Effective communication is critical if external and internal audiences are to be successfully engaged and informed. But this isn’t just about your customers and your employees.

Most organisations have non executive governance structures, with people working at most a few days a month. And most of them won’t have the luxury or the patience to spend hours finding the information they want and need!

Non Executive Boards frequently feature on an audience or stakeholder matrix in a communications strategy, but how much is actually designed around them? And how much help is given to developing their communications and engagement skills when working with key partners, the media and other external audiences is a critical aspect of the role?

They can be your greatest advocates. So what are you doing to help them?

Some stuff to think about

• How about meeting the most basic of needs e.g. availability and support for IT and email addresses?
• Are there adequate channels for engagement and information exchange – can they access your intranet?
• Do you have a good induction programme? Early intervention to explain the governance processes, who is who and who does what is essential
• How digestible are Board papers? Do they have a short summary and provide access to more detail for those who want it? Do they assume a level of knowledge, or are they in context and jargon free?
• Do they know who does what, and who is responsible for aspects of service provision? Some organisations produce detailed organisational charts including photos of key employees to help members navigate their way through this easily
• Do they have knowledge and skills they need to communicate effectively with internal and external audiences. Common interventions include managing the media, chairing meetings, engagement techniques, negotiation skills, effective advocacy etc.
• Have you asked them what think they might need support with? And probably best not to describe it as training if you want to engage successfully

Not sure how well your Board communications are working? Set up a facilitated workshop for a couple of hours and ask them what works and what doesn’t. What could you do to make their lives easier?

And finally….

Employees are often unclear of the role of Board members and what happens at Board meetings. Consider brief summaries for the intranet after meetings that link into your wider internal communications to demystify the process.