Skip to main content

Communications As A Function

Communications is a function or expertise in an organization like Finance or Information Technology (IT) that serves internal clients throughout that workplace. 

Communications takes care of getting messages to the right people at the right time through the right medium. So, for example, any written materials produced by an organization has likely been done by a communications professional:

> written materials such as newsletters, emails, memos, announcements, web pages, social media posts, press releases, briefing notes, issues papers, etc...;

> written materials for the purposes of supporting verbal interactions such as speeches, media lines, presentations (usually in PowerPoint)

Depending on company size and whether or not the organization is in the private, public or non-profit sectors can have a major influence on the type of communications activities that happen, and the kinds of documents prepared.

For example, in the public sector, media lines are an important communications product. When an issue breaks, and the organization needs to respond, someone in the communications branch or division will pull together a set of media lines to prepare the spokesperson for any media calls. The reason this approach is so important, usually in government, is because of the number of people who need to confirm the position. At least, if it's in writing, it can be worked out and then it becomes the spokesperson's 'cheat sheet'.


In the private sector, very rarely do communicators do media lines. Private sector communications teams (or often it is one or two people) will simply write up the press release and speak about it freely, without concern for public interest, political will, the policies and processes of democracy, etc...
However, it would be wise to prepare key messages and/or a position statement with facts to back up the statement.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Time to Smile Video

It's not often I see a video that exemplifies my philosophy of clarifying, simplifying and engaging employees; but my colleague Allison Jones at the City of Hamilton has done just that. Based on an idea she got from a City of New Market communications video called Glow , she put together a video that sends a clear, simple and engaging message to employees at Community Services : what they do makes a difference, one starfish at a time . Since the production, the City Manager decided to use it when he presented the Strategic Plan to Council to illustrate the good work the City does. See it for yourself .
Post a Comment
Read more

If You Clarify, There's No Need to Explain

Clarifying is not the same as explaining. Let me explain. No, wait: let me clarify that...which is it? When I hear the word 'explain', I envision multiple paragraphs of additional text that may not be necessary. Whereas the word 'clarify' evokes a beautiful landscape of writing where every word means something and no word can be left out. In the meantime, yes, 'clarify' and 'explain' are synonyms, which means they are similar, not exactly alike. In the context of writing well and writing to engage, I recommend clarity over too much explanation; perhaps that's a better way to put it. If anyone needs me to clarify that, let me know.
1 comment
Read more

Ah, yes... The "C" Word

In the Communications field, the "C" word can mean numerous things. In Internal or Employee Communications, we often refer to big "C" and little "c" communications. Big "C" Communications tends to include official communications tactics and products that get everyone's attention in an organization: posters, banners, advertising, website splash pages, e-newsletters, town halls and major 'memos', to name a few. Little "c" communications tends to be the internal, day-to-day business communications in a workplace about doing the work itself such messages about new procedures, processes, policies and plans, also internal emails, operational and tactical messages. The "C" word that is missing from this discussion is Culture. These are the ideas and messages that Culture communicates: How people behave in their workplace.  What the culture tolerates as appropriate or inappropriate behaviour. For example, what goes ...
Post a Comment
Read more