Just reading the comments banter over at a post about some internal communications challenges at the BBC. Hat tip to Johnnie for pointing the way.
Predictably, there was a bit of back and forth between a “comms professional” and the 2.0 crowd. The comms professional says that organizational communications should be “layered across a range of media and through both formal and informal interactions. The overall effect will always be cumulative”. The original post by Euan said that the forums on their internal bulletin board, talk.gateway, “had done more to engender a one BBC feel than any of the official activities”.
The way I see it, organizations have little to no difficulty generating reams of internal memos and corporate speak. Without any further effort or thought, your business can likely churn this stuff out at a rate that will keep your recycle bins overflowing for months to come.
So leave it alone. I know it’s fashionable to speak of balance, etc. But I suggest you overcorrect. Focus ALL your communications energy on participating in the conversation that is already taking place. Focus exclusively on informal communications. Don’t speak to your company, be in conversation with them.
You’ve been trying the formal communications bit for the last ten years; why not give conversation a try for six months. If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back.
