The Overlooked Power of Internal Messaging

Make your organization unstoppable

Volume I | Issue 3

Fellow Thinkers, Leaders, & Innovators –

Quick! What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say the word “messaging”?

Probably something to do with marketing, right? And that’s appropriate. After all, we’re all marketing all the time.

Unfortunately, however, we usually pigeonhole “marketing” to mean something directed at prospects and, if we’re going the extra mile, maybe even at existing clients.

Yes, devising stellar messaging for our external audiences is important. No argument there. But what about internal messaging?

I’m not talking about memos or employee handbooks here. I’m talking about the written, verbal, and non-verbal communication that is taking place – by design or by default – with our internal audiences every day.

There is a significant advantage to be gained by nailing our internal messaging – by effectively marketing to our employees, contractors, and service partners. Of course, our messages here are not about our companies’ products or services (just as our external messages should not be). Our internal messaging is creating an environment in which our people’s personal visions can be naturally shared and nurtured as they find fulfillment in choosing to align themselves with our organizations.

Case in point: You’ve likely heard me talk about my having built the most profitable company in the entire U.S. in our sector in the highly competitive chemical and petroleum industry. Yep. As a young thirty-something who didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to be able to put the hurt on the big boys, I just did what I saw was there to be done. However, I didn’t do it alone. Not even close.

Our team made it happen. Using my VEVA conversation model, we discovered the innermost desires of each of our team members and helped them see themselves fulfilling their visions and enjoying their personal journeys by aligning the company with them. (Yes! Our vision and mission were molded to match our team members’ and not handed to them pre-packaged).

They made the decisions. We all bought in. We kicked butt!

This would never have happened if I had seen my team members as employees – people paid to do the job they were told to do. They were my clients – people under my care and protection – every bit as much as our external clients were.

That is how I saw them. Therefore, that was the message they received. And, very naturally, their response to those verbal, non-verbal, and written messages was to see themselves as I saw them and thrive – at work and in their personal lives; which, in turn, built an industry-leading company.

What messages – in all their forms, positive or negative, helpful or damaging – are you sending to your internal people? Are they your clients? Are they under your care and protection every bit as much as those you’re working so hard to “sell” every day? These VIPs need to be “sold” on your company, too.

Fundamentally change your view and your deliberate and default internal messages and watch your organization take on a whole new, unstoppable persona.

For lack of a better term, it’s very cool to watch what unfolds – at multiple levels – from this mindset shift. And it can be yours with some planning and a little consistent effort. If you’re not sure how to make it happen, I’m happy to help.

Here’s to building people, not businesses.

Sincerely,

Bryan Waldon Pope
bwpope.com