10 steps to better communication: Get results with a strategic plan that leaves quick fixes in the dust.

Communicate 1. to make known. 2. to transfer, to transmit. 3. to pass news and information to and fro, to have social dealings with. 4. to succeed in conveying information. 5. to be connected. (Oxford American Dictionary)

Your research and development (R&D) department wants to improve organizational awareness of its product development efforts. So the department head gives you a call and says, "I'm sending over a list of all of the new products we've developed in the last 12 months-- could you take care of sending this out to all managers?"

Inwardly you groan. Why don't they "get it"? But you think better of sharing your thoughts and say, "How about getting together to discuss this further so I can help you come up with a communication plan?"

Communication is a process, not an event. Unfortunately your internal customers may fail to appreciate the strategic value of communication and look for a "quick fix." Instead of being hard on them (after all, communication is not their area of expertise; that's what they have you for), you can play a pivotal role in ensuring that their communication efforts are well formulated and expertly implemented.

What can you, as a communication professional, do to help your internal customers broaden their view of communication and, in the process, improve the effectiveness of the messages they wish to share?

Following is a 10-step process for responding to a request like the one above. It's a process that could be used with any request for communication, regardless of the scope of the issue.

1 Understand the purpose of the communication. Communication, regardless of the issue, should be designed with some goal. It should be implemented expressly to achieve some result. That result might be increasing awareness. It might be generating a specific action. It might be educating employees about a particular issue. Regardless of the purpose, communication shouldn't just "happen." If you can't determine a reason for communicating, maybe you shouldn't communicate.

2 Encourage your internal customers to get together to discuss the issue. This isn't always an easy task. Everyone is busy, and often your customers will just want you to "do something." To overcome resistance, you need to present some solid benefits of taking the time to step back and think about the best way to address the issue. If possible, share examples of communication efforts that have failed because of inadequate planning and preparation. Impress upon your internal customer that his or her perspectives and insights will be critical to you in moving forward with communication. Ask provocative questions that demonstrate the need to get together for further discussion, such as, "How will you know if your communication objectives have been met?"

3 Gather additional input. Depending on the complexity, sensitivity or level of controversy of an issue, you may need to gather additional input from others within the organization. You may wish to poll employees to determine their current level of knowledge about an issue. You may wish to hold focus groups to uncover potential biases or misperceptions. You may need to research the issue or topic through external sources--media coverage, Internet, etc. The more you know about an issue, the better you'll be able to present it knowledgeably and accurately.

4 Identify your audiences. The audience is not "everybody." Communication, to be effective, should be targeted. For example, if you need to communicate about budget cuts, the information you share with managers will be different from the information you share with frontline staff or customers. Even among employee groups, variations may require different messages or different communication tools. For example, off-site staff may not have ready access to the company intranet and will need to receive hard copy information, information by phone, etc.

5 Create "key messages." What are the most important messages you want to convey? Be succinct and focus on "need to know" based on the outcomes you're looking for. Don't try to convey too much, or you'll confuse your audience. Hit the high points.

6 Develop a timeline. The order in which you inform your audiences can be critical. For example, if you put a notice in your employee newsletter about a benefit change before you have informed managers about the change, managers may feel undermined and at a definite disadvantage when it comes to answering employee questions. Carefully consider which audiences need the information first, which may need it concurrently, and how long you can afford to wait between the steps to ensure that the information won't begin to leak through unofficial channels.

7 Develop a plan. Considering the audiences, messages and timelines you've developed, prepare a written plan that outlines specifically the communication tools and processes you'll be using. The plan should include the background, messages and target audiences you've identified. You'll also want to detail the specific tactics you will use to convey your messages. Some important elements to include are audience, tool, timing, who is responsible and cost, if applicable. A simple table format (see example) can be a good way to present this information.

Share the plan with your internal client, making revisions as necessary, before developing a final document. This plan then becomes your blueprint for moving forward, not only helping you maintain focus but also providing a good organizational tool to ensure that you don't overlook important steps in the communication process. The plan is also something of a "contract" between you and your internal customer, outlining what you have each agreed to: messages, tools, budgets and, as applicable, outcomes.

8 Start inside first. Your employees are an important audience for your communication messages--even marketing messages about your products and services. The more they understand, the more they can help you accurately share your messages.

9 Use multiple tools, multiple times. Sending out a memo to announce a major corporate initiative is communication. But it's probably not effective communication. Advertisers recognize that their sales messages need to be repeated multiple times before they make an impact. The same is true of any kind of communication. In addition, you need to use multiple tools or methods of communicating. Some people will pay more attention to an e-mail message than a memo. Others may not read your internal newsletter. Some may rely exclusively on your corporate intranet. "Repetition" is not a dirty word when it comes to communicating effectively. In fact, when you start to hear employees say, "I already heard about this," you'll know your message is starting to get across.

10 Think "circular." To develop a communication plan that will produce measurable results, you need to, as Stephen Covey says, "Start with the end in mind." Where do you want to go? What results do you want to obtain?

The next obvious question is "How will you know when you have obtained those results?" If you're attempting to increase employee awareness of your organization's benefits, you may decide to do a baseline survey to determine employees' current level of awareness. Not only will it give you information against which to measure future results, but it will also let you know which areas need to be emphasized and which do not, allowing you to better prioritize your efforts. Once you know where you want to go and where you are now, you need to "fill in the gaps" by identifying the communication tools you will use to increase awareness among the various audiences you have targeted.

To be effective, communication needs to be part of a carefully considered process focused on achieving clearly identified, measurable results. It's not difficult to communicate effectively, but it does take some thought, a clear focus on objectives, an understanding of the tools available to communicate your messages and a strong partnership between you and your internal customer.

Linda Pophal, ABC, is director of corporate communication, Luther Midelfort-Mayo Health System, Eau Claire, Wis.

AUDIENCE          TOOL          TIMING   RESPONSIBILITY  COST

Management Staff  Monthly       Nov. 5   Corporate       N/A
                  Management             Communication
                  Meeting                Manager

All Staff         Brochure      Nov. 12  Ad Agency       $5,000

All Staff         Intranet      Nov. 12  Corporate       N/A
                  Announcement           Communication
                                         Staff