The Lakeview Blog

Communication is everyone's job. That's right. I said it. Your communication department can't do it all alone. Whether you lead a team or are an employee, you are the face of the organization inside and outside. As a manager or supervisor, your team counts on you to share organizational updates, to recognize good performance and to listen to ideas and concerns, and escalate them as appropriate. The communication culture you create can build a great team or destroy it. An an employee (regardless of where in the organization you work) you should be aware of what your organization is doing, what it's goals are and how you fit into the picture. Your employer should be providing this information. It's up to you to stay informed. So, if we have to do all this, why have a communication department? you might well ask. Your communication experts not only must provide information and set up the avenues for you to be informed, they are also responsible to: ...

Great writing begins with knowing your purpose, your audience and your message. But that's just the beginning. Learning how to write with impact takes practice. Do you have tips that have helped you become a better writer? We'd love to hear from you. Colleen

When I worked at the Province of Nova Scotia, I was part of a team that launched the first survey to measure how engaged provincial employees were. The survey measured staff opinions and perceptions in 10 areas: teamwork, communication, employee involvement, quality of work life, leadership, compensation and recognition, personal growth, diversity, safety and security, and recruitment and retention. (You can find out more about this and subsequent surveys here .) Prior to and during my time at the province, I had often been the go-to person for employee communication programs and had  been an advocate of good employee communication practices. This was because none of my PR colleagues thought employee communication was exciting enough. I didn't agree. I thought if organizations were going to say that employees are their most valuable resource, they should show it and I was excited about the possibilities of this work. The experience with the employee surveys, however, gave m...