Part 2 of many…strategic vs operational comms

There are two main kinds of communications:
Strategic and Operations

Organization communicate for strategy or for operations.

For strategy, organizations generally have agenda, a specific problem or issue to address overall or they have an approach to something new that they’d like to exposure their employees to. So, for example, the company has come up with a new way to improve life-work balance. Through communications, the company can make this already-positive message sing even louder. Or on the downside, the company has to tighten the rules on life-work balance during a tough period. In this case, communications strategy can help executives deliver the tough message, come across in a way that employees respond to and still stay positive. Good communications strategy can do this.

For operations, organizations usually have information items that must get to their employees on a timely basis in order for them to do their jobs. So, for example, the company has designed new electronic forms to be used with clients for a certain situation. All the communications around that such as: telling them about it, showing them the basics of how to use it (more indepth how-to would fall under training/learning), highlighting key points, etc… would all be considered operational communications.

Timing is critical for both kinds, as well as strategy, however, I would argue timing is MORE important for operational comms (short for communications) as it can affect a company’s ability to deliver to clients — a be all end all issue.

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bobbie smith