The History and Future of Internal Communications: “Leadership IS Communication”

In this episode of the EE Voice podcast, host Sharon McIntosh, a Consultants Collective member consultant welcomes guest host David Murray and Roger D’Aprix, who engage in a far-reaching conversation on the evolution of employee communications – and the hard road ahead.

Murray heads up the global Professional Speechwriters Association and the Executive Communication Council and writes the popular daily blog “Writing Boots.” An award-winning journalist, he’s just published his must-read book, An Effort to Understand: Hearing One Another (and Ourselves) in a Nation Cracked in Half. D’Aprix, often called “the father of internal communications,” has served on ROI Communication’s Board of Advisors since 2005, is an internationally known consultant, lecturer and author, an IABC Fellow and recipient of the 2014 President’s Award from the Communication Leadership Exchange. His most recent book is Bosses: True Stories of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

This probing interview covers the realities that leaders in the workplace face, as Murray notes they have “barely just begun to explain all the stuff that needs to get across” despite believing they’ve talked it all out. At the other end of the spectrum – and the conversation – is today’s burden of being a “woke boss.” As Roger warns, “They’d better be damned well informed and very sincere in whatever they offer along these lines.”

The two also cover the complications of moving to a hybrid workforce including losing “high-touch” to “high-tech” and trying to get the cross-pollination you need across your organization. Tune in to hear why Roger worries that we continue to have an archaic view of leadership – his assertion that “leadership IS communications,” and his advice for helping bosses to understand their true role. (One of his clients put it succinctly: “Don’t be a jerk.”)

Take a listen here >