People are still people

Tomorrow marks 43 years since Depeche Mode released their first album in the UK. 43 YEARS! Where has that time gone?! Anyway, it made me recall this piece from five years ago, which I feel still holds true...

I suspect few would have synth-pop legends Depeche Mode down as pioneers of employee engagement. But the more complex that participants in this field try to make it, the more their simple refrain ‘People are people’ appeals.

The articulation and application of labels to groups in the workforce has almost become an industry in its own right. To be fair, it’s not just this profession: many protagonists have helped to light the fire, but we avidly fan the flames. And I’m not sure it’s doing us or our organisations any favours.

Supporters argue that such segmentation helps us make sense of changing workforce needs. Detractors say that it introduces massive generalisations that don’t help anyone.

Cynics might argue that developing new labels provides an opportunity to sell something different.

There’s probably some truth in each case. But I feel that developing labels has become a distraction from our core challenge of understanding and responding to the needs of our particular organisations and their people.  

Let’s get back to some basics and the principles that those boys from Basildon espoused more than 30 years ago. Let’s understand our people as they are. Not through the lens of a label that is foisted upon them. 

Simplicity scores

Ever seen an organisation with a 50-slide corporate narrative?

I was reminded of one last week. It was one of those decks where the authors - and I suspect there were many of them - used an awful lot of words without saying much at all.

Apart from the challenge of wading through such a lot of material, how is any reader going to identify and assimilate key messages? How is anyone expected to use the document as a practical tool to aid engagement with stakeholders?

If you can’t get your core story on a page, then you have too complex a story. It’s time to review, prioritise and refine the content. There are ways of expanding or amplifying its themes for different audiences, adding more depth or detail when required for specific groups, but the core story should always be clear, compelling and – crucially – concise. Otherwise it will not do the job your company needs it to.

Comeback kids

 For some reason, it seems appropriate to explore comebacks this week…

The return of indie/rock/choose-your-label band Oasis after 15 years (big news here in the UK) led me to think about the wisdom of returning to a former role or workplace.

I’m sure many of us have considered that in the past, weighing up the merits of starting a second act with the same colleagues and employer. But is it wise to rekindle the relationship? After all, we all had reasons for leaving in the first place…

I had a similar opportunity many (many!) years ago, and chose not to. Then again, I know others who have gone back and felt like they had never been away.

I love to hear those experiences, as they show the employer/employee relationship can be rekindled for mutual success. But I guess there are many others that don’t end as well.

Time will tell whether this week’s comeback goes as planned!

Purpose must be practical

I am a big fan of articulating an organisation’s purpose, but only if it is accompanied by action.  

A purpose statement might read wonderfully and look lovely on a slide or website. But what are companies doing to engage employees in what the purpose actually means? To help teams and individuals align activities? To introduce it to new (or potential) colleagues?

Ideally, employees will have already contributed to shaping the purpose by sharing views of why the organisation exists and what difference it makes. Even if they have – and especially if they haven’t – the company has to help them understand what an articulated purpose should mean for their work. Guide them on how to put it into practice. Equip teams to challenge their own behaviours and strengthen alignment.

That’s why any purpose statement should be a practical tool, not just a fine set of words. The articulation is just the starting point of a process to embed what it really means across the company. Without that, any statement risks becoming a house built on sand.

What do I do now?

 “What do I do now?”, asked the UK band Sleeper some years ago.     

Admittedly, this was in a very different context to internal  communication, but I was reminded of it last week, having seen some (non-client!) communications that lacked a clear call to action. Why put so much effort into developing materials that connect with your audience, but then fail to show them what’s next?

This only creates frustration among readers. No matter what the topic, or the channel(s) you’re using, provide a clear route forward (e.g. specific actions, sources of further information, feedback loops). Don’t leave them guessing or trying to work it out for themselves.

And if you know the Sleeper song I mentioned, you now have an earworm for the rest of the day. You’re welcome.

Sing for your supper?

Many years ago, Nick Wright and I were working on a major change project for a global organisation. We were discussing communication activities and opportunities, when someone mentioned the existence of a company song.

Not a piece of music. Not a ‘sting’ used regularly at company conferences. But an actual song, with lyrics penned and crooned by employees.

Hush descended on the meeting, as if this were a secret the team did not wish to come out. And I can’t share a snippet of it, or even provide a review, as we never got to hear it. Despite asking several times!

It is still the only one I have come across in a client organisation, despite nearly 30 years in this field. However, I know there are others out there…

10 thoughts at 10

 A few weeks  ago, as Sweet Comms celebrated its 10^th birthday, I promised to  share some suggestions for anyone else thinking about starting their own business. Some are more serious than others!

1.     Start before you start – LinkedIn gives you the chance to find and re-connect with people who might otherwise be long lost to you. Time spent building your network will never be wasted. 

2.     Decide on your ideal day – I’ve blogged on this before, but when I was thinking of starting Sweet Comms, someone asked me a deceptively powerful question: “What is your ideal day?”. This really helped me articulate what I wanted us to focus on.   

3.     Love coffee – or tea, or whatever your poison may be. I have been a significant contributor to the coffee industry since I started this business, meeting a wide range of people in-person or virtually, always with coffee cup in hand. I have loved those interactions and they have been really important to the business.   

4.     Be yourself – LinkedIn is full of people crowing about drinking power shakes at 2 a.m. or the workouts they completed while I was still snoring. Running a business is intense and exhilarating, but you don’t need to be something you’re not. Ignore the noise. 

5.     Focus on what matters – I’m not an entrepreneur and never will be. My colleagues and I stick to what we are good at through the support we give our treasured clients. Don’t spread yourself too thinly or in too many directions, you could lose clarity and focus. 

6.      Involve others – I’m grateful for a lot of support, not only from clients and colleagues but also from partners and people from my network who have popped up with words of advice or encouragement. Don’t be afraid to ask, if only for a second opinion. 

7.     Get the right tech – you can waste a LOT of time and money on technology. And unless you’re clear on what you need, potential suppliers of new tools or platforms may never leave you alone. Explore and obtain the right things for you, not the latest shiny new toy. 

8.     Carve time for learning – clients are of course your main focus, but don’t neglect yourself. Early on, I realised that being ’head down’ on work all the time meant I missed opportunities to learn new things and connect with peers. 

9.      Spend money on a decent shredder – anything else is a false economy! 

10.  Learn to count – something I failed to do for this post. 

There is loads more I could say, but I’ll stop at 10 (ok, nine). If you’re considering taking a similar path, I hope at least some of this is helpful.