How to craft a killer talent development communications plan.
It's true that the world of talent development has grown and matured a lot in the past decade. There is much more C-level support, dedicated software, apps, you name it. However, one key ingredient is still sometimes lacking: the communications plan.
Step one is to gain support and resources for your talent development initiatives. Step two is to begin demonstrating productive use and some form of return on investment. That begins with a great communications plan to drive quality engagement.
Many years ago, as the marketing function continued to mature, it realized the need to carefully craft a thoughtful, consistent campaign across all communication channels. What is the message and how do we get it out there? For better or worse, marketers have this down to a science.
This basic lesson about communication plans has been slowly finding its way into all other functions of the organization. If you have something new to offer, you need to promote and support it correctly.
Change management has been through the same transformation. Back in the day, change initiatives (for example, new software, policy changes, structural changes) simply hit people in the head like a truck. Change projects often were seen as painful and intrusive. Today, at least for more progressive organizations, change is managed much more delicately with a clear communications plan designed to maximize adoption.
Now it's time for talent development professionals to follow the same path. No matter the size and scope of your efforts, no matter the strategic support, no matter the effectiveness of your learning management system—you can maximize what you accomplish with the help of a solid communications plan.
Five steps
The world is exploding with great content. From lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning to Udemy, to Skillshare, the supply of practical content is growing exponentially in nearly all skill areas. You have a lot of useful material to sell. Maybe you also have created a ton of original learning content internally. But the world won't beat down your door just because you built a better mousetrap.
Let's say you've fine-tuned the LMS, added new resources and training classes, and are ready to restart or rebrand your talent development efforts. Let's think about promoting what you're up to. The process includes completing a pre-mortem, defining the message, identifying relevant channels, nailing the dates, and following up and collecting feedback.
Pre-mortem
The pre-mortem is an activity designed to identify what will go wrong, what might not work, and who will not adopt. For nearly any talent development program, at least half of the major bumps in the road can be identified before the rollout begins. Whenever possible, the goal is to identify individuals or groups who may provide resistance and then seek to co-opt them. If you seek their input, use their feedback, and simply spend time listening to them, many will convert and become advocates.
Define the message
In terms of defining the message, stay focused on the idea that less is more. You might have numerous courses or programs to share, but the goal is not to mention all of them. The goal is to drive interest in and engagement with your department and your library of resources. You do this by sharing brief messages about must-have resources.
If your task is regular promotion of your team as a repository for excellent learning products, you want to have several recurring topics in each campaign push. In no particular order:
Tell them what is hot. What is the hottest most consumed resource in your stable? Tell your audience about it and ask them why they have not yet checked it out. Sell a little sizzle and share with them how many employees already have used it, or how the course ranks historically in terms of viewership or attendance, or consider sharing something about the high ratings that have been received.
Announce what is about to go live. Your array of resources is constantly changing. If one or two new resources are coming online before the next time you are pushing out an update, let them know. What is it? When does it go live? Most importantly, why should they care?
Mention resources about to expire. If you have content leaving the library, particularly if it's been popular, let people know: "Get it while supplies last!" Tell them exactly when they lose the option and whether it will be available in the future.
Include an end user success story. This is a fun vignette that brings learning to life. Focus on one or two end users or groups that have achieved notable work-related outcomes as a result of using your resources. This humanizes learning and enables the audience to visualize engaging the learning process.
Add key statistics. Tell them something impressive. Talk about users, trends in consumption, or hours of learning, for example. Use this as a call to action. Remind them that learning is an active sport and you need them on the team.
Identify relevant channels
Now let's talk about channels. You have many communication channels from which to choose: your website, social media, newsletters, in-course promotions, email, promotional pieces in mailboxes, and many more. Each channel has a different bandwidth, so every time you're communicating you won't be sharing all components (what's going live, what's about to expire, etc.). You might find that some topics feel more naturally aligned with certain channels. Remember that to the extent any component is mentioned on multiple channels, the messages need to be the same. For all of this to work you must cling to the classic marketing fundamentals of repetition and consistency.
Having said that, my two favorite channels for promoting anything are not classic channels. The two best are key user drop-ins and creative one-time promotions.
The idea for drop-ins is simple and powerful. Go find influential informal leaders and sell them on the latest and greatest coming out of the talent development function. Don't try to be sly. It's OK to tell them you want them to help spread the word. For any given influencer, you'll want to touch base two or three times each year.
My favorite channel is the creative option. There are numerous ones; for example, temporary messages loaded on screen savers, notes placed on desks, video playing in the elevator, messages posted in bathroom stalls, and table tents in the cafeteria. Get creative and try not to use each one more than once per year. The unique nature of the message delivery combined with its infrequency makes the message stand out.
Nail the dates
Let's not forget the importance of using the calendar. Never allow your communication plan to be ad hoc. Over a 12-month period, week by week and day by day, plan exactly when each message will drop and through which channel.
Be clear about who is responsible for what and when it's due. Use your team and collaborate to create the plan and ensure buy-in. When done, publish the plan electronically. Moving forward, at any regularly scheduled talent development–related meeting, discussion of the plan becomes an agenda item.
Follow up and collect feedback
Last but not least is any follow-up and feedback-related work. This too goes on a calendar. The options are many, such as large sample surveys, formal or informal focus groups, key user interviews, and examination of usage and ratings data. Some form of these activities should be undertaken quarterly. Don't forget: In most messages you push out, you should ask for input and provide contact information.
With a concerted effort, soon enough this will all become part of your normal routine. Take the plan seriously. It's what ultimately ensures that your investment in talent development resources pays off.
The Role of the Informal Leader
Understanding how to influence an organization often has less to do with your title and more to do with who you know. The support of informal leaders often makes all the difference in terms of change adoption.
Informal leaders are people who are well-known and well-liked due to a combination of personality, character, and professional ability. People like associating with them. People go to them for advice. They tend to be central to many different networks of people. It’s simple: If you can convince an informal leader that what you’re selling has value, they will convince others—and the support spreads network by network.
For any aspiring professional, that is an important distinction to make. All network connections are not created equal. You don’t want to sacrifice quality for quantity as you build your network at work and online. Always put quality first. Identify thought leaders and quality informal leaders and go connect. Importantly, spend more time seeking to help them than you spend asking for their support. The more you help and show support for their work, the more they will spread the word about the cool nature of your work.
Don’t forget to show them some love when you find out that others got on the bus because of what they said about your work.
With title comes authority, but not necessarily huge influence. So, give your efforts a boost by connecting with the informal leaders doing excellent work around the organization.
Seek Out Input, Don’t Wait for It
Put down the pen and close the laptop. Step away from the desk. I know you are busy. I recognize there are multiple fires burning. However, the department or program you are running needs fine-tuning. That requires input.
You probably tell everyone that you have an open door policy and that it’s completely OK to stop in and offer feedback on nearly anything. But most open door policies don’t work because your people are busy too—just like you. Further, they have lower status than you. Speaking up to the boss is a risk many wish to avoid.
It’s time to empower them. Leave the office and go talk to relevant humans. Ask good questions, sit down (it makes them more comfortable), shut the door if needed, and just listen. They will know you are serious because you came to them, indicating your respect for what they know and do. Take a few notes. Ask another question. When it’s time to go, don’t forget to thank them.
Do this randomly once or twice each week. Think strategically about using this type of drop-in. Maybe you visit someone after you know he consumed a particular training course. Maybe you grab someone as an instructor-led class is letting out.
The open door is just the beginning. Start walking. Start asking questions. You might be surprised by what they say.
Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.
