1. Unlocking Potential: Building an Internal Communications Strategy
Melissa McGrath
Council of Chief State School Officers
July 10, 2018

2. Unlock Potential Across the SEA
“…Inspirational leaders also institute structures and foster the freedom necessary for employees to experiment and innovate. These leaders expect clear and tracked criteria for success, but they also extend trust to employees, enabling them to pursue bold and thoughtful ideas and actions, instead of expecting employees to do only what they are told. Ultimately, inspirational leaders realize their ability to create meaningful impact hinges on the quality of their people on the ground…”
- CCSSO Leadership Playbook
Imperative: Unlock Potential Across the SEA

3. Establishing a strong internal communications system takes time, staff engagement and an agency-wide commitment to keep getting better
STRENGTHEN
DESIGN
DELIVER

4. SEAs can use this framework to develop a system tailored to their needs, using a range of engagement strategies
Establish and use solid structures and routines to communicate internally
Create ways for employees to seek information and provide feedback
Distribute decision-making across teams to build cohesion and encourage collaboration  
Set goals and share with staff
Create and communicate the timeline
Model and reinforce the importance of internal communications and engagement
Solicit feedback from staff at all levels to identify areas for improvement
Use data to improve initiatives
Be transparent about what’s changing and how staff input is used to improve internal communications

5. State Example: New Mexico
Christopher Ruszkowski Secretary of Education New Mexico Public Education Department

6. Internal Communications in Action
First, take 5 minutes individually to consider a recent external communications announcement or event and complete the worksheet at your table.
Next, come together as a group at your table and spend 20 minutes discussing:
What are 1 or 2 things you did well that you will continue to do in the future?
What are 1 or 2 things you might do differently next time?
What is 1 idea you heard from a colleague you plan to take home and adapt for your organization?

7. Share-Out
What is 1 idea you heard from a colleague you plan to take home and adapt for your organization?

8. Now that you’ve used the framework and its principles, what are your reactions?
How does this framework compare to the approach you’ve taken to internal communications within your SEA?
Which principles work for you?
What’s missing? What would you change?
What further guidance or tools would be most helpful to support your internal efforts?