Trade Secrets: Internal Communications Experts Offer Unique Opportunity

Feb. 25, 2009 - PRLog -- CHICAGO — In today’s difficult business climate, the difference between success and failure, between moving ahead and falling behind, can come down to one simple word – communication.

No one knows that better than internal communications expert David Grossman and his agency dg&a.  dg&a has used its arsenal of unique proprietary communication tools – part of its distinctive Grossman Methodology -  to help Fortune 500 CEOs and their leadership teams engage key constituencies to drive business results, increase productivity and minimize the downsides of change.  

Today dg&a announced it will make two of those sought-after tools – the leadercommunicator™ platform and messagemap™ process - available through its first-ever certification program.  The one-day certification seminars will begin in April 2009.

“We’re often asked about training others on our leadercommunicator platform and messagemap tools - this certification program is in response to that,” said David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, dg&a founder and president.  “Today’s economic crisis requires companies and the experts that serve them to re-invent themselves for the new business realities.”

The leadercommunicator™ platform – not unlike a political platform – helps senior leaders with one of the toughest challenges they face: developing and articulating strategy. The platform paints a picture, thus inspiring, creating buy-in, and helping to reduce resistance so people feel more comfortable by minimizing the unintended ambiguity that surrounds leaders’ communication.  What’s more, it provides them with customized messages and actions to inspire and engage employees to drive results.

“President Obama has a political platform, and every senior leader in any organization who’s serious about getting results should have a platform as well,” said Grossman. “Whether you agree or disagree with the President’s positions, you always know where he stands.  People liking a leader’s position is not critical to success; people understanding, and thus respecting what the leader is trying to accomplish, is paramount.”

The certification process focuses on several key aspects involved in effective executive leadership at the senior management level, including:
   Effectively developing and articulating goals and plans
   Empowering leaders to speak openly and honestly with employees
   Delivering consistent messages across all divisions, driving productivity and morale
   Improving levels of trust between management and staff


The messagemap™ certification supports communicators’ ability to drive meaningful change within their organizations that involves:
   Creating clear and credible messages that drive action
   Identifying gaps in messaging across leadership teams
   Facilitating a more effective and efficient process to develop core messages
   Using messages more strategically internally and externally to make the most of resources

These communications training tools were the basis of programs that helped a number of Fortune 100 companies increase employee trust and engagement.  These companies include Baxter Healthcare, Heinz, Intel, Johnson Controls McDonald’s, Lilly, Lockheed Martin, and WellPoint, among others.

"dg&a’s leadership communications tools have really made a difference in our organization. They helped our leadership team articulate our strategy and goals to better engage employees and create shared understanding about the direction of Shedd and how they each contribute,” said Ted Beattie, President and CEO, Shedd Aquarium.  “Furthermore, their methods helped align our leaders around the key behaviors needed to build clarity and trust, and to help them build stronger teams.  People development is critical in our organization, and dg&a helped us make significant strides in leadership communication to ensure that Shedd's team is engaged and highly informed."

Another dg&a client, Navistar, Inc. met with similar results. “The dg&a messagemap has put my team on a path to really embrace customer service as a key differentiator for our company.   It helped me articulate our vision and build momentum on the execution of the strategy. Good tool, good team,” said N. Merritt Becker, VP, Strategy and Business Development.

Taught by David Grossman and the dg&a senior leadership team, the certification programs will be held at dg&a’s Chicago offices located at 1144 W. Fulton Market in Chicago, Ill.  For additional information, please contact Bruce Corson at 312-820-7207 or certification@yourthoughtpartner.com.

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Chicago-based dg&a (www.yourthoughtpartner.com) helps leaders of Fortune 500 companies accomplish business goals through strategic internal and leadership communications, ensuring internal alignment around the brand. Based on its distinctive Grossman Methodology encompassing the philosophies, learnings and tools of dg&a president David Grossman - the dg&a approach works to inspire and engage employees, helping solve the everyday and toughest business challenges. dg&a is a certified diversity supplier.