Nicole Bearne shares the lessons she learned in effective internal communication from her career in Formula One
In the high-speed world of Formula One, where every split-second counts, teamwork is the key to success. The combined efforts of engineers, mechanics, strategists, and operational staff create a finely tuned machine which enables the race driver to reach peak performance on the track. From perfect pit stops to real-time strategy changes, smooth collaboration within a Formula One team demonstrates how crucial teamwork is for achieving victory in elite motorsport.
Leading this complex network is the Team Principal, a high-profile figure with a dynamic and demanding role. The Team Principal holds the highest level of responsibility and leadership within the organisation. They oversee all aspects of the team’s operations, from technical development and race strategy to commercial interests and public relations. As the primary decision-maker, the Team Principal sets the vision and ensures that everyone is working towards a common goal. If the team doesn’t perform, the buck stops here.
For almost a decade, I was Executive Assistant to two Team Principals in Formula One. I had a varied and busy role managing their office and daily schedules. But one of the most important unwritten elements of my job was to help our leadership ensure a clear flow of communication across the team, build cohesion, and keep everyone motivated during challenging times. In a sport where timing and precision are everything, an Executive Assistant’s ability to read the climate, anticipate needs, and engage team members with the leader’s vision is invaluable.
In today’s business world, the role of an Executive Assistant generally extends far beyond traditional administrative tasks. As in Formula One, a critical area where EAs can bring significant value to their organisations is in internal communication (IC). Effective IC is crucial for building a well-informed, engaged, and cohesive workplace, ensuring that all colleagues are aligned with the company’s purpose, goals, and values. As EA to the Team Principal within F1, I realised I could draw upon my background and training in public relations to enhance internal communication within our team.
What Is Internal Communication?
Internal communication refers to the strategic management of interactions and relationships within an organisation. It can cover a range of dimensions, including communication between line managers and their teams, peer-to-peer exchanges, project-based interactions, and corporate-wide communications.
In an academic paper on “Rethinking Internal Communication: A Stakeholder Approach” (2007), Mary Welch and Paul R. Jackson highlight the importance of IC in maintaining organisational coherence and effectiveness. The scope of IC can vary by organisation and practitioner, ranging from producing and delivering messages and campaigns on behalf of management to facilitating two-way dialogue and developing the communication skills of the organisation’s leadership. However involved or well-resourced it may be, IC is a vital function within any organisation.
The Importance of Internal Communication
Internal communication is the backbone of organisational effectiveness. It ensures that employees are aware of their roles and how their efforts contribute to the strategy of the organisation. In the book Exploring Internal Communication: Towards Informed Employee Voice (2015), Mary Welch emphasises that IC underpins organisational effectiveness by enabling communication between senior managers and employees. If employees know what needs to be done and understand their role in achieving the organisation’s goals, they can align their efforts with the strategy. It’s not enough to simply tell people what the strategy is; effective internal communication equips them to deliver on it.
Challenges and Costs of Poor Internal Communication
Despite its importance, internal communication is often flagged as a problem within organisations. Both employees and managers complain about the consequences of poor communication. Project.co’s Communication Statistics 2024 report highlighted several costs associated with poor business communication:
(https://www.project.co/communication-statistics/)
These statistics underscore the tangible and intangible costs of ineffective communication, emphasising the critical role of internal communication in organisational success. The final three on the list also underline the importance of internal communication for external reputation.
Managing Reputation
For customer-facing organisations, internal communication is at the heart of reputation management. A company’s reputation is influenced by what people say about it, what it says about itself, and whether it delivers on its promises.
If a customer has a great experience, it’s often due to the way they’ve been treated by the company’s employees, both by those who directly interact with customers and also those who are developing the company’s products and services. Happy customers may recommend the company or use its services again. A bad experience is also likely to be shared widely, with damaging consequences for the company’s reputation.
A glowing media story about the company’s achievements or a brilliant ad campaign is worthless if it’s not matched by positive customer experiences. Broken promises are more damaging than making no promises at all.
Building and maintaining a good external reputation begins with engaging employees and ensuring they understand the corporate objectives, values, and brand. A rather infamous viral video earlier this year involving Domino’s Pizza and an employee in Japan (check it out on the internet) clearly demonstrates how the actions of a single individual can significantly impact a company’s reputation and brand.
Employees’ interactions with customers are the moments of truth that test the brand promise. Consistent internal communication helps employees understand and live the brand values in their daily work, providing consistent, positive customer experience. This, in turn, contributes to the overall success of the business strategy.
Streamlining Internal Communication: The EA’s Role
The reality is that in the vast majority of organisations, there is no dedicated in-house internal communications function.
According to UK government statistics, in 2023, there were 5.5 million small or medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK, representing over 99% of the business population. SMEs are businesses employing 0-249 people, including sole traders.
A total of 7,960 businesses were considered ‘large’ (250+ employees), making up just 0.1% of the UK’s business population (House of Commons Business Statistics 2024).
Usually, an organisation has between 500 and 1,000 employees before an IC role is created.
Within large companies with an IC function, the role of the EA is often to serve as a bridge between executives and the IC team, helping to align messaging with organisational goals and priorities. EAs speak the leaders’ language, understand the organisation’s purpose, and can credibly discuss key issues. It’s important, therefore, for EAs to work collaboratively with the IC team to facilitate seamless communication.
If the organisation doesn’t have a dedicated IC function, the EA will have an even more significant role to play in ensuring good internal communication.
Strategic Communication
EAs can work with their executives to develop long-term strategic communication plans. With their knowledge of the organisation, they can help shape communication objectives, determine the best methods of communication, and develop guidelines for internal communication channels. Despite the importance of having an IC strategy, up to 60% of companies have no long-term vision or strategy for their internal communication (Gallagher 2018), so EAs can play a key role in bridging this gap.
Compelling Content
Many EAs are already writing newsletters, drafting leadership emails, building SharePoint pages, or organising town hall meetings. They might be responsible for creating content, setting up the technology, and ensuring effective communication. This means ensuring that the messaging is clear, consistent, and aligned with the organisation’s goals and values.
Often, EAs are also responsible for the organisation and use of communication tools and platforms within their organisation. Nowadays this can include a wide range of channels, from email, Teams, and Slack to intranets and video. Ensuring that these tools are used effectively and that employees have access to the necessary information can significantly enhance internal communication effectiveness.
EAs are often tasked with organising company-wide meetings, town halls, and other internal events, coordinating logistics, preparing agendas, and ensuring that relevant stakeholders are informed and involved. Frequently we are also writing presentations and speeches. These events are crucial for maintaining open lines of communication and ensuring that employees feel engaged and informed.
An Ear to the Ground
As the key point of contact with the senior leadership, EAs build strong relationships with colleagues across various departments. They act as a point of contact for employees seeking information or assistance, fielding inquiries, providing guidance, and escalating issues to ensure communication needs are met. EAs are often seen as the oracles of the organisation, making them ideal for this role.
People are also more likely to confide in someone they trust, making it possible for an EA to gather information and tap into issues and feelings. They are uniquely positioned to understand the pulse of the organisation. By using active listening techniques, an EA can pick up on both spoken concerns and unspoken issues, allowing them to relay this valuable information to the leadership where appropriate.
Listening also provides feedback from employees on communication practices and preferences. This helps identify areas for improvement and informs decisions on enhancing internal communication efforts. How often has your boss asked, “How do you think that was received?” These insights guide future communication strategies and tactics.
Coping in a Crisis
In times of crisis or significant change, EAs really kick into action. There is a vital role to play in coordinating internal communication efforts. Having a well-drafted and tested crisis communication plan enables coordinated messaging, provides support to leaders and employees, and is vital for maintaining trust and stability within the organisation during turbulent times.
As in Formula One, speed is key. Addressing an issue promptly prevents misinformation and speculation. The moment immediately following a crisis can often be blurred by confusion or an absence of information. Often, internal communication is delayed as the senior leadership team deals with the external fall-out of the news. Internally, rumours and gossip take hold, leading to confusion and anxiety. An EA who retains focus on the internal landscape can quickly deploy the right communication to the right places. This can help to restore some calm and manage expectations at a time when leadership will be under pressure to answer a lot of questions.
In the words of Jack Welch, one of the world’s most celebrated CEOs, “Trust happens when leaders are transparent.” Increasing transparency is an important first step for leaders to take in order to build trust within their teams. When delivering significant news, it’s important to ensure communication is honest and clearly articulates the reasons for the situation.
Providing context also helps employees understand the broader picture, creating an environment of openness which can spread to become part of the organisational culture. By sharing information openly and honestly, leaders give permission for others within their teams to do the same. EAs can act as the conscience of the organisation, encouraging leaders to ensure communication is open, honest, and transparent.
Communication Champions
Internal communication is a cornerstone of organisational success, and EAs are uniquely positioned to champion this function. Effective internal communication not only supports our executives but also significantly contributes to the overall health and success of our organisations.
Whether the company is large or small, having the right mix of internal communication tools and processes is essential for connecting and engaging with employees. EAs have a crucial role to play. By establishing clear communication strategies, managing tools, facilitating events, gathering feedback, and acting as a communication liaison, we can ensure that our organisations remain cohesive, informed, and engaged.
My belief in this as an EA led me to develop my skills in internal communication and create the IC function at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team. IC provided me with a rewarding opportunity to contribute to the effectiveness and success of my team, which went on to win 8 back-to-back world championships. Over a decade later, I am now a specialist IC consultant, supporting a range of organisations with internal communication and employee engagement expertise.
By actively participating in and facilitating internal communication, EAs can help create a culture of transparency, collaboration, and engagement. This, in turn, contributes to the overall success of the organisation. In today’s ever-changing business environment, having clear and effective internal communication is more important than ever.
