Through the Grapevine: Internal Communications For Long-Term Growth, with John Korinek

How do you keep track of what is happening inside your company? Do you have a newsletter? Messaging channels like Slack or a go-to person for all questions? How does information reach you? If you feel lost in the maze of internal communication, you’re not alone. Research by Gallup found that 74% of employees believe they’re missing out on work news and company information. 

So in this episode, we dive into the world of internal communication and find out how and why keeping our teams informed can help us reach our goals both now and for the future. Our guest John Korinek answers the big questions and shows us how streamlining communication can affirm your company values, help you retain talent and make better financial decisions. 

John is the president and CEO of PartnerComm Inc., an internal communications consulting firm that has been helping organizations identify opportunities and create strategies for their employees for 30 years. He holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication and has worked with companies such as Cisco, Kellogg, PepsiCo, Nordstrom, Burger King, BNSF, Nestlé and many more. Decades in business have earned him a wealth of insights and business tales, which he shares with us today.

Join Ari & John in conversation to get creative with your team communication, build effective strategies and manage new cultural challenges in a rapidly changing landscape.

Highlights:

• How John and his wife started PartnerComm Inc. (2:19)
• The purpose of Internal Communications (4:08)
• Communication as a financial decision (6:23)
• Think, know, feel, do: a foundational principle (8:13)
• Diversifying communication to widen your reach (10:25)
• “Employees have competing messages; we've got to break through the clutter” (12:44)
• Creativity and collaboration to enhance communication (14:57)
•  How John practices Internal Communications in his business (17:15)
• Bottoms up communications to fight for talent (19:34)
• Flexible work & productivity: new challenges in Cultural Communications (21:03)
• “Change management starts with transparency” (24:14)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank X (Twitter)
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
•  Partner Comm Inc. Website
• Partner Comm Inc. LinkedIn
• John Korinek LinkedIn
• Research: Gallup - “Companies Are Missing on Opportunities for Growth and Revenue”
• Article: Oak Engage - “21 Scary Internal Communications Statistics”  

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com or Danielle.Kernell@cadencebank.com.