EE Voice

Over the past year, we've experienced a seismic shift in the way we work. Being in the midst of those changes can make them harder to see and understand. In this podcast, Victoria Dew, SCMP, Founder and CEO of  Dewpoint Communications , walks us through these shifts while illustrating how communicators can reflect them in their strategic communications in the months ahead. Victoria's global busine...

One of EE Voice's most-played ― and most important ― past episodes featured crisis management expert Andy Gilman discussing communications in the face of COVID-19. Now, Andy joins the podcast to help listeners navigate the latest developments in our current COVID reality, using communications to overcome vaccine hesitancy and compliance. His team recently launched RESTART to help organizations nav...

What a crazy year! For those working in internal comms, it’s been nothing short of a rollercoaster, personally and professionally. Yet, we had some silver linings – and for Sharon and me, it was about tapping into experts to guide us through these trying times. At the end of every EE Voice podcast, we always ask our guests for their one piece of advice to leave with listeners. Here, we gather them...

As we close out a year marked by upheaval, experts predict more disruption ahead―including an uptick in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). For our 50 th (!) EE Voice podcast, we welcome Louis de Schorlemer of Corporate Diplomat , an agency dedicated to managing M&A, diverstitures or reorganizations. Louis is an international leader in managing M&A communications. He brings a valuable pers...

In 2018, when comms pros Mark Dollins and Jon Stemmle were first wading into the research for their forthcoming book on internal communications, they couldn't have anticipated the seismic change we would all soon experience. Their timing will serve us well as we move forward in a post-COVID-19 world. Drawing from their ongoing research and their careers in the field and in the classroom, Mark and...

We love talking to Steve Crescenzo because where else can you gain practical, actionable comms advice through a conversation that includes a pet rabbit on the loose, (not) tolerating our spouses under COVID-19 quarantine, and leadership communications hostage videos? Steve and his wife and partner Cindy have had front row seats to the comms-coronavirus crisis response through their business, Cresc...

Laura Field , a colleague, friend and fellow communicator, joined the Sharons to discuss how vital it is that we listen to our internal beings—particularly given all we are dealing with in this moment. Laura has an intriguing background -- being both a communications expert and a spiritual director -- and offers us  intriguing insights about self-care and burnout. Laura distills the reasons commun...

Amid health, economic and social crises, our leaders are being asked communicate like never before.... and almost all virtually. For today's comms pros, creating and facilitating engaging virtual town halls, conferences and important meetings is possible - and even culturally rewarding. Plus, you're also helping your leaders communicate from their home offices. Need some solid tips and advice? Ent...

[Today's episode: 7 minutes] Can you hear them now? For a solid eight weeks, we've been working with managers on how best to communicate with their teams remotely during the COVID-19 crisis. This week—at your request—we turn that question on its head: How can leadership teams make sure they’re really hearing from staff and directing feedback effectively? In today's episode, we talk through our bes...

Today we have a special episode of EE Voice: Mark Dollins (friend, comms pro and a former EE Voice guest ) and I recently conducted a webinar to discuss the value of employee communications during COVID-19 -- as well as share best practices and helpful hints during this crisis. We wanted to offer another way for you to access this information, so this is the slimmed-down audio of the main presenta...

Talk of COVID-19, or Coronavirus, is dominating the headlines, your timeline ― and probably your headspace. On top of your own family's health and wellbeing, you have your business, customers and employees to worry about. As you navigate the fine line between information-sharing and fear mongering, what's the right message to send? Andy Gilman - a well-known crisis comms expert --  has the answers...

If you're like most people, you have a high-tech video camera right at your fingertips ― and you're not making the most of it. Why let that potential go to waste? Grab your smartphone and take in these recording tips from our video maestro, EE production manager Ed Gilbert, who shares his deep audio/visual expertise for our latest EE Voice Clip. In less time than it takes to download the typical i...

Welcome to our second EE Voice CLIP - our Quora for communicators -- where we answer a listener's question in less than 8 minutes. Today's question is: How can I create an effective 2020 employee comms strategy? Sharon and I are always surprised how many companies we speak to don’t have a full year communications plan – and it’s critical. A solid strategy gives you the journey map to success – bot...

Strengthening relationships with employees in global settings is a topic near and dear to my heart, as I spent many years at PepsiCo wo rking with our regional teams. For communicators, launching a global initiative can be an exciting career opportunity. Yet, despite advances in technology, significant gaps still exist that can hinder your success. To help us better understand some of these challe...

We thought we’d end the year with a little twist – a new, abbreviated format which we hope you’ll find easy to fit into your busy day. With EE Voice Clip we aim to answer -- in under 8 minutes – a question that employee comms pros have on their minds. Sort of like a Quora for Comms. Our first question we answer is: How can I spice up my CEO's end-of-year letter. Sharon and I offer some ideas to co...

“What you’re trying to do is not just have employees be an amplification for the company. You’re trying to help them engage with people digitally. And you’re trying to create an engagement – so they can create a relationship.” – Glenn Gaudet After a long summer break (which somehow eked into fall), Sharon and I are back! And we’re delighted to welcome a friend and employee advocacy expert Glenn Ga...

In our April 2018 EE Voice podcast , Sharon and I asked our listeners: Are you ready for the employee activist? Because if you weren’t prepared last year, you better brace yourself for what’s coming. In the last year, we’ve seen  #GoogleWalkout ,   #WayfairWalkout  and most recently,  #AmazonWalkout . In this episode of EE Voice , we dive back into the fascinating topic of employee activism with t...

In today’s highly charged sociopolitical environment, corporate leaders can feel the impulse to take a stand just like any of us. They’re only human, after all. As communicators, it’s our job to help them understand when and how to speak out on issues that live outside the business realm. What are the expectations around CEO activism? What are the ramifications of taking a stand on a highly charge...

Douglas Spenc er knows brand strategy. The former VP Global Brand Management for Thomson Reuters and founder of Boston-based consultancy Spencer Brenneman has spent two decades traversing the globe to work with brands in every sector from financial services to nonprofits. He has the same advice for all of them: Embrace brand strategy as “your business’ very best friend – part coach, conscience, pa...

Since 2000, the Edelman Trust Barometer ® has measured attitudes about the state of trust and credibility in business, government, NGOs and the media worldwide. The annual Edelman survey’s results often confirm, sometimes surprise and always motivate us as internal communicators – and this year is no different. The 2019 report shows profound changes in the perception of employer-employee contracts...

Shel Holtz knows internal communications, and he knows where it’s headed. A 40-year industry veteran, communications director for Allergan and Mattel, consultant, speaker, blogger, author, fellow of three of the world’s most prominent communications industry associations and, if that weren’t enough, co-founder of the FIR Podcast Network, Shel is something of an expert on the topic. Who better to k...

Eric Schnure is the consummate storyteller. A former White House speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore with 20 years of experience counseling executives on messaging, Eric knows how to tell a great story. He also knows what makes storytelling such a powerful internal comms tool. We’d gladly spend an afternoon sipping tea (or something stronger) on the porch with Eric, but we settled for a visit...

What’s a leader to do in the age of distraction? How does the C-suite stay connected when they’re competing with Twitter for their team’s attention? How do leaders provide authenticity, transparency and directness that employees crave? One word: video. It’s one of our most provocative topics in internal comms these days, mainly because of the anxiety it often provokes in even the most seasoned lea...

Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters can wreak havoc on business. They can keep employees out of work, customers and clients in the dark and offices closed for days on end. That’s why it’s so important to have a solid crisis response plan. And the time to start one is now. With Hurricane Michael and another superstorm season upon us, we wanted to share some lessons learned f...

Picture this: You work for a US-based Fortune 100 corporation with more employees than the population of Buffalo, N.Y. You’re responsible for communications to hundreds of thousands of employees across the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Your assignment (should you have any choice but to accept it): Complete a global internal communication...