Author: Kate Dunstan
Published: 21 February 2025
Most organisations start out small, so all the communication can happen in the weekly meeting. But as the firm grows, things change. Not everyone needs to know everything, the meetings get unwieldy, and vital information starts to fall through the cracks. You can’t remember who you told what. Sometimes cliques form and you can end up with some people in the know, and others not. The ‘haves’ thrive, and the ‘have nots’ leave. That’s not a surprising outcome, as it draws on two tenets of good management – that people need to be informed to do good work, and that people who feel excluded become unhappy or disruptive or both.
But back to communication. How can you tell when it’s time to bring in some form of internal communications? The signs are simple. First, there are lots of questions about things people should already know. Then the gossip takes over. Suddenly you find people are getting their information via word-of-mouth in the kitchen, and its rarely correct because the ‘facts’ are elaborated on when they pass from one person to another. Then you find people aren’t following instructions in the way you want them to.
As the organisation grows, so does management complexity. More people means more processes. Often it’s the need to bring in a new sophisticated process that highlights the need for change management, and therefore internal comms. As we’ve discussed before Change happens in communications, and it’s much harder to do that effectively if you haven’t already set up some form of internal channel. Depending on the size of your firm, this might be as simple as a management newsletter once a fortnight, or a whole program that includes town hall meetings, newsletters, and an intranet.
We’ve spoken before about how Communication shapes culture. Internal comms is more than information sharing. It’s a conversation, but it’s strategic. It’s how you communicate with your people to guide the development of your firm – to build the right culture, to get buy-in for projects, to share good news, and manage bad.
It’s also how you manage your external client experience and brand, because everything in professional services works inside out – your external messages all come from inside. So, if you’re at that tipping point, you don’t want to bring on a new staff member you may not need, and don’t know where to start. A little advice can go a long way, and some part-time comms leadership can go even further. Your whole business will thank you.
Author: Kate Dunstan
Published: 21 February 2025
Most organisations start out small, so all the communication can happen in the weekly meeting. But as the firm grows, things change. Not everyone needs to know everything, the meetings get unwieldy, and vital information starts to fall through the cracks. You can’t remember who you told what. Sometimes cliques form and you can end up with some people in the know, and others not. The ‘haves’ thrive, and the ‘have nots’ leave.
That’s not a surprising outcome, as it draws on two tenets of good management – that people need to be informed to do good work, and that people who feel excluded become unhappy or disruptive or both.
But back to communication. How can you tell when it’s time to bring in some form of internal communications? The signs are simple. First, there are lots of questions about things people should already know. Then the gossip takes over. Suddenly you find people are getting their information via word-of-mouth in the kitchen, and its rarely correct because the ‘facts’ are elaborated on when they pass from one person to another. Then you find people aren’t following instructions in the way you want them to.
As the organisation grows, so does management complexity. More people means more processes. Often it’s the need to bring in a new sophisticated process that highlights the need for change management, and therefore internal comms. As we’ve discussed before Change happens in communications, and it’s much harder to do that effectively if you haven’t already set up some form of internal channel. Depending on the size of your firm, this might be as simple as a management newsletter once a fortnight, or a whole program that includes town hall meetings, newsletters, and an intranet.
We’ve spoken before about how Communication shapes culture. Internal comms is more than information sharing. It’s a conversation, but it’s strategic. It’s how you communicate with your people to guide the development of your firm – to build the right culture, to get buy-in for projects, to share good news, and manage bad.
It’s also how you manage your external client experience and brand, because everything in professional services works inside out – your external messages all come from inside. So, if you’re at that tipping point, you don’t want to bring on a new staff member you may not need, and don’t know where to start. A little advice can go a long way, and some part-time comms leadership can go even further. Your whole business will thank you.
