Why your people leaders might just be your best digital internal communication “channel”

2020 has been the year of Internal Communications. With many employees now operating at a distance and an urgent need for agile, rapid comms, the function has seen a record rise in both strategic influence and importance. The focus: putting digital tools and channels in place for people to connect, collaborate and ideate from anywhere. (By 2023, the social software and collaboration market is on track to reach $4.8 billion, doubling its size.)

With a selection of increasingly specialised digital tools, our comms channel mix has the potential to be more streamlined and versatile than ever before. But are we deprioritising other important channels and tools in the process? At We Are Unity, we’re passionate defenders of the role leaders play in delivering and driving internal communications. This blog aims to unpack why (and how) we need to keep investing in our leaders, and help them reposition their role as a digital communication channel themselves, delivering messages and connecting screen-to-screen. 

Why are leaders such a valuable communication channel?

A recent study on face-to-face vs. digital/non-verbal communication found that meaningful face‐to‐face interactions predicted an increase in self‐esteem and delivered a longer lasting impact than digital interactions (which seem to be more fleeting). This is partly because non-verbal cues such as gesture, gaze, tone, and body language are present in face‐to‐face settings (whether on screen or IRL) but are not present in some forms of digital communication. Our recent ‘COVID-19: Crisis or Catalyst’ report also identified that driving results at pace required leaders to demonstrate empathy and connectedness, whilst proactively nurture relationships with employees. So how can we equip our leaders to create meaningful face-to-face interactions with people they may only ever reach through a screen?

Our top three tips (and one spoiler) to mobilising your ‘Leader Channel’

1. Flex their communication muscles

Unlike hitting the upload button on a piece of digital content, effective communication isn’t a skill we can simply switch on. To deliver influential (and meaningful) communication, we need to proactively train this muscle in our leaders. Five foundational skills we believe will set all leaders up for success are:

Know your audience - Identify and understand different personality types to communicate with agility and flex.  

Tone of voice - Understand your own tone of voice, and what specific language will create the most impact.

Storytelling – Use storytelling to deliver powerful, impactful stories that win hearts and minds.

Winning the room - Build a commanding presence and emotionally connect with your audience through body language (especially important if connecting via screen).

Psychological safety - Identify and manage psychologically unsafe behaviours, building an open and transparent culture which encourages contribution and participation.

2. What you put in is what you get out

To ensure leaders are set up for success, they must have the materials and tools to land a compelling and consistent message. Craft a narrative that unpacks what you want to communicate and your leaders can let their storytelling shine. Break down the language you want your leaders to use so they can nail that tone of voice. Outline the sentiment you want your message to convey so they can connect emotionally with their audience. Not only will you help them build their communication capabilities, you’ll be strengthening your message through consistency of delivery.
 

3. Get the mix right

We believe in choosing communication channels by outcomes over outputs. Plot your communication strategy and choice of channel by the type of response you’re trying to drive with your audience. We use a simple framework that assesses which channels are effective for; Awareness, Knowledge, Consideration, Action. Even with the added barrier of a laptop screen, face-to-face interactions leave a longer lasting impact, so consider using your leader channel where Consideration and Action are required. Measuring the effectiveness of your communication channels regularly will make sure you’re getting the mix right.

Example Communication Channel Framework;

Spoiler Alert: The most effective leaders in your business aren’t always ‘Leaders’ by hierarchy

Some of the most influential people in your organisation won’t be on Leadership Teams or SteerCos. By using tools that measure communication patterns and flow in your organisation (most of these plug into your existing channels), you can identify a whole new cohort of “leaders” to connect and inspire your people. Think about how you make these influencers part of your Internal Communication Strategy too. 

We Are Unity is focussed on equipping leaders with the right capabilities to thrive in an evolving working world. We currently provide bespoke training modules on all of the five foundational skills mentioned above, so if you want to talk about building communication muscle or all things Internal Communications get in touch with our team at hello@weareunity.com