Mastering Corporate Communication: A Modern Guidebook for Future-fit Strategies, Tools and Skills

Contents
1: Introduction
2: Strategic Organisational Communication in a New Era
	2.1	 Strategic Anchoring as a Foundation
	2.2	 The Multiple Roles of the Professional Communicator
	2.3	 Organisational Anchoring
	2.4	 Situational Anchoring
	2.5	 Case 1. In Maersk’s Communicative Engine Room
		2.5.1	 A Changing Communications Function
		2.5.2	 The DNA of a Communicator at Maersk
		2.5.3	 The Viral Maersk Shoes
		2.5.4	 Relational Work of Strategic Producers
		2.5.5	 A Communicative Quantum Leap in Progress
	2.6	 Interview. With Symmetry as a Goal
		2.6.1	 Organisational Positioning Needed
		2.6.2	 It Took a War
		2.6.3	 Essential Receptiveness
		2.6.4	 Be Curious and Inquiring
	References
3: Credibility and Trust as a Field of Work
	3.1	 Trust Can Be (Re)Won
	3.2	 Elements of Credibility
	3.3	 Trust Is Challenged
	3.4	 Case 2. When Credibility Is Challenged
		3.4.1	 The Ethical Commitment Was Clear
		3.4.2	 The First Communicative Handling
		3.4.3	 Long-Term Preventive Organisational Work
	3.5	 Interview. Watch Closely!
		3.5.1	 Be the Credibility Sheriff in Your Organisation
		3.5.2	 A Historical View of the World
		3.5.3	 Create Joint Action
		3.5.4	 Train Your Observation Skills
		3.5.5	 Mind Your Own Ethics
	References
4: Corporate Citizenship in a Changing World
	4.1	 Build Social Licence to Operate
	4.2	 A Strong Purpose as a Starting Point
	4.3	 Positioning Potentials in a Changing Media Landscape
	4.4	 With the CEO as a Cross-Platform Channel
	4.5	 The Practical Work of CEO Activism
	4.6	 Case 3. With New Fuel in Sight
		4.6.1	 Action Behind the Ambitions
		4.6.2	 ‘Maersk Channel’
	4.7	 Interview. Be a Stakeholder Capitalist
		4.7.1	 The Meaning of It All
		4.7.2	 Credibility Is the Core
		4.7.3	 From Shareholders to Stakeholders
		4.7.4	 Communication in a Changed World
		4.7.5	 Communication Drives the Work
	References
5: Communication Must Create Contact
	5.1	 Mental Shortcuts as a Tool
	5.2	 Changing Criteria for Selecting Content
	5.3	 Cross-Cutting Story Universes
	5.4	 Communication in Dialogue with Stakeholders
	5.5	 Training Others for Contact
	5.6	 Communication in Contact
	5.7	 Case 4. In Touch with the World
		5.7.1	 Catch the Eye
		5.7.2	 Eye-Catching Infographics and Facts
		5.7.3	 A Step Forward as a ‘Thought Leader’ in a New Field
		5.7.4	 Training Managers with Sharp Data from Students
		5.7.5	 Guerrilla Journalism at Eye Level with Stakeholders
	5.8	 Interview. Have High Ethical Standards and Take Note!
		5.8.1	 Create Solid Credibility
		5.8.2	 Social Media Are Not a Channel
		5.8.3	 Listen Very Carefully
		5.8.4	 The Visual Turn
	References
6: The Data-Driven Communicator
	6.1	 Data-Driven Stakeholder Knowledge
	6.2	 A Measurable Basis for Communication Work
	6.3	 The Theoretical Basis for Evaluation
	6.4	 An Agile Evaluation Model
	6.5	 AMEC Recommendations for Measurement in Practice
	6.6	 When an Audit Is the Ambition
	6.7	 Data as Driver, Feedback and Mandate
	6.8	 Case 5. Being Data-Driven Must Be Useful
		6.8.1	 KPIs as Direction and Motivation
		6.8.2	 ‘Social Listening’ on Social Media
		6.8.3	 Data-Driven Processes
		6.8.4	 Data Related to Events
		6.8.5	 Data in Channel Work
		6.8.6	 A Data-Driven Future
	6.9	 Interview. Choose Communication!
		6.9.1	 Drop the Recipients – and Rethink ‘Audiences’
		6.9.2	 Learning Is Essential
		6.9.3	 Lift the Heavy Weights
		6.9.4	 Interpret Data Wisely: Even on the Move
		6.9.5	 Skills of the Future
	References
7: Internal Stakeholders in Focus
	7.1	 Communication with Internal Stakeholders
	7.2	 The Culture of Communication as a Field of Work
	7.3	 The Organisation’s Communication Infrastructure
	7.4	 The Strategy as an Anchor in Internal Communication
	7.5	 Case 6. A Shoe Ready to Make Its Mark
		7.5.1	 A Visual Framework for the Strategic Narrative
		7.5.2	 Virtual Leaders’ Meeting as a Kickoff
		7.5.3	 Continuous Strategic Communication
		7.5.4	 Keeping Your Nose to the Grindstone
	7.6	 Interview. With the Individual as Key
		7.6.1	 Forget About the Suggestion Box in the Corner
		7.6.2	 Strategic Acumen and Communication Skills Are Not Enough
		7.6.3	 Listen, Interpret and Understand
		7.6.4	 The Internal Communication Elements
		7.6.5	 Not Cosmetic, but Necessary
	References
8: Facilitating Change
	8.1	 Linear Perspectives of Change
	8.2	 The Agile Change
	8.3	 The Human Factor
	8.4	 Facilitator of Change
	8.5	 Case 7. Orchestrating Effective Changes
		8.5.1	 The Right Mandate for the Communicator
		8.5.2	 An Analytical Starting Point
		8.5.3	 A Unifying Growth Narrative
		8.5.4	 An Advanced Channel Mix
		8.5.5	 Data-Driven Change
		8.5.6	 Integration Continues
	8.6	 Interview. Involvement Is Key
		8.6.1	 Step into the Change
		8.6.2	 Away from the Campaign Trail
		8.6.3	 We Must Not Fear Authenticity
		8.6.4	 Psychological Safety as a Foundation
	References
9: When the Crisis Is Triggered
	9.1	Risks and Crisis Types
	9.2	 The Strategic Crisis Communicator
	9.3	 The Rhetorical Arena
	9.4	 Response Strategies in Crises
	9.5	 Proactive Crisis Management: ‘Stealing Thunder’
	9.6	 The Internal Stakeholder in Times of Crisis
	9.7	 Crisis Awareness of the Professional Communicator
	9.8	 Case 8. Global Balancing Act in Times of Crisis
		9.8.1	 One Step Forward
		9.8.2	 The Internal Balancing Act
		9.8.3	 With Facts at the Core
	9.9	 Interview. Keep Focus on Those Affected!
		9.9.1	 Digital Change: And Yet Not
		9.9.2	 The Hierarchical Fallacy
		9.9.3	 Intuitive Decisions Guided by Strategy
		9.9.4	 Nothing Like a Good Crisis …
	References
10: Skills of the Future
	10.1	 From the Point of View of the Communication Industry
	10.2	 Prioritised Skills Development
	10.3	 Case 9. Future Skills at Maersk
		10.3.1	 Strategic Producer Academy
		10.3.2	 A Stradivarius in Play
		10.3.3	 Quality in Production
		10.3.4	 To Be Continued
	10.4	 Interview. You Must Link Knowledge, Skills and Personality
		10.4.1	Listen Actively
		10.4.2	Crack the Data Code
		10.4.3	Drop the Technology Dazzle
		10.4.4	Develop Your Understanding of People
		10.4.5	Look Inwards
	References