Self-Help Culture

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What is the boundary between a healthy self-help culture and an organisational silo?

And, where do you go next when your central/corporate advice has been politely but flatly refused?

A degree of self-help is healthy in any organisation - but guerilla activity of varying quality can create an uncoordinated messy communications environment with clogged channels.

And this can make even your perfectly-managed and manicured corporate channels uneffective.

So, in my book, before you get to your funky all singing and dancing web 2.0 portals and pull-only information, a bit of pruning and air traffic control is needed.

My solution. An Internal Communications Network. Let’s break down those barriers and encourage guided self-help along prescribed channels.

So, what does any Internal Communications Network offer?

• A chance to meet other people, from all levels of the organisation, who play a role in communicating to staff (either across the organisation, or within particular parts of the organisation)
• An opportunity to co-ordinate your activity with others so that certain stakeholders aren’t inundated with conflicting messages at particular times
• Access to training opportunities including cross-training from other members of the Network
• Input into organisation-wide communications approaches, project and channels
• Relationship building with owners of key institutional channels

And what’s in in for the Comms Manager?

• Relationship building with  those important people so they are less likely to refuse your advice
• Opportunity to upskill those important people
• An insight into what’s going on in the organisation
• A feed for stories for publications
• A sounding board for ideas
• Honest info about how people are feeling and what they are thinking

My final top tips is to keep it informal, relaxed is best - you’re more likely to get undefensive honesty rather than party line backwatching.

So, the inaugural lunch of the IC Network at this organisation is next Thursday…

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