Kevin Ruck's recent comment on this blog has struck a chord with me. He suggested that social media has not evolved because practitioners have been more concerned with the technology than the underlying benefits on offer.
Then, the other day I found myself in a discussion of a client problem and someone commented that this organisation had fantastic communications channels - a lack of infrastructure wasn't the reason the message wasn't getting through.
IC is often focused on the processes and tools needed to get a message flowing around an organisation. We like nothing better than planning intranets, commissioning newsletters or organising CEO town halls.
It's very easy to fall in to the trap of being great at doing 'stuff', of creating infrastructure when in fact the message doesn't really make sense in the first place. It's a bit like being a plumber who installs pipes, showers and sinks in a new house but forgets to connect it all up to the water supply.
Surely, the primary focus of the internal communicator should be on the message - surely channels are secondary? And this blog from Mich Walker makes the point so much better than I have managed!
Liam
