Amplifying Your Impact: How to Shape an Effective IC Narrative

Internal communication (IC) professionals typically have a knack for storytelling. It’s part of our jobs to be successful at weaving together narratives that advance our organizational objectives. In the process, there’s one narrative that shouldn’t be forgotten: our own.

Let’s take a minute to define what an IC narrative is. Yes, there’s the organizational narrative, which refers to the consistent and coherent storytelling approach that we use to convey the organization’s messages, values, goals, and other important information to employees. But I’m talking about OUR narrative, the way we present ourselves and our expertise to the rest of the organization. If you haven’t developed your narrative yet, now is the time.

Your narrative should include the following:

• Introduction and Purpose
  Who is on your team and what is their expertise? What is your purpose? You’ll want to develop a simple, succinct purpose statement like this: “Our purpose is to strategically ensure timely, targeted, and effective communication that inspires, engages, and informs within the organization.”
  

• Value Proposition
  Explain how your team adds value to the organization. That could look something like this: “Our team drives Motivation & Engagement by connecting employees to the company’s vision, resulting in elevated client service. We foster a Collaborative Partnership that unites cross-functional support for a cohesive approach to tackling challenges. With Knowledge Sharing, we promote continuous learning through success stories and best practices. By ensuring Elevated Efficiency via clear communication, we align teams, driving strategic objectives to fruition.”
  

• Emphasis on Collaboration
  Working with internal clients to devise and execute effective communication strategies is among your top action items, so make sure others understand that too. Mentioning how your team works closely with various departments and teams within the organization showcases your ability to facilitate information sharing and understanding across the entire organization. If there are specific ways you’d like internal partners to work with you, make those expectations clear.

Remember, the goal is to present your IC team as a vital, approachable resource within the organization, capable of fostering better understanding, alignment, and engagement among all employees.