really important when you're dealing with lots of different people who all want different things.

As an experienced leader in sustainability communication and green marketing, I want to highlight the importance of empowered consumer choices. For companies with products or services in the sustainability realm, your consumers are already in search of alignment with their personal values. Strategically highlighting your product or services' alignment with these values (i.e. environmental protection, social justice, habitat restoration, etc.), will both promote your company and empower consumers to make informed decisions.

Understanding your audience is crucial. They're diverse, coming from various backgrounds and cultures, making a one-size-fits-all communication approach ineffective. Each audience segment has distinct values and concerns. It's not just about knowing their demographics but delving into their motivations and fears. While surveys and interviews offer insights, empathy stands out. It lets you connect emotionally, building trust. Alongside empathy, active listening is key. It's more than hearing words; it's about understanding emotions behind them and showing the audience they're valued.

Recognize that it's unlikely that you have "one" audience. Employees, customers, conservationists and other citizens have different needs and concerns, and at the same time, they all interact with each other in varying degrees. The bare minimum is to think about who your audiences actually are, and for bonus points, look at the people (or types of people) who are the connections between them.

... the diversity and complexity of your audience. You need to understand who they are, what they care about ... seemingly so obvious yet too often still neglected.

In my experience, you need to invest time in stakeholder engagement. Get to know the people you’re trying to influence. Take a look at the way they think. Their needs, desires and strategic priorities and try to find win/win situations and moments of synergy where your goals can converge.

Listen more. That's the anthem of communication. Listening helps you know your audience and their proclivities. That's how you know how to communicate with them in a way that will resonate clearly.

To understand your audience I suggest engaging in the process of truth telling. But make sure you have a clear plan and the insights to deliver a positive experience. And you are clear on your motive and intent. This will only work when you have built a certain level of trust. Truth telling is used in organisations to help: - understand a person's reality - identify what has not worked well in the past - understand where there may be potential roadblocks and challenges into the future - gain valuable advice as to what can look different

Come back to my first point in this article and ask what is the emotional value proposition you are wanting to create in the mind of the target audience? Once you are clear on this it will be easier to identify the most impactful communications channels. Be selective about what strategies you are going to use, not just for the audience but also for your capacity to deliver. Every channel requires ongoing management and consistency so make sure you are able to deliver both whatever medium you choose.

When you deeply engage in understanding your purpose and your audience, you are able to identify the channels that the audience uses and prefers. When choosing the correct channels it is important to think more for your clients than your individual preferences here. If your audience is primarily on TikTok and you are using Facebook or Twitter to sell your product, you are going to be working against yourself and missing out on valuable clients who want your product or service. Similarly, if you know your audience prefers more frequent communication but you send something out monthly, you will be missing opportunities to convert your clients.

I totally agree, but in the realm of communication the choice of communication channel goes beyond efficiency; it involves understanding the context. The medium you select is not a means of transmission; it has an impact, on how the message is received and its overall influence. It's important to consider not the capabilities of text, audio or video but also their psychological effects—how they shape the emotional and cognitive experience of the audience. Moreover it's not about timing and frequency; it's about synchronizing your messaging, with industry events to tap into existing attention economies. This approach transforms your audience from recipients into engaged participants enhancing the overall communication ecosystem.

Il est crucial d'adapter vos canaux en fonction de la nature du message et des préférences de votre public. En intégrant une approche multimédia, vous pouvez renforcer l'impact de votre communication en touchant diverses modalités sensorielles, ce qui favorise une meilleure rétention et compréhension de l'information. De plus, Il est essentiel d'adapter votre choix de canal à la nature spécifique de votre message et à la démographie de votre public cible. Considérez également la confidentialité, la sécurité et l'accessibilité lors de la sélection des canaux de communication pour garantir une diffusion efficace de l'information.

In addition to social media, consider what other channels may effectively reach your audience, since you’ve already honed in on their needs. For one-way communication to deliver detailed information, consider reports, case studies, newsletters, or blogs. To encourage dialogue and foster engagement, host webinars or live events. Other channels, such as website updates, e-mail campaigns, or surveys are also useful, depending on your purpose and audience.

Channel selection should ideally be determined based on the target audience's digital behavior. With many of the tech companies I am currently working with, between 70%-90% of customers consume content via mobile or portable devices. This has implications for website, email or video content in that they need to be mobile-optimized and viewer-friendly over a small screen. Similarly, depending on demographics, some target audience members may be more comfortable using apps, forums, social media, games, VR/AR, streaming, etc. and companies need to select the appropriate channel accordingly. In brief, select your communications channel based on where your audiences are most engaged rather than pushing content out across all platforms.

This is also tied to knowing and learning about your audience. If majority of your audience is on a digital platform and you are using traditional means only, your strategy will fail. If you audience has a short attention span, or prefer to consume information either through infographics or videos and you are giving them lengthy articles filled with jargon, then again you strangely will fail. You need to understand the channels as well as the formats and mediums.

Far too often the push for "strategic communications" leaves the messaging as an afterthought. Content should drive strategy. When we lead with targets and outcomes, when we consider who we want to reach before considering first whether we have anything interesting to say, we deliver data-driven, keyword-rich but ultimately underwhelming and unimpressive results, and then we are puzzled when messages do not perform. When it comes to message development, we would be well served to remember the messenger and the audience share a lot of qualities: we're all distracted, we're all overwhelmed, we all like to laugh, we all are attracted to messages that hit on a human level. Communication strategy should be a content strategy first.

As you navigate the realms of purpose, audience, and communication channels, the essence of authenticity becomes paramount. With these foundational elements in place, your message takes on a powerful significance. It should resonate not just as a statement, but as an embodiment of core ideals.

One thing I’ve found helpful is understanding the intended audience. I believe knowing the “WHO” can better inform what the message(s) need to convey.

Keep it simple. No jargon, no big words when short ones will do. If you over-complicate your message people will switch off almost immediately, at best. At worst, they'll think you're deliberately pulling the wool over their eyes. Write for a layperson, even if you're targeting an audience of experts. They'll respect your frankness. Use short, sharp sentences, and don't be frightened to explain complex matters in plain English. The most delicate and sensitive of matters are often best explained in the simplest of terms.

A common mistake is to cram too much information into a single message. "Tell them what they need to know, not everything you know," was golden nugget of advice I received years ago. Remembering these words before crafting your message can make a world of difference. For example, consider what is the realistic outcome you would like to see happen as a result of your communication. Maybe getting an approval or final purchasing decision is an unrealistic expectation after one communication. Perhaps, a most realistic outcome is an invitation for a face to face meeting, or a second meeting. With this clear goal in mind, you can then include only the information that will whet their appetite for more.

Whatever message you choose be clear on the following four factors in the planning stages to ensure it remains on point: - what is the purpose of the message - does it reflect the mission of the organisation - what outcome/s are you ideally wanting - what impact do you want the message to have and in what way

"KISS YOUR AUDIENCE" Embrace the KISS principle with your target ('Keep it simple and straightforward', or the shorter version, 'Keep it simple, stupid'). Communication shouldn't be needlessly intricate. In today's world, people face numerous distractions and have limited time to grasp your message. Here is an example of how you can apply the KISS principle to your communication: Instead of: "The new software will provide a more efficient way to manage your inventory." You could say: "The new software will make it easier to track your inventory and keep it up-to-date." Put this into action, and thank me later.

It is very rare for the first draft of a message to be ready for delivery. Anticipate and allow time to draft and revise, ponder and revise, re-read and revise, test and revise, reconsider and revise. Ask other people to react to your draft. Come back to your draft after time away. Polish, polish, and polish some more. Excise extraneous verbiage. Tighten or loosen. Find a rhythm. Make it sing.

Your message should reflect your style of communication, but should resonate with your audience. It should inform and inspire, but also meet your audience where they are in their journey. The messaging may change over time, depending on what your audience needs to do with it. So you cannot expect to say the same thing the same way each time. Early on your language may be elevated or inspiring. Later on, however it may need to change to a more tactical type of message.

Think about how you want to deliver the message in terms of style and manner. If this is a message that you are personally delivering be very clear on not just what you are delivering but how you are giving to it the other party. Often the style and manner of delivery is lost to the actual message and the impact is lessened. Beforehand be 100% clear on the impact you want to leave the other person and what, if anything, you would like them to do different from engaging with your message. This will help shape your approach in terms of how you show up. Good luck!

Part of the delivery is the platform you’re using. If you want to go in-depth and reach decision makers, a newsletter or LinkedIn post would be a great platform for that. If you have a shorter message that can be delivered in an entertaining way, then opt for Instagram or TikTok. My Comms professor years ago taught me the phrase “the medium is the message.” There is no doubt that the phrase rings true to this day!

Timing is also key, In other words your message should be communicated at the right moment because it helps your target audience to react to your message, helps stakeholders cope uncertainty and create a trusted environment in times of crisis.

Delivering your message is more than just transacting messaging in whatever form that takes (verbal, written, video) but actually ‘delivering’, eg ensuring the communication lands as you intend. This takes planning, consideration and practice. Communication may be clear to ourselves yet can be interpreted differently by others, therefore it’s essential to take a fresh perspective on the messaging to be shared and how you deliver this to the audience. Consider how your planned delivery can enhance and even potentially hinder what you are trying to achieve, and adjust accordingly. Giving focus and effort to the delivery will ultimately help your communication goals.

Il est également crucial de personnaliser votre message en fonction des besoins spécifiques de votre public, en utilisant des exemples concrets et des anecdotes pertinentes. En favorisant une communication bidirectionnelle, vous créez une interaction plus significative, renforçant ainsi la réception positive de votre message. En outre, veillez à structurer votre message de manière claire et concise, en mettant en évidence les points clés pour une meilleure compréhension. L'utilisation d'éléments visuels, tels que des supports visuels ou des démonstrations, peut également renforcer l'impact de votre message, facilitant ainsi son assimilation par votre public.

In delivering your own message, also consider what messages those you are meeting are also seeking to land. Map out their potential objectives for a meeting, and potentially how they overlap. Where they do - particularly with government audiences - moving swiftly to this shared space can deliver significant dividends.

Evaluating the effectiveness of your communication strategy is as critical as the content you are trying to convey. Taking into consideration your audience, channel, content and delivery is great in preparation - however the response of your audience (either in real-time or thereafter) will demonstrate back to you if your desired outcome has been achieved. In the words of Stephen Covey: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood® - active listening, asking for feedback & observing your audiences' reactions is key to understanding their perspective on what has been relayed. Acknowledgement that others' perception is their reality, learning from & making adjustments will contribute to your successful communication in future.

Based on my observations, we should go beyond using metrics such, as awareness and loyalty when evaluating. It's important to consider aspects that are often overlooked by methods. In todays data driven world relying on factors can limit our perspective. To gain insights into stakeholder responses it's valuable to incorporate evaluations or sentiment analysis. By adding these layers of nuanced data we can not improve how we deliver our message but also enhance the underlying concepts behind it. Evaluation is not a one time event but an ongoing process in a dialogue with each iteration paving the way, for more effective communication.

Une évaluation approfondie de votre communication permet non seulement d'ajuster votre stratégie, mais aussi de renforcer la pertinence de vos futurs messages. En intégrant les retours et en tirant des enseignements, vous créez une boucle d'amélioration continue pour maximiser l'efficacité de votre communication. Intégrer une approche itérative dans votre processus d'évaluation en vous adaptant aux évolutions du contexte et aux retours continus. Cette flexibilité permet d'optimiser constamment votre communication, assurant ainsi une résonance accrue avec votre public cible.

I always try to keep it simple. Too often people over think plans and strategies, so by the time you get to the evaluation you 'can't see the wood for the trees'. Just look at how much data you can get from a single linked post! Fundamentally you need to know what worked and what didn't. If it didn't - why? You're evaluation should be linked to the objectives you set in the strategy, that way you should be able to keep to one path and not let the data pull you in 50 directions i.e. you wanted to gain 50 new followers by X date. Did you? if not why? learn from it and improve. I've seen people pull out a tonne of numbers which have nothing to do with the original strategy - just a waste of time. So, keep it simple, and keep improving.

Evaluating your communication is essential to ensure that your message is having the desired impact. This involves monitoring the response to your message and making adjustments as needed. For example, if your message is not resonating with your target audience, you may need to adjust your approach or change your message. By evaluating your communication, you can ensure that your message is having the desired impact and increase the chances of success.

Apologies for the 'golden thread' of the Communications Champions Networks running through all my answers. But they are just as relevant to this question. I mentioned earlier that each CCN member knows their teams and colleagues like no-one else. So, it makes sense to use them to gather feedback - whether it be purely anecdotal, or by a simple straw poll about a couple of items. I'd advise against a survey when dealing with CCNs, as they're a little too formal. Happy to help anyone on establishing a CCN, how to mentor members, and how to keep them active.

Avaliações periódicas dizem muito sobre nossa atuação. Se não tiver artefatos ou orçamento, apenas converse com seu público. Esteja onde ele está, faça algumas perguntas. Jacob Nielsen dizia que uma pessoa entrevistada era 100% melhor que nenhuma. É sobre isso.

The last point I'd add is "own the outcome." What great communication pros have in common with great CEOs is that they hold themselves accountable for the organization fulfilling the outcomes they seek. Owning outcomes is what transforms communication pros from being "support staff" to being genuine leaders - even if we aren't heading up the org chart.

Speed. You mustn't hang about if you have a complex communication challenge in front of you. The longer you leave it, the more other people - often critics and rivals - will fill that space for you with their own narrative. If you take too long, people will think you're dithering and hoping things will blow over. You can't be seen that way. Ensure you have a slick and efficient sign-off process to get your communication out there. But don't do it too quickly. Take a breath, of course. Mistakes are made when things are rushed. But being careful and measured isn't an excuse for a sluggish pace.

The who, what, why, where, how are all covered, but the when is missing in the mix. Knowing when to communicate and when to hold back, for example. And the different dimensions to do with time: how long, how short, how fast, how slow, how soon, how delayed. Timing often speaks louder than words and can be pivotal. Knowing how to use it well can mean success or failure. As William Shakespeare said: "Make use of time, let not advantage slip."

Another thing to remember is to be consistent. Consistency helps to affirm brand identity, especially when complexity is a factor in the communication process. As a leader it is important to be a constant source of clear, concise information that can guide your team and help maintain this fundamental consistency both internally and externally.

A final, but imperative consideration: These efforts will fall flat if you don’t yet have a foundation of psychological safety. The brain's limbic system is a highly sensitive threat detector. When it perceives a threat, such as the disapproval of a boss or negative performance feedback, it triggers defense mechanisms. These mechanisms not only hinder communication but also consume mental energy, making it difficult for others to truly hear and trust you. By prioritizing a foundation of psychological safety, individuals will have the necessary mental capacity to engage in productive dialogue. This sets the stage for your additional strategic communication efforts to be more effective.

As a communicator, one concept that I have found beneficial is to envision myself as a bridge builder. My objective extends beyond the mere presentation of information; rather, it involves the task of bridging gaps in clarity and understanding. Embracing this perspective equips me to adeptly employ tools tailored to distinct scenarios and audiences. For instance, while silence can wield remarkable power in specific situations, it might prove unsuitable or even unkind in others. As effective communicators, we must consistently enhance our toolkit and refine our ability to utilize its components. These include elements such as tone, storytelling, body language, attentive listening, thoughtful questioning, and empathy—to mention just a few.

A valuable practice I learnt from an author as an undergraduate student was the ‘see it through citation research’ model. If you are approaching a new subject and want to do a deep dive, start looking at the citations within texts and follow where they take you to, then just rinse and repeat. This will do among others three things; (1) it will highlight the academic landscape on the topic and stress the thoughts, trends, and focal points within the subject; (2) in turn this will allow you to understand interlinkages and potential evidence of group think or trends as to certain thought patterns, authors, etc.; (3) ultimately this will also give you a better overview of the audience and stakeholders you will want to communicate with.

In communication, the concept of "active listening" is vital. It's not just about hearing the words, but understanding the message being conveyed. It involves giving feedback, summarizing the speaker's points, and asking questions for clarification. This fosters better understanding and makes the speaker feel valued, thus enhancing the effectiveness of communication.

Strategic communications involves integrating knowledge from diverse areas like branding, marketing, data analytics, crisis management, anthropology and human psychology, digital strategy, public affairs and more. Success requires an agile strategy (answering "why" and "what") and a detailed plan (answering "how"). This integrated approach gives context and meaning to the physical expressions of an organization's messaging. The assets developed and deployed in the execution of the plan help empower teams across an organization to communicate with various stakeholder groups in a cohesive, coherent, and consistent manner.