LONDON and CHICAGO, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Employee communicators
need good all-round skills and tend not to specialize too heavily,
according to new research. These findings from development experts Sue
Dewhurst and Liam FitzPatrick challenge common views that the best
professionals are focused on providing strategic advice rather than getting
involved in delivery work.
Dewhurst and FitzPatrick began researching competencies among employee
communicators to support their training courses. In a global survey, which
they claim is the largest of its kind, they explored what jobs
communicators are doing and the attributes they need to be effective.
"In recent years there's been a general feeling that all employee
communicators need to be high-level consultants," says Dewhurst. "But when
we talk to people, we hear that they're really doing a much more balanced
range of things."
Adds FitzPatrick "What this seems to be saying is that organizations
need their employee communicators to be strong all-rounders - writers,
planners, advisors and organizers. And what it's not saying is that EC
people can only make a difference if they're working as employee
consultants".
Introducing 12 model competencies
Their findings are published in a new report by Melcrum, How to develop
outstanding internal communicators, which also includes a set of 12 model
competencies that can be used to help recruit, develop and promote employee
communicators.
The 12 model competencies are:
1. Building effective relationships
2. Business focus
3. Consulting and coaching
4. Cross-functional awareness
5. Craft (writing and design)
6. Developing other communicators
7. Innovation and creativity
8. Listening
9. Making it happen
10. Planning
11. Specialist
12. Vision and standards
These competencies cover the core skills, knowledge and experience that
communicators say they need to do their jobs well. As a follow-up to the
survey, the researchers interviewed dozens of practitioners and held focus
groups to refine these competencies and identify the behaviors that might
be displayed at a basic, intermediate or advanced level.
Importantly, the competencies highlight the need for communicators to
have both advisory and delivery skills. Says Dewhurst: "We were continually
told that EC professionals are most valued when they make things happen and
don't just talk about it."
Expertise in core areas
The study also showed that there was agreement among practitioners at
every level on the core skills that all EC practitioners should display.
"Although no one could be expected to be a master of new media and all the
tools at our disposal, there's a clear consensus that EC people need to be
able to at least write well and be skilled in the core areas that matter in
their workplace," explains FitzPatrick. "Our research confirms that
colleagues expect the EC team to be able to provide expertise in some
fundamental areas."
Sue Dewhurst and Liam FitzPatrick are co-founders of Competent
Communicators (http://www.competentcommunicators.com) which offers bespoke
training for internal communicators, including craft skills, team building,
strategy and planning, and change communication. It is Melcrum's official
training and development partner, designing and delivering its Black Belt
program.
Melcrum is a research and training business with offices in London and
Chicago. Founded in 1996 by Robin Crumby and Victoria Mellor, Melcrum has
customers in over 90 countries. Through its global networks, Melcrum
connects more than 18,000 professional communicators in sharing what works.
SOURCE Melcrum
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Related links:
http://www.melcrum.com
http://www.melcrumblog.com
CONTACT:
Liam FitzPatrick, +44 (0)1923 777911,
liamfitzpatrick@competentcommunicators.com, or Sue Dewhurst, +44
(0)1746 783791, Sue.Dewhurst@competentcommunicators.com, both of
Competent Communicators; or Daniel Gregory of Melcrum Publishing,
020 8600 4670, daniel.gregory@melcrum.com; or European Office of
Melcrum Publishing Ltd., +44 (0)20 8600 4670, or Fax, +44 (0)20
8741 9975; or North American Office of Melcrum Publishing Ltd.,
+1-312-379-6500, or Fax, +1-312-527-4917, or info@melcrum.com
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