A clear, compelling brand which is effectively and concisely communicated internally provides direction and motivation for managers and employees, influencing and guiding the enterprise’s culture. If the internal brand is successfully communicated people will be more likely to know if a decision or programme is ‘on-brand’ If people fully understand the organisation’s purpose, vision, values and mission, then how things are done on a daily basis will support the organisation’s strategy.
As is often said; ‘culture eats strategy for lunch’. How the brand is seen internally, reinforced by a believable vision including a realistic higher purpose, is more likely to provide managers and employees with meaning and job fulfillment. An explicit, activated internal brand strategy supports the organizational culture which is the foundation of implementing strategy.
If employees are unsure of how to act and deliver for the brand or even worse, do not care about the brand, there is little chance strategy will be successfully implemented.
If done well, positively communicating the brand internally inspires managers and employees. This inspiration encourages initiative, innovation and implementation; people who just ‘get on with it’ without needing what is ultimately counter-productive excessive micro-managing supervision. Managers and employees who are energized by a strong brand will be motivated to talk about the brand to others; proud of their purpose, what it is they do and how they do it.
Communicating brand internally needs four stages; envisioning and drafting the communication, communicating and encouraging feedback, believing it, living it.
Initially owners, C Suite, the Board and senior management need to agree draft purpose, vision, values and mission statements which are palpably recognizable and deemed to be achievable.
These draft statements then need to be communicated to managers so they can learn about the brand vision and be allowed to add their perspectives so they begin to take ownership of the purpose.
If these statements are understood to be real and not just empty words people will then begin to believe the enterprise can deliver for the brand and they can play their part in this delivery.
If motivated, managers and employees will then begin living the brand. They will be inspired, empowered and become a brand advocates and brand ambassadors.
The envisioning stage demands gaining agreement across all key leaders in the enterprise, finding consensus and drawing up draft purpose, vision, values and mission statements which are believable. It is also important at this stage to tie-in the purpose and vision with draft broad strategic goals and begin to create draft specific objectives.
The learning path can and should involve all the communication vehicles available such as facilitated sessions, workshops, online and hard-copy newsletters and as much personal efforts by seniors and influencers. Learning effort should link the vision to the business strategy through draft broad goals and draft specific objectives, asking for feedback from those who are going to do the work. Linking these specific objectives to key performance indicators, showing how delivery will be measured, ought to aid in the communication process. This will then lead to steps which make it easier to start believing-in and living the brand.
Highlighting gaps between the aspirational brand vision and the current reality competencies will also anchor vision in reality, showing the need to change how things are done to achieve the vision; matching aspirations and competencies is a vital step in helping people believe in what needs to be done to deliver for the brand.
Getting specific, being realistic, ensuring timeframes are discussed, how activity will be measured and gaining agreement will ensure objectives become the bridge between brand vision and brand delivery. If there is excessive focus on the vision itself there is a risk of precipitating disbelief. If there is focus on deliverables, the vision will become a reality.
The believing stage involves putting substance behind the vision to signal organizational commitment. Implement a series of culture-changing workshops; put visible programmes in place. Align the evaluation system with the specific objectives. Reward people around delivering the new initiative; involvement, being listened to, measurement of activity and rewards drive thinking and feeling which then drives behaviour.
Through this activity brand champions will emerge; those who first believe and who burn to deliver for the brand. These brand champions will almost certainly create teams of brand ambassadors; credible people who will represent the brand throughout the organization by the way they are living the brand-values on a day to day basis.
The living stage, where people are inspired to action, is the most difficult and crucial.Participative workshops where employees are asked to build actionable plans to handle issues, face up to challenges, handle the causes of problems, find solutions and then agree key performance indicators for actions will drive living the brand. Such ‘end-result’ focused planning and action will develop ad hoc task forces which will add energy, visibility and further action.
Powerful brands are created and developed from within the enterprise. Remember managers and employees are the organisation’s number one customer and have to be the number one priority. This internal brand building is much more than an owner or CEO presentation. It is the foundation to align stakeholders, both within the organisation and those outside the enterprise, for sustainable success in an ever-changing landscape.