Strategies for organizational and internal communications (G034)

Workshops > Government > Complete List > Organizational Communications

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

Organizations and communicators most often focus on external audiences and development of strategies to communicate effectively with them. While the communications environment and challenges may be different, the need for a strategic planned approach to internal communications and its tools and techniques is the same. How well or poorly internal communication is undertaken affects both individual job satisfaction and achievement of organizational goals and objectives.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

The workshop will focus on:

  • What is internal communications -- principles, linkages and definitions
  • Key issues and drivers of internal communications
  • Internal communications systems and approaches
  • What makes internal communications effective
  • Best internal communications practices
  • Linkages to external communication
  • An integrated strategic approach to planning, developing and implementing internal communications
  • Understanding the internal communications environment
  • The importance of research
  • Using the right tools and techniques
  • The essential role of monitoring and evaluation

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

  • Workbook with checklists, how-to procedures/reminders and templates
  • Exercise hand-outs

Agenda Day 1

 

8:45 - 9:00 AM

Introductions and Expectations

9:00 - 10:15 AM

What is Internal Communications -- Definitions and Approaches

  • Government of Canada Communications Policy
  • Effective organizational communications
  • Organizational and employee communications needs
  • Principles and challenges of effective internal communications
  • Different types, flows and applications of internal communications
  • ABCs of internal communications system

Mini-Exercise: Internal communications Health Quiz

10:30 - 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 - 12:15 PM

Effective Internal Communications - Getting Started and Being Strategic

  • Guiding principles
  • Strategic communications - links between internal and external communications
  • Strategic internal communications sequence and template
  • Determining our situation and understanding the drivers

Case Study Exercise: Understanding internal communications drivers and identifying research needs

12:15 - 1:15 PM

Lunch

1:15 - 2:45 PM

Analyzing the Internal Communications Environment

  • Communications issues, challenges and opportunities
  • Defining and understanding the differences
  • Issues management
  • Developing the strategic approach

Case Study Exercise: Identifying strategic issues, communications challenges and developing a strategic communications approach

2:45 - 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 - 4:30 PM

Determining Our Response - Setting Goals, Objectives and Results

  • Differences between goals, objectives, results and performance indicators
  • Understanding, developing and defining results
  • Importance of realistic performance indicators
  • The role of baseline data

Case Study Exercise: Developing internal communications objectives, results and performance indicators

4:30 - 4:45 PM

Wrap-up


Agenda Day 2

 

8:50 - 10:30 AM

Pre-requisites of Successful Internal Communications

  • Essential principles of strategic internal communications
  • Focus on employee-driven communications
  • Audience segmentation
  • Strategic importance of messaging

Case Study Exercise: Identifying key audience groups and developing core messages

10:30 - 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 - 12:15 AM

Reaching our Audiences - Tools and Distribution

  • What works and what does not
  • Face-to-face and mediated communications
  • What does not work
  • Impact mapping and assessment of distribution vehicles

Case Study Exercise: Identify and rationalize the use of different tools and distribution vehicles for communicating with specific audiences

12:15 - 1:15 PM

Lunch

1:15 - 2:45 PM

Monitoring and Evaluation of Internal Communications

  • How do we know what, why and when do we need to measure?
  • Using the right tools and techniques
  • Results-based Management and Accountability Framework (RMAF)
  • Developing your own measurement framework

Case Study Exercise: Developing and rationalizing a performance measurement framework

2:45 - 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 - 4:30 PM

Assessing Risks and Implementing the Strategy

  • The importance of resources
  • Determining and assessing risks
  • Encountering a crisis
  • Developing an action plan and implementing the strategy

Case Study Exercise: Assessing basic risks and developing an action plan

4:30 - 4:45 PM

Wrap-up and Workshop Evaluation

Instructor

Josef Jurkovic

Josef Jurkovic is a CEC director and President of Paradigm Communications with extensive experience as a strategic communications, marketing and international public affairs specialist.

read bio

 


Stephen Goban

A CEC director, and principal of SBG & Associates, Mr. Goban has undertaken marketing and strategic communications for companies, associations and government departments.

read bio

When, Where How much?

October 7-8, 2008

Suite 205, 223 Colonnade Road
South, Ottawa

$ 1350 (+ tax)

Register for a workshop

Online

By mail

The Centre for Excellence in Communications
Suite 214,
223 Colonnade Rd South
Ottawa, Ontario,
K2E 7K3

By email

registration@comcec.com

By telephone

(613) 233 2175

By fax

(613) 233 7617

E-mail Updates

Testimonials

"This course gave me the framework I was so desperately craving to give our internal communications a more formal structure"

"I'm less sensitive now to the notion of communications as a "soft" skill"

"The handouts and references are excellent tools to continue learning after the course"