How can you create winning internal communication training?

Before designing an internal communication training program, it's vital to clearly articulate your goals and understand your audience. The first step is identifying the existing gaps or challenges in internal communication within your organization. Are employees not fully aware of company policies? Is there a breakdown in communication between departments? The second step involves defining best practices or industry standards in internal communication that you'd like to implement or reinforce. This will guide the content and methodology of your training. For example, if one of the goals is to improve cross-departmental communication, the training may include case studies or exercises that facilitate that specific aspect.

Stop calling it training - you train dogs not people. If we want to change perspectives and get different outcomes and impacts let's change how we refer to it within our organizations. I use Learning and Development or now Learning and Growth. But haven't used "training" for years. You need to not only identity skill gaps but also other threats and risks which will impact your development plans. When defining your goals make sure you are also measuring the outcomes and the impacts. Impacts are extremely important and relates to the development we see in how people think, feel act and even engage and speak with others. Don't overlook the impacts if you want long term transformation in people.

Needs Assessment Identify Goals Survey and Feedback Focus on Key Areas Tailored Curriculum Development Content Creation Diverse Learning Modalities Utilize Technology Engage and Involve Participants Feedback Loops Assessment Metrics Post-Training Support Continuous Improvement Iterative Approach: Use feedback and data collected to refine and improve the training program continually. Adapt to Changes Culture Integration Embed Training in Culture: Ensure that the principles taught in the training become integrated into the company's culture. Recognize Progress Build Sustainability: Develop a plan for ongoing communication improvement initiatives beyond the initial training to maintain and enhance the effectiveness of internal communication.

In my experience,choosing the right audience and right message at the right time with right words and tone enhances the overall experience of both the speaker and audience through understanding the age,socio-political backgrounds and other factors that might affect the active listening,attention and concentration of each listener at all levels of any situation, One should clearly recognize their goals and objectives and understand the audience’s expectations from the speaker in order to achieve their set aims and to be able to practice on achieving all that in stipulated timelines without having to repeat or worry with anxiety over the same. Overall,mostly tailored audience’s needs and expectations accordingly has incredible results.

Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify the specific gaps in internal communication within your organization. Use surveys, interviews, and feedback from employees to pinpoint areas that need improvement.

Consider blended learning that is relevant in a hybrid workplace. Combine various formats for a comprehensive approach. For example, start with a webinar to introduce concepts, followed by workshops for hands-on practice and peer learning groups for ongoing discussions.

Your learning focus will depend on the skill gaps, threats and research you have identified in your initial conversations with the team. Ideally any learning and development plan will feed back into department and broader strategic plans. In terms of format in how you deliver this will depend on factors like - the outcomes and impact you want to achieve - the learning needs of the group - time to deliver - key milestones and timeframes - the schedule of learning - how much time is needed between learnings

Ultimately for all learning and development to have positive impact it needs to be - relevant to the learners - be based on real skill gaps and workforce/organizational needs - respond to real and potential threats and risks - practical/ need a chance to trial in session and back into the workplace in real time - have opportunity for self reflection - team discussion - takeaway action that is reviewed and unpacked in future sessions

Emphasize the audience's perspective in communication. Encourage employees to consider how their messages will be received and tailor them accordingly.

Gamify training modules with quizzes, challenges, and rewards. This approach can make learning fun and encourage healthy competition among employees. A good example of this is Duolingo.

Whatever tools you use to engage always make sure that it is able to - connect learners through doing/discussion in real time - allow time and space for each person to reflect on how they currently work and what the future looks like - create opportunities for co-design activities where groups have to perform an action and also present their ideas and opinions

After any learning and development you need to incorporate the following elements - to ensure long term impact - takeaway actions and next steps for learners to do - opportunities for learners to share their insights and challenges with the group - plus key wins - incorporate key outcomes and impacts into personalized learning and development plans For learning to have value each member of the team needs to incorporate new found knowledge and skill into their daily roles. They also need to be able to self asses their own progress and future skill gaps by having it integrated into a personalized learning and development plan.

Consider fostering a culture of continuous learning within the organization. Beyond providing initial training, organizations should encourage employees to seek ongoing opportunities for skill development and knowledge enhancement. This could involve setting aside regular time for learning, creating mentorship programs, or establishing a knowledge-sharing platform where employees can contribute insights and best practices. By promoting a culture of continuous learning, organizations not only empower their teams to adapt to evolving communication challenges but also harness the collective intelligence of their workforce, resulting in more innovative and effective internal communication strategies.