
If you watched my video about speaking different audiences' languages, you know that one-size-fits-all communications actually fit no one. Let's dive deeper into how you can become fluent in every stakeholder's language.
Before you can tailor your message, you have to understand who you’re talking to. What drives them? What does success look like for them? What keeps them up at night?
In most organizations, you’ll find personas like:
The Strategic Executive: Focused on market position, growth, and organizational transformation
The Operational Leader: Managing resources, processes, and performance metrics
The People Manager: Building team capability while delivering results
The Individual Contributor: Balancing daily tasks with development goals
The Frontline Employee: Directly serving customers or creating products
You might already have these personas mapped out. But here's what often gets missed: Have you defined your resistance personas? Understanding the "change-resistant manager" or the "skeptical long-timer" is just as crucial as knowing your advocates. What drives their resistance? What would make them feel heard?
Now, let the data guide your delivery. Look at how these personas have engaged with communications and add these patterns into each profile:
Which channels drive their engagement
What content types spark action
When they typically engage
Common questions or concerns
Format preference (data, stories, visuals)
For example, your frontline manager might consistently engage with early morning updates, prefer bullet-point summaries, and always ask about team impact. These patterns help you craft messages that land.
Turn insights into messages that matter. Create a simple communication template for each persona so you can quickly plug in the key information into the right block for each audience.
Strategic Executive
What & Why: Core change and business driver
Business Impact & Priority: What strategic goal does this support?
Market Position: Competitive advantage/industry context
Critical Numbers: Key metrics/financial impact
Decision Needed: Clear ask and deadline
Format: Early morning, mobile-friendly, 3 bullet points max
People Manager
What & Why: Change overview and business case
Team Impact: How this affects their people
Key Messages: What they need to cascade
Resources: Tools/support available
Timeline: Key dates for their planning
Format: Detailed email with follow-up talking points
Frontline Employee
What's Changing: Direct impact to their role
Why It Matters: Personal benefit/outcome
Action Needed: Clear, specific steps
Support Available: Where to get help
Format: Visual, step-by-step guides, mobile accessible
Change-Resistant/Skeptical
What & Why: Clear, honest overview without corporate speak
Acknowledge Concerns: Show you understand their perspective
Evidence: Proof points/data supporting the change
Voice: How their input will be heard/incorporated
Support: Resources for managing the transition
Format: Face-to-face when possible, detailed FAQs addressing concerns
Your organization's personas might look different, but the principle remains: Understand who you're talking to. What are their drivers, their patterns, and their needs? The answers are the foundation of strategic communication.
This week, pick one key message to deliver. First, map your audience personas, including potential skeptics. Then, craft your message using the right template for each group. Share your experience with me. I'd love to hear what insights you discover.
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