A government organization was having trouble aligning internally, and this made it hard to complete their task: crafting an effective public messaging campaign.
The team decided to try something different – an ECC retreat. At the event, we focused on surfacing negative self-talk and becoming aware of the assumptions we make about each other. In small groups, we looked at real situations and obstacles, and were shocked to hear how much ‘knowledge’ of what was going on was actually story.
We explored the self-talk we bring to work, practiced how to check assumptions, and agreed to approach each other using empathic communication techniques.
This shift proved to be transformative.
Once aligned, the team successfully created a powerful messaging campaign addressing a complex social issue. The retreat is an eloquent demonstration of how improved internal communication dramatically enhances an organization’s external effectiveness.