How can leaders whose lived experience is so different from those they are appointed to lead ever be ‘in touch’ with what those people think and feel? The answer lies in the competence of the people they surround themselves with and the quality of the advice those people dispense. The equation is simple to understand. No good advice = poor leadership.
Some might perceive the servant leader as being an example of a weak and ineffectual management style, and a risk to the organisation achieving its objectives and success, particularly in workplaces where command and control has historically dominated the culture. But, done well, servant leadership is anything but this.
We have barely begun our period of mourning and our grief is raw. There is some comfort to be had.
It’s surprising what some people working in the internal communications profession, and organisational stakeholders, think we should have responsibility for. We should be careful what we claim ownership of, willingly or through coercion.
When you are presented with a task or challenge of elephantine proportions, that at first seems insurmountable, how can you tackle it and what lessons can be learnt from the experience?
Senior leaders who stick around after they have said they are leaving are rarely an asset for an organisation or institution. And, they are the cause of a real headache for any internal communicator trying to establish a new strategic narrative if they do.
Communication can’t fix every problem. Internal communicators need to be realistic about what we can achieve, and if communication isn’t a remedy for a problem or issue then we should back off.
When it comes to diminished professional confidence, The Curse of Cassandra is potentially more damaging than Imposter Syndrome. It is very easy to be ignored or overlooked in PR and internal communication, and have your ideas and views obscured by louder, more popular or branded voices, however valid your point of view or prophecy.
Scepticism is sometimes perceived as a negative mindset and is often confused with cynicism, but these two philosophical perspectives are quite different. Applying your inner sceptic to everyday internal communication and PR practice has the potential to deliver more effective and ethical outcomes.
‘The knowledge’ is the internal communicators secret weapon and the key to remaining relevant and effective in a world of work adapting to the impacts of the pandemic.
The IC Citizen 