How to Transform Internal Communications

Stop beating a dead intranet. If you’re leading employee communications, your job is NOT to shout carefully vetted messages from the ivory tower. Megaphones are for marching bands, not modern workplaces. The age of decreeing messages from the higher-ups with the expectation of silent compliance is over. We're in the era of dialogue, baby. The role of internal comms leaders is to create spaces where conversation flourishes—less shouting into the void and more stimulating discussion and debate. But organizations are still preaching from the corporate pulpit, expecting rapt attention from the masses. We're hoarding communication channels at the top while the rest of the organization starves for a voice. So why aren't companies democratizing communication? 1. Fear of relinquishing power: There's this stodgy notion that open communication equals chaos. In other words, fear rules the land, with lords worried about losing control if the serfs start having a say. 2. The illusion of open-door policies: Slapping an "open-door" label on a fundamentally closed communication system doesn't magically make it inclusive. 3. Hierarchical hangovers: The corporate ladder is still a thing, and it's casting long shadows over who gets to speak and who gets to listen. 4. Lack of tools (or will) to change: Either organizations are stuck with tools from the digital Stone Age, or there's resistance to adopting new platforms that foster open dialogue. But they should reconsider because… ⚡ Great ideas can come from anywhere, not just the C-suite. Open communication channels are where innovation thrives. ⚡ Employees who feel heard are employees who stick around.  ⚡A vibrant, open communication culture is the best kind of strategy an organization can hope to have. ⚡ When communication flows freely, trust follows. And in today's world, trust is the currency of choice. So, how can you get started democratizing your internal comms? 1. Adopt the right tools: Invest in platforms that are designed for the modern workplace, where dialogue, not monologue, is the default setting. Hint: your emailed internal newsletter and your creaky intranet site aren’t it. 2. Flatten the communication hierarchy: Encourage leaders to mingle in the digital town square, sharing, commenting and—most importantly—listening. 3. Train, don't just tell: Equip everyone with the skills to communicate effectively in an open environment. 4. Celebrate the voices: Recognize and reward those who contribute to the conversation. Make it known that every voice matters—and mean it.  #internalcommunications #employeecommunications #ThatAshleyAmber

Is poor communication killing your company? Poor communication in business is so common in organizations that many brush it off as just another corporate flaw. But, if left unchecked, it becomes a gateway to toxicity. When leaders fail to communicate clearly, consistently, and with purpose, confusion fills the void. People start guessing. Misinformation spreads. Distrust grows. And the gap between leadership and the rest of the organization widens. In many cases, it looks like this: - Leaders hold critical information close, sharing only what they think is necessary or maintains their control. - Internal updates lack meaning or connection to strategy, often sounding like corporate wallpaper. - The organization's employees don't know who its true stakeholders are, so external communication is shallow, inconsistent, or purely reactive. - Customers become abstract: mentioned in passing, but never truly understood, and often blamed when things go wrong. - Strategies, policies, and standards are written in a vacuum, ignoring employee and customer needs and feedback or what competitors are doing. How can you tell if you are drifting into toxic territory? Ask these questions: Are teams making up their own narratives about what's going on? Do important initiatives die in silence, without explanation? Are customers, employees, and/or partners expressing confusion or losing confidence. Do leaders dodge hard conversations or refuse to engage with uncomfortable feedback? Here’s how to turn this around before it breeds deeper, toxic problems: 1. Identify your key stakeholders. Map out exactly who needs to hear from you both internally and externally, and identify why and what they need to hear from you. 2. Consistently connect all of your communication to the business’s strategy and purpose. Make sure every message ties back to what you are trying to achieve and why it matters. 3. Be 100% transparent, especially when it is hard. Openly talk about risks, changes, and failures so people learn to trust your words. 4. Leverage structured channels that your audiences use. Provide regular updates, hold Q&A sessions, and conduct informal check-ins. Do not rely on rumors or one-off emails to keep people informed -- they don't work! 5. Make the customer real and evident. Bring customers into the work center, share customer stories and feedback, and provide competitive insights so your teams stay grounded in who they serve. Be a "Best Leader," not a toxic one. The best leaders use communication to pull people together around a shared mission, purpose, vision, and values. The toxic ones let silence or spin create a breeding ground for fear, blame, and speculation. What’s one way you could improve how you communicate vision, priorities, or problems with your team this week? ….. Follow me if you enjoy discussing business and success daily. Click on the double notification bell 🔔 to be informed when I post. ##betheeagle

The Hidden Rules of Change Communication: Why Most Organizations Get It Wrong After observing dozens of transformations, I've discovered a hard truth: Great strategy with poor communication, Is the perfect formula for failure. Here are the 5 Golden Rules that separate Successful transformations from the failures: 1. Start With WHY Begin all change communication with purpose, not process. ✅ Create a compelling story that connects to both organizational mission and personal growth. 2. Maintain Message Consistency Ensure core messages remain consistent across all channels and leaders. ✅ Develop a central message platform and create communication toolkits that keep everyone aligned. 3. Create Two-Way Dialogue Make listening as important as telling. ✅ Establish multiple feedback channels and visibly respond to input received. 4. Visualize the Journey Make change visible and tangible through visual communication. ✅ Create visual roadmaps and progress dashboards that make the abstract concrete. 5. Communicate With Radical Honesty Build trust through transparent communication, even when challenging. ✅ Address concerns directly and create safe environments for difficult conversations. Communication isn't just about transferring information. It's the operating system for successful transformations. Which rule do you find most challenging to implement?

Leaders -- Here’s the Harsh Truth About Communication. When I meet with a prospective client "partner" I often hear about their problems: poor/declining customer service, employee turnover, lack of engagement, retention issues, conflict, etc. All the typical "symptoms". And then once I start working with them, I find out the real disease: COMMUNICATION. My suggestion is always relatively simple. Communicate regularly. Planned. Scheduled. Various ways. No matter what. If you’re not intentionally and regularly communicating with your team, you are communicating—you’re just letting gossip, rumors, and speculation do it for you. Something always fills the VOID. When communication is irregular or reactive, here’s what fills the silence: 🚫 Rumors: Employees start guessing at decisions and motives. 🚫 Gossip: Small issues get inflated into full-blown problems. 🚫 Distrust: People stop believing the official word, even when you do share it. 🚫 Disconnection: Teams drift, priorities blur, and momentum dies. Your silence creates a vacuum—and nature (and workplace culture) hates a vacuum. The fix? Planned, consistent communication. Not just when there’s a crisis, not just when you “have time,” but on a predictable rhythm that your team can rely on. They NEED this. The simple fix: The 4x4 Communication Framework 4 Key Topics to cover every time: ✅ Wins & successes ✅ Challenges & roadblocks ✅ What’s coming next ✅ How the team is making an impact 4 Regular Touchpoints each month: Daily or Weekly team huddle (15 mins) Weekly written update (email or Slack post) Weekly or Bi-weekly one-on-ones (20–30 mins) Quarterly or Monthly all-hands or department meeting You may think you’re “too busy” to communicate like this. Here’s the truth: you’re already paying the cost of not doing it—low morale, disengagement, and mistrust. Regular, planned communication is not an extra task. It's just not a nice to have. It's a MUST have. It’s the bloodstream of your leadership. Need some help in getting started? Reach or DM me. I would love to chat with you!