When ‘no’ is the most powerful word in comms

We’re lucky to have a cracking guest post from Steve Carley, Internal Communications Officer at West Mercia Police, and a brilliant Comms Creatives Academy member who’s levelled up his skills through multiple Comms Creatives courses, .

He’s been on the journey many of us take in communications – starting out as the helpful, accommodating teammate who always says yes, before learning how to protect his time, challenge constructively and build credibility with confidence. His experience sums up what we hear time and again in the Academy: that pushing back (with respect and clarity) isn’t just OK, it’s a powerful act of professionalism (and it keeps you sane!).

Over to Steve:

Steve Carley, Internal Communications Officer

Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’; it should be the first rule for any internal comms professional.

 

You hear it all the time when attending webinars or conferences but how many of us actually do it? I know I didn’t used to.

 

I’d thought about saying ‘no’ to stakeholder requests plenty of times; on a few occasions I very nearly said it, but in the end it was easier to follow Nike’s approach and just do it.

 

I didn’t want to rock the boat or be the annoying person who questioned everything.

 

I’m glad to say I am no longer afraid to say ‘no’ when yet another infuriatingly demanding request drops into the inbox.

 

Indeed, I am now quite happy to rock the boat and I definitely don’t mind being that annoying person who questions everything.

 

Maybe it’s an age thing.

 

Maybe I just don’t care what people think of me anymore.

 

But, of course, that’s not the case. I very much do care what people think of me and, more importantly, what they think of me professionally.

 

Which is precisely why I’ll question and push back when needed; it’s what every internal comms professional worth their salt should be doing in my opinion.

 

In a previous life, I was a sports journalist for a provincial newspaper, specifically covering football.

 

My boss once said to me that I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if the chairman or manager of the local club liked everything I wrote.

 

My job was to provide objective reporting, not regurgitate what the club wanted me to.

 

And the same ethos applies to internal comms.

 

I respect authority but I won’t stand on ceremony. Treat everyone the same – whether a peer or the CEO – be polite, don’t lose your rag and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

 

People might choose to ignore you but at least you’ll have stuck to your principles and have a clear conscience.

 

It’s not a weakness to say ‘no’.

 

When a stakeholder sends a jargon-riddled essay with associated logo abuse, the natural response is to scream, shout and pour another strong coffee.

 

Trust me, I’ve been there. We all have.

 

But here’s where you should use, and trust, your judgement as an internal comms professional.

 

If the request isn’t vital information that will impact someone’s ability to their job, you can confidently say ‘no’ and explain why.

 

Alternatively, if it is vital information, albeit hidden in reams of corporate fluff, you can pick up the gauntlet that has been thrown down, decipher the message hidden within and produce something that is straightforward and easy to understand – whether that’s by using words, images, audio or video.

 

Surely that’s our job?

 

If we don’t understand it, how can we expect anyone else to.

 

Over time, you’ll build trust with your stakeholders, or at least you will with those that are worth gaining the trust of.

 

Then there’s no need to be afraid to say ‘no’.

Hear hear, Steve!

That mix of honesty, experience and backbone is what makes a great comms professional. And it’s exactly the kind of thinking we celebrate (and sharpen) in the Comms Creatives Academy.

If you’re ready to say no without guilt, push back with purpose and build trust while you do it, our Building Boundaries and Polite Pushback masterclass is a brilliant place to start. It’s one of the many courses you get instant access to when you become a member.

Steve also took our Internal Comms Expert Programme and said:

“The sessions that I found particularly beneficial were strategy writing, crafting a comms plan and measurement, as these are areas I often struggle with. Creating the content isn’t a problem, but the building blocks around it don’t come naturally to me, and I’m sure these will help me in future conversations with senior management. It has been extremely insightful.”

So if you’re after practical comms training that boosts your skills, confidence and creativity – come and join us. We’d love to have you.