24 October 2008
Nordic Research Forum lifts off
Melcrum launches new group for Scandinavian communicators.
After many years of success with its Strategic Communication Research Forum based in London, Melcrum has recently launched a similar group specifically to help large organizations with headquarters or a large presence in Scandinavian countries.
The first meeting of the Scandinavian Strategic Communication Research Forum was held at Ericsson's headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.
Senior communicators from many of Scandinavia's leading and high-profile organizations including Volvo, Nokia, Electrolux and Ericsson joined Melcrum's founder and director of the Strategic Communication Research Forum, Victoria Mellor, alongside forum associate director Per Zetterquist (pictured, right).
What's the Forum?
These senior communicators gathered to hear Melcrum's top-level findings on best practices in executive leadership communication and benchmark against the rest of the group on their own organization's performance.
The Scandinavian Forum is part of Melcrum's Forum network, which started in London in 2004 and now also includes the Asia-Pacific region. Members attend quarterly Forum meetings, receive top-level support, decide what research Melcrum undertakes, in addition to various other benefits that support the team from the top to the bottom.
Zetterquist, former VP internal communication at Ericsson, has fond memories of being an original Forum member, "I remember how inspiring it was to meet with peers from other large organizations with similar issues."
I remember how inspiring it was to meet with peers from other large organizations with similar issues.
"A Scandinavian Forum where discussion can be adapted to regional circumstances will make the findings even more interesting to learn from."
Introducing a new internal comms framework
Participants at the launch were privy to Melcrum's new definitive internal communication framework.
They discussed and debated the applications of this framework with managers and team members and had the opportunity to provide their opinion on changes they'd like to see Melcrum make to the framework over the coming months.
Zetterquist was impressed by the openness and lack of ego that dominated the first meeting: "You'd think that certain large competitive organizations would have problems meeting to discuss sensitive, strategic issues. Wrong. Everyone recognized the opportunity they had to share experience and expertise."
Future research ideas
The meeting concluded with members selecting topics of interest for future research projects to be presented at the next meeting in early 2009.
Three issues that seemed to be particularly popular were:
- how best to motivate employees during times of change;
- communicating with hard-to-reach audiences; and
- using social media effectively.
You'd think large competitive organizations would have problems discussing strategic issues. Wrong.
Zetterquist says he hopes more Danish, Norwegian and Finnish companies will join in the future as "diversity is a strength."
If you'd like more information on the Scandinavian, London or Asia-Pacific Strategic Communication Research Forums, please email Phil Harrington or call: +44 (0) 20 8600 4699.
Have your say
How do you benchmark against other organizations in your sector? Do you use internal benchmarking? Do you see it as a valuable exercise? In your experience, how do you think internal communication varies throughout the world? Let us know your thoughts, below.
Recommended resources:
TOP TIPS: How to plan a benchmarking initiative
Melcrum report: 21st Century Leadership Communication
An appeal from CEOs to internal communication professionals
How Columbia Gas benchmarked its communication performance
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