mICdrop - Sequel Presents a digital Internal Communications Podcast

Our latest mICdrop guest is Richard Etienne, Founder of The Introvert Space, a communication consultancy that aims to transform workplaces and educational institutions into truly inclusive environments that value and leverage every personality type. ​Previously, Richard worked as the head of leadership communications at the Department for Business and Trade and was the official videographer of former UK Prime Minister Theresa May. In this episode of mICdrop, Richard talks to us about The Personality at Work report, which he's produced with the Institute of Internal Communication and Ipsos Karian and  Box as part of their IC Index research.  Are communicators segmenting employees by role, location, seniority, age and demographics, but forgetting differences in personality? We discuss this and more in our latest episode.If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

"When it comes to communicating with neurodiverse colleagues, forget labels", says Jess O’Connor, founder of Firebowl Coaching & Consulting. There is no ‘normal’ way of thinking, and humans process information in many different ways.  Instead of focusing on who your audience is, where they are located in the business,d and their roles, think about individuals who have different attention spans, what they need to find clarity, accessibility to channels, the words we use, and the amount of information they are expected to process, she says.  In this episode of mICdrop, Jess argues that the goal is not to create perfect communications; the goal is to remove unnecessary barriers to understanding your message, because if your communication only works for one type of brain, then it isn’t effective. Jess O’Connor is the founder of Firebowl Coaching & Consulting. She has 30+ years’ experience in Internal Communications, Culture & Engagement (RNLI), is an Advanced ADHD Coach, and has lived experience of ADHD + dyslexia. If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

Our latest mICdrop guest is Perry Timms, a well-known and respected figure in the world of HR as a thought leader and challenger of the status quo. Perry, the chief energy officer at PTHR, the business he started after departing the corporate corridors.He is a passionate advocate of HR adopting new ways of working and embracing fresh operating models. In this episode of mICdrop, Perry discusses how HR and comms teams should work together to make sense of these new ways of working and how to communicate them to employees via the power of storytelling. It’s a fascinating discussion which throws new light on the relationship between HR and IC and will be of interest to those working in both disciplines. If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

The world is a difficult place. So how can communicators hope to help employees navigate it? In this episode, Melanie Hinds joins Claudi Schneider, Sequel’s Head of Video and Animation, to chat about the importance of empathy, authenticity and timely communication – especially right now. Melanie Hinds is Global Head of Internal Communication and Employee Engagement for a leading organisation, with over 25 years’ experience specialising in strategic comms, internal comms, creating centres of excellence, ED&I, change and culture.  If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

Our latest mICdrop guest is Edeje Onwude who, after 14 years’ experience and success in global brand Marketing, made the switch to communications and what she calls ‘the more human side of communications’.  In this episode, Edeje joins Suzanne Peck, Sequel’s Managing Director, to chat about the impactful tips that communicators can learn from Marketing, the two unshakeable beliefs that have guided her career to date, and why she’s a ‘self-appointed’ Chief Joy Officer. If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

If you listened to some of the doom mongers out there, the rise of AI will hasten the demise of the internal communication professional. And while it's clear that AI is increasingly being used by organisations as part of their comms toolkit, it's not the only show in town. Indeed, the use of AI at the right time in the right place gives IC pros a chance to prove themselves as invaluable in the modern business landscape. That's the verdict from Lee Smith and Emma Bridger, co-founders of The EX Space and authors of People First Communication, a new book which focuses on the human skills that can make a difference in the boardroom and the factory floor. In this mICdrop episode, Lee and Emma argue that using AI effectively is enabling comms pros to redefine the value they bring to the table and that by using their 'superpowers' they can make a bigger impact than ever before. If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

Our latest mICdrop guest is Karen Dempster, Co-founder of Fit2Communcate and creator of the Wobbly Model, a straightforward guide to communicating change.This six-stage model takes a more human-centric approach to change communications by helping organisations get their employees through the ‘wobbly’ moment – the destabilising feeling employees experience when change is announced.In this episode, Karen joins Sequel’s Jason Dowty to chat about the model and it’s six stages and to explain the importance of providing emotional support when communicating change. If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

A few years ago we heard a horror story about an organisation that had launched Viva Engage with a solitary email from the CEO, saying “Hey guys, we’re launching Viva Engage today. It’s a bit like Twitter. Have fun!”  With minimal planning and communication, you can imagine how successful that launch was. At the other end of the scale are Currys, who launched Microsoft Teams and Viva Engage last summer with great care and attention. In this mICdrop episode, David Manning, Senior Manager – Culture, Change and Communications, explains the impact of Currys putting listening at the heart of their digital transformation approach. “Discovery was absolutely paramount,” he says. “We’d been using Workplace before and when that closed down, rather than just copying how we had used it, we listened to what colleagues want now, and what they expect to see in the future. And then we used that insight to shape our Viva Engage platform. “We’ve positioned it very differently off the back of that discovery work.  And that has really engaged our colleagues, because they can quickly see the value of it.” David also shares his tips for staying positive while you’re working on projects with particularly challenging timelines! If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

Our latest mICdrop guest is Vishnee Sauntoo, a strategic communications leader who has over 20 years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector. Over the past two decades, Vishee has delivered impactful, creative communications for the likes of Age International, British Heart Foundation and Save The Children. She is also a Board Trustee and mentor Charity Comms, the membership network for communications professionals working in UK charities. In this episode, Vishnee joins Sequel’s Jason Dowty to chat about her passion for the not-for-profit sector, its unique challenges and the secret of delivering engaging communications on a budget.  It’s a fascinating topic and an episode not to be missed. If you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.

It’s one of the most daunting challenges for internal communicators: getting those hard-to-reach, frontline and on-the-road colleagues to engage with communication and actually join in.Sound familiar? Well, we think Rozi Pearson, our Head of Digital, might just have the answer your organisation has been looking for.In our latest mICdrop Talks Digital episode, Rozi is joined by Becky Couper-Leonard from our Insight team to talk about how our award-winning social wall has helped previously disconnected colleagues to be part of the conversation and own their experiences. #DigitalWorkplace #Social #EnterpriseSocialNetwork #FrontlineEmployees #InternalComms #EmployeeExperience #Leadership #InternalCommunication #ModernWorkplaceIf you liked this episode, contact us to find out more about Sequel’s podcast offering and an introductory chat about that and the other services we offer via email here or get in touch via form here.