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mandy.thatcher@melcrum.comMay 7, 2008
Dear Source Reader
While trawling through our substantial archive to compile Melcrum's Top 50 internal communication case studies we came across one of our most popular case studies on strategic planning for communicators.
Written by David Moorcroft, senior vice-president of corporate communications at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the case study describes how communicators can link their strategies to business goals in a way that adds measurable value to the bottom line. Here are the 7 essential components of a strategic plan recommended by Moorcroft.
1. Vision
This is the most important key component, as a master strategic plan can't align communication in support of performance and reputation if it doesn't include a description of what an organization wants to be. Stakeholders, particularly employees, want to know where their organization is headed, and they want to know how their behavior and roles can contribute towards achieving that vision.
2. Goals
This is the part of a plan that says what broad business achievements a company wants to be recognized for. This could be "the leading provider of x-ray machines to hospitals in Asia", or "a premier provider of financial services in the US". The goal must be generic enough to capture the breadth of the business activity, and realistic enough to be achievable.
3. Priorities
This is where you outline the company's short-term strategic business priorities so that everyone understands where the major focus of investment and resources will be. This will help guide behavior in support of the goals. For example, "Strong financial performance" as a priority indicates that the organization will not sacrifice short-term results and make acquisitions or investments that are not friendly to shareholders in the near term.
4. Corporate reputation and values
This is where you describe the type of reputation, broadly speaking, that the organization wants to be recognized for and build equity in. This provides a context for achieving the vision, goals and priorities, and provides a benchmark for the types of tactics that will be acceptable in pursuing business priorities. For example, an organization may want to be known as the "most trusted name" in accounting. This is an important guidepost in helping employees determine the types of tactics that would be acceptable in growing
their revenues.
5. Stakeholder beliefs
What is it that you want each key stakeholder group to think about your organization in order to drive their behavior in support of your business objectives? For example, for clients to choose you over a competitor; for shareholders to hold or buy your stock; for employees to be engaged; or for communities to give you permission to pursue your goals? Asking these questions will help focus tactics on how to build the right relationships with key stakeholders, and to focus on what types of behaviors or actions you want from these stakeholders.
6. Communication objectives
Next, you need to link a few broad communication objectives to the vision, goals, priorities and image aspirations of your organization. You shouldn't have too many, or management will think you lack focus. Each one should be broad enough to link in clearly with the business, while allowing you room to develop priorities and tactics underneath them. Examples of broad objectives might be "cultivate an engaged workforce" or "enhance financial performance".
7. Communication priorities
This is where you list between three and six priority areas so that management knows where you will be focusing your resources and attention over the next one to three years. These aren't tactics – they're areas of focus. Examples might be "support integration of European businesses" or "promote the organization's new branding campaign".
The full case study, together with examples of RBC's strategic planning tools and templates, is published in Melcrum's Top 50 internal communication case studies report.
See you next week!
P.S. I'll be chairing Melcrum's Employee Engagement Conference in London next week, I hope you can make it!
CEOs: "nothing more than hired help"
The Internal Comms Hub, May 5, 2008
MBAs not helping matters either.
More people want "meaningful work"
The Internal Comms Hub, May 5, 2008
The Work Foundation explains this growing 21st century phenomenon.
The Police is a tough job – why isn't engagement invested in?
The Melcrum Blog, May 1, 2008
Following an extensive, three-year Commission of Enquiry, there have been numerous recommendations for improvement.
Australasian media gets hot on engagement
The Internal Comms Hub, May 5, 2008
Two prominent Australasian media outlets have this week published lengthy articles on the importance of employee engagement.
The Source
for Communicators is a free resource for corporate communicators
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