Hello Reader,

How are you? I've just returned to my desk after spending a few days with my business coach. I invest in my coach, as I want to ensure that I can be the best I can be for my clients and for my community. It can be easy to prioritise yourself last, but as I always say to my coachees, how can you support others if you don't look after yourself? So, if you need some extra accountability and help to boost your motivation, check out The Clarity Club I've launched as part of Calm Edged Rebels!

Before I jumped on here to write this introduction, I quickly glanced at the State of the Sector 2024 report to see what this year's themes were. It doesn't surprise me that AI was featured (that's a conversation for another day), but I was thrown when I read that 74% of respondents said they were accountable for employee engagement. Internal Communication (IC) professionals should not be accountable for employee engagement - our role is to support leaders with employee engagement and experience through effective communication. The accountability should sit with the leadership team or HR, not IC.

This is important.

We are at significant risk of undervaluing our role within organisations. We should be advising, guiding and supporting our leaders to communicate effectively about business priorities, objectives and strategies. We need to do this with an understanding of what inclusive and accessible communication looks like so all colleagues have a fair opportunity to do their jobs well. We need to use data points to measure the internal communication impact so we can demonstrate our value-add and what's working well (or not).

We should, of course, use employee engagement as an indicator to form our internal communication strategy and plans, but we can not be held accountable as we are not and should not be responsible for developing organisational policies, procedures, or processes in the workplace.

When you're evaluating communication impact, think about skills that are missing to support you in becoming a function that can help the organisation thrive. Because if we keep playing in this pool, our roles will become irrelevant and defunct.

I'm curious to understand what you think. I'd love to hear your thoughts once you've read the report. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know as I'm planning a blog post on this topic, and I'd love to capture your viewpoint.

Right, time for me to step off my soapbox and let you crack on with your day.

Enjoy this week's edition of Curious Rebel, and I'll see you soon.

Advita

Navigating organisational change with kindness

In the current climate, restructures and redundancies will no doubt dominate boardroom discussions. I understand the pressure facing some of these organisations and leaders to make the right decisions to future-proof their businesses.

Most people accept that redundancies and restructures are a part of working life. But I’ve witnessed too many careless and unkind behaviours from some organisations regarding how they communicate the changes.

The irony? Most of these organisations have made powerful statements around equity, diversity and inclusion. EDI shouldn’t only exist around awareness days. It’s about how included and supported people feel working in the organisation - all year round. Treating people fairly, equitably and with respect for the commitment and value they’ve brought to the organisation shouldn’t be difficult.

If you’re struggling with where to start, then please invest in some support or ask for help. Plenty of free resources are available if you don’t have the budget. The Comms Rebel free platform is a good starting point for some templates and resources you can download. And if you’ve personally been impacted by restructures or redundancies, please look after yourself and speak to someone if you’re struggling. I also have a free confidence tracker with tips and techniques to help.

False Evidence Appearing Real

Someone once told me that FEAR was False Evidence Appearing Real, and that’s stuck with me. I recently listened to Soundtracks, an incredibly inspiring and motivational book by Jon Acuff. And I think it’s probably one of the best books that addresses self-limiting beliefs and fear with practical advice.

Here are my three key takeaways:

1) Mindset matters: Throughout the book, Jon emphasises the impact of our internal narratives, or "soundtracks," of our mindset. Shifting negative soundtracks to positive ones can significantly influence our outlook and actions.

2) Interrupt negative loops: Jon discusses the importance of recognising and interrupting negative thought patterns. We can break free from these beliefs by actively challenging and redirecting destructive soundtracks. If you’re stuck in a negative loop, he suggests doing something different for 10 minutes, e.g., watching your favourite show, going for a walk, etc.

3) Purposeful listening: Being intentional about the external influences we allow into our lives can make a huge difference. Choosing positive sources of inspiration and learning helps shape our soundtracks and can contribute to a more constructive mindset. So use those block and mute buttons freely.

If you haven’t added it to your must-read / listen, I highly recommend it - you won’t regret it.

The Clarity Club is now open

As I mentioned in my intro, The Clarity Club - a new membership from the CalmEdgedRebels - is now open! The Clarity Club can help you maintain habits, set boundaries and build confidence. Check it out if you're looking for support to help you find clarity and motivation.

You’ll get access to monthly workshops, topic-focused worksheets, and a quarterly Ask Us Anything session for just £14.99. Visit the CalmEdgedRebels’ website to find out more.

Curious Rebel TV

In this week’s Curious Rebel TV episode, I will talk with Lesley Woods about the power of storytelling and owning your story. You can watch via LinkedIn or CommsRebel’s YouTube channel tomorrow (Friday, 09 February) at 11:30 - 12 pm GMT. I hope you can join Lesley and me, but if not, don’t worry, you can watch via catch-up.

What’s happening on the CommsRebel platform?

The CommsRebel platform is our free and safe space to share ideas, ask questions, find resources and connect with 600 people, who want to make a difference in the world of work.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the discussions taking place right now…