New UK research

I've just been looking at the latest research from the UK's Work Foundation into the shape of IC.  And quite interesting reading it makes too.

Having moaned before about reports without any rigour I have to say that this one seems to fit the bill quite well - they conducted interviews under test conditions and from what they say, I think you can assume that the data collection element was robust.

However, I do wish that they'd included the questionnaire...then perhaps I wouldn't feel slightly uncomfortable with the findings.

Let me explain - the report goes into quite a lot of detail about the variety of channels in use, the size of IC teams and budgets.  It also attempts to explore if there is a relationship between high performing organisations and particular approaches to IC.  But it doesn't really reach any conclusions that shed new light on the issue for me.

OK, it reinforces the messages that there are an awful lot of channels in use in most organisations (apparently they proliferate more in the public sector).  And it includes some input from CEO's to the effect that IC is important.

Yet the three main conclusions are:

• CEO's and Boards should embrace the strategic value of IC
• We should look at all the tools in use and keep an eye on what works
• It would be interesting to research further where IC is best located in organisations and what evaluation methods are useful.

There are some gems hidden away in there - there seems to be a relationship between weak business performance and traditional approaches to team briefing (now that IS interesting!) so I do strongly suggest that people take a look at the report.

But overall, it rather left me flat.  It didn't say much that anyone who's worked in IC for a few years would know to be true.  The call to CEO's to communicate has been on the agenda of the Financial Times, the Economist, The HBR, the Wall Street Journal etc for as long as I can remember - and I can't believe there are many leaders out there who would say "You know what? I think all this stuff about communications is over-hyped".

So I have two thoughts.

Firstly, is this the state that IC is in in the UK?  Are we really people that are tactically obsessed bemoaning the lack of attention from senior managers?  Is the reality that most IC people do spend their time fretting about  better channels?

For me, I just wished it had challenged that and looked at some of the advisory and consulting work that is being done in organisations.  It would have felt more like a rounded picture to me.

Secondly, wouldn't it be brilliant if someone could spend a few years looking at exactly the questions that the study starts to ask at the end?  In particular, they ask "How can IC teams ensure that communications is seen as an investment rather than an overhead?".  Getting an answer to that one would be worth the sponsors' cash!

Liam

Comments

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