17 April 2008
Sydney students solve strategy and planning issues
Black Belt Masterclass delves deep into strategic analysis.
The Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) in Sydney today hosted a second Internal Comms Black Belt Masterclass, this time on strategy and planning.
Facilitated by Melissa Dark (pictured, right), masterclass students worked through the first day of the 2-day syllabus and explored a range of strategic communication tools and models, together with in-depth strategic analysis of example case studies.
How can communications help a troubled business?
Splitting into syndicates for one exercise, the group of communicators from a range of industries including consumer goods, energy suppliers and financial services, were asked to identify issues surrounding the example company, “Winners Australia”.
Each team worked on developing potential solutions and highlighting areas where the internal communications function could help. Issues included:
- A decentralized internal communications function.
- Mixed cultures as the result of growth by acquisitions.
- A lack of global leadership.
Each team worked on developing potential solutions and highlighting areas where the internal communications function could help.
Potential solutions to the problems included:
- A full communications audit that helped to identify tools, channels and resources and an analysis of what was working and what wasn’t.
- Potentially revisiting the business strategy to analyze problems and identify where communications could fit in.
- Communicating to quell rumors that were damaging the company and lowering employee morale.
- Emphasizing the company’s excellent community work, also in counter to less than positive rumors as mentioned above.
Executive and team analysis by internal comms
In a further stage of the exercise, the syndicate groups also analyzed individual executives and departments including the chief financial officer and IT group, to determine how internal communications can play a role.
Hayley Dean (pictured, right), Hub member and employee communications specialist at Accenture Australia, said the class had already delivered on its promise.
“Obviously we’ve got a whole other day to go tomorrow, but there have been so many things that I know I’m going to be able to take away and use in my current role, it’s been fantastic."
The Strategy and Planning masterclass continues on Friday at MGSM, Sydney.
Have your say
Struggling to engage your employees in following company strategy? Need ideas to connect staff with company goals?
Discuss these issues with other comms practitioners by joining the Internal Comms Hub members' group on the Communicators' Network.
Other recommendations:
Hub member profile: Hayley Dean, Accenture
Linking communication strategy with organizational goals at the Royal Bank of Canada
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