Building leadership communication capability
University of Sydney,
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
The brief
Leadership communication • Internal communication • Change communication • Capability building • Professional development •
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has more than 1,300 staff, across 6 schools and 4 portfolios - permanent and sessional academics, and professional staff, each with very different working lives.
Staff were clear about what they needed: to be kept in the loop about what was happening across the University, to understand where things were heading, and to understand their role in the bigger picture. The Faculty took that feedback seriously.
We were engaged to empower academic and professional leaders with the skills they need to:
cut through the noise
give their teams context and connect them to the bigger picture
guide their people through change.
Our work
Tailored & tangible
We designed and facilitated a fast-paced, 3-hour workshop built entirely around the Faculty – its people, its channels and the real work leaders had on their plates.
Leaders practised on a live project: driving use of the new FASS Intranet. So the thinking went straight into action, not into a notebook.
No sitting back & listening
We started by showing leaders what their communication looks like from the receiving end – and how easily messages get lost in the noise.
From there, participants were on their feet. Through games, group challenges and hands-on exercises, they stepped into their audience's shoes and practised new skills on real projects and messages.
Centring people at the heart of change
Good change communication helps people make sense of what's happening, not just what's being decided. We explored how leaders can add local context and get ahead of the hard questions, and unpacked the difference between change communication and change management. No message can fix a change that hasn't been properly resourced or sponsored.
Introducing simple tools & repeatable frameworks
Leaders were introduced to a clear, repeatable approach for planning, drafting and reviewing their communication.
They left with practical tools and frameworks to put their audience at the centre and turn complex information into communication their people can understand, trust and act on.
What our client said
“Something about how great the training was.”
— Jess Morris, Faculty General Manager, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
Let’s partner
We love helping leaders and teams with practical, tailored training that gives them the confidence, judgement and tools to communicate thoughtfully and efficiently.
Talk to us about strengthening communication capability in your organisation.