Welcome to the 21st edition of Intraskope’s Spotlight Series featuring Paul Matthews, a speaker, mentor and coach. Paul has authored SWITCH: From Telling to Trusting, a top ten bestseller and helps people leaders inspire and unite the workforce. We discussed the value of trust in workplace communication and what it means for organizations to involve and engage – not just tell. Watch this video to gain insights from Paul on the nuances of building trust through communication.
Watch this interview with Paul to learn more.
In the Spotlight on Internal Communications Series, I talk to thought leaders on topics interrelated with internal communications such as culture, crisis, change, executive presence and leadership. The goal is to help unravel why they matter, what can leaders and communicators learn from experts and how we can put insights to practice.
Interview
1. What is the relevance of trust in communications?
We can’t tell employees what to do. The workforce has evolved and are more sophisticated than ever. Leaders used to be able to rely on hierarchy and authority to get things done. Employees these days are savvier and more mobile. They want to be involved. Trust is the essence of leading now, not telling.
2. How can trust be built through communication?
Telling employees and one way communication only shuts employees down. Creating conversations ignite employees. So, involvement and inclusion are vital.Â
3. What can internal communicators do more to build trust among stakeholders?
A few things we should be doing are
-helping the organization understand the workforce is vital: we can’t support a workforce if we don’t know what makes them tick
– using channels and content that employees trust
– empowering leaders to communicate: they are the greatest driver of performance.
4. With trust eroding (Trust Barometer) among leaders, what are the risks and opportunities for organizations and communicators?
There is a real opportunity for business leaders and CEOs to help with community problems. We have an opportunity to lift the impact of our businesses with external and internal trust building. The Edelman Trust Barometer shows that employee communication can have a profound impact externally. We should be considering our employees as monitors, ambassadors, advocates, spokespeople, envoys and community leaders. Not just messengers for the business: that is an old school idea.
5. How can one measure if trust is increasing?
Trust is hard to measure but when it’s there you know. In high trust organizations they see high performance, high engagement, high safety and high employee and customer satisfaction.
6. What can communicators do to improve impact?
Investing in better leader communication capability is a sure bet. When we lift leaders, we lift everyone. Trust ascends when leader impact improves. We all benefit from that. Coaching and advising leaders is out priority as communicators.
Watch the complete video interview on YouTube or read the complete transcript above.
Missed the earlier episodes? Watch them here: D. Mark Schumann (Culture), Peter Yorke (Executive Presence), Sia Papageorgiou (Leadership Communications), Dianne Chase (Strategic Storytelling), Gloria Walker (Communication Planning), Rebecca Sangster-Kelly (Stakeholder Management), Ray Walsh (Localizing Employee Communications), Prof. Matt Tidwell (Reputation), Geri Rhoades (Manager Communications), Erik K Meyers (Business Acumen), Russell-Olivia Brooklands (IC Practice Governance), Paul Barton (Public Speaking and Business Communication), Cyrus Mavalwala (Digital Communication), Elvera N Makki (Social Impact Communication), Philippe Borremans (Communication Preparedness) and Magdalena Petryniak (Influence in Communications), Priya Bates (Communicating Diversity & Inclusion), Zora Artis (Communication Alignment), Diana Bonczar (Communication Execution) and Jane McConnell (Gig Mindset).
 You can also look up the ongoing Intraskope’s Spotlight on Internal Communication Series featuring practitioners from around the globe sharing best practices and perspectives.
Liked the interview? Post your comments and share it with your network.
Keen to participate in the ongoing series on Personal Branding, Crisis Communications, Internal Communications or CSR Communications? Drop me a note at [email protected]
Here are Internal Communications resources you can use:
- Learn: Internal Communications Fundamentals Course on Thinkific
- Internal Communications Series: https://forms.gle/KcqmPzLwq7NQi5Km6
- Chat with Aniisu – Internal Communications: https://www.instamojo.com/intraskope/connect-with-aniisu-60-minute-personalized-d/?ref=store
- Internal Communications workshops: https://bit.ly/2zdBRl1
You can also visit my website www.intraskope.com and You Tube channel to know more about my work.
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