internal communicationsLike most things in life, communication starts in your own backyard. It’s impossible to communicate your brand’s value and mission to the general public without first communicating it well internally. So how can you gain cohesiveness in your organization through internal communications?

1. The new ”˜ABCs’ of Internal Communication: 3 steps to becoming a business communicator

Why: “In the 21st century internal communications environment, trusted advisor status is earned not only for consultative skills, but for genuinely meeting your leaders half-way (or more!) in your knowledge of what drives your organization,” opines Jeff Zwier as he teaches you how to be a “truly strategic business communicator” in this post for Melcrum.

2. The case for internal communications

Why: “I believe no organizational communication is as important as employee communication. Employees can lift a company through difficult times or they can tank it,” says Shel Holtz (and one of the guests on tomorrow’s #measurePR Twitter chat – I hope you’re planning on coming!) as he gives 11 reasons why employee communications should remain separate from PR.

3. 5 questions to ask your employees now

Why: “We exist to help create organizational competitive advantage. Our executional elements for that will include tactics and tools, certainly, but in the end, our messaging and measures must reflect our existential mission,” says Sean Williams as he lists several questions that will help gauge the effectiveness of your internal communications.

4. Building Your Business With Internal Collaboration

Why: “There are certain cultural things that you can do within your enterprise to help change things and move them in the right directions… But at the same time, these new technologies and these new tools allow you to do things that help impact your culture,” says Jacob Morgan as he talks to Jay Baer about the benefits of internal collaboration.

5. Facebook: Improving Employee Communications?

Why: “An organization’s strength lies in its people. And if an organization listens to its people, it will always be successful!” writes Ancita Satija in this still relevant WUL classic that examines how Six Degrees PR used a private Facebook page to “break down barriers between team members in different cities.”

6. Engaging Employees: A Perfect Job for Internal Communications

Why: “Engaged employees have a certain level of emotional investment and willingness to create value for their organizations,” writes Dr. Ana Tkalac in this post for Institute for PR as she takes a look at why internal communicators “need a specific skill set and a different approach to their key public – employees.”

7. Measuring employee engagement in internal communication

Why: “Towers Watson reports that companies highly effective at internal communication are 1.7 times as likely to outperform their peers,” states Denise Cox in this post for IABC, as she shares “tips to help you jump-start access to internal communication metrics which will support measuring employee engagement.”

How do you keep your internal stakeholders and employees engaged? In what ways have internal communications helped you achieve you external communication goals? Please share in the comments below.