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In times of change, communications matter




At our last Strengths Unleashed Partner meeting, we welcomed Aimee Christian, Ph.D., global comms expert, to talk to us about the place of comms in times of great change.


Aimee and I met 15 years ago at Syngenta Lawn and Garden, and she has gone on to a stellar career in companies such as Amgen, Sanofi and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. In the interest of sharing, we've rounded up some of the most compelling insights for you to see:


  1. To change behaviours, people need to hear what you are communicating 7 different times in 7 different ways. It may feel like you’re repeating yourself. You are! Have the structure and discipline to see it through if you are serious about change.

 

  1. Consider how people communicate - are they direct, considerate, analytical or spirited? Tailor your messages accordingly. Be sure to think about multigenerational audiences too. Understanding how people communicate can help the message land, even when times are tough. 

 

  1. Words matter so be aware of the impact of the words you use! Particularly in positions of power…people are looking at every angle, listening to and interpreting every word and every message. Be thoughtful.

 

  1. Start with the “Why?” Borrowing a page from Simon Sinek, because once you have your authentic narrative, you can encourage connection. Folks may not like what is happening in an organisation, but if they understand why it is happening, you can take them on the journey with you. Connecting teams to an authentic narrative and taking them on the journey takes time and effort but well worth both!

 

  1. ChatGPT and other AI tools are great partners. However, people-centric communications still need to be curated by humans. We need to discover how to optimally partner with this emerging technology, not worry about how AI will replace the important work we do.

 

  1. And finally, in today's world, it may feel overwhelming but it’s not over. We are living in a high-volume world of information and misinformation - discernment is crucial and difficult. Choose to remain optimistic.

 

"Overwhelming but it's not over" really struck a chord with me. We can allow ourselves to lose hope or we can choose to be hopeful. I choose to be hopeful.


 
 
 

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