Voice - Member Magazine

Canadian consultant and Inner Strength Communication president Priya Bates discusses building alignment in uncertain times, valuing inclusion and why strategy and research remain essential to effective internal comms.

Experts share practical advice on turning organisational strategy into engaging communication that helps employees understand priorities, see their role in delivering them, and feel part of the bigger picture.

Lotus Josiah, founder and principal strategist of the Elevéa Agency, shares how science-backed communication frameworks help small organisations lead transformation with empathy, structure and psychological safety.

In the latest stop on our international tour of IC profressionals, we are in Brazil. Cynthia Provedel, founder of Brazilian consultancy Caminho do Meio, explores how communicative leadership, creativity and conscious use of AI are shaping internal comms across Brazil. She shares how cultural diversity, dialogue and governance can help communicators strengthen purpose and build trust.

Scenario planning helps internal communicators navigate uncertainty by exploring possible futures rather than predicting them. As work evolves, forces like technology, culture and trust reshape communication. This foresight approach helps communicators anticipate change, test assumptions and build more resilient organisational narratives.

In our latest stop around the world of global internal comms, we find ourselves in Australia. Paula Batho, IABC NSW board director and communication manager at Woolworths Group, shares how Australian organisations are navigating transformation, dispersed workforces and a strong cultural expectation for honest, direct communication.

Change consultant Daniel Grafton explains how leading a 400-person firm through a new strategy showed the power of simple, human storytelling in small organisations.

Small organisations show that effective change communication is built on honesty, empathy and connection – lessons that larger companies can use to make transformation feel human.

Brett Smyth, CEO and founder of Engage Group, shares how internal communication is maturing across the Middle East. He discusses building belonging in multicultural workforces, shifting leadership mindsets, and why the region’s people-first, emotionally driven storytelling can inspire communicators around the world.

The IC Index suggests around four in ten employees think leaders understand them. Damon Bowles, head of strategic IC and content at Definition, explores how internal communicators can help leaders build human connection.

May Flanagan, founder of Flanagan Communications and IoIC Ireland network lead, brings 13 years’ global experience in change communication, helping organisations navigate transformation with empathy and clarity. Here she reflects on storytelling in Ireland and keeping people motivated in times of change.

Shalini Gupta, head of internal communications UKIMEA at Arup, shares how people, purpose and inclusion have influenced her journey and leadership philosophy.