In this competitive marketplace, organizations need effective internal communication practices to ensure that critical leadership messages around products, strategy and goals are successfully conveyed to employees. In many companies, middle management acts as the communication bridge between corporate leadership and employees. Unfortunately, middle management can also act as a communication barrier or bottleneck that inhibits effective internal communications. Best Practices, LLC conducted this research to spotlight winning approaches, tools, and technologies that help leadership effectively communicate to and through middle management. Specifically, this study measures the effectiveness of different communication message types, channels used, and sending frequencies. It also addresses the role of communication skills in hiring, evaluating and training middle managers.

1. Internal Communications Excellence:
Engaging Middle Management to Align With Senior Leadership
and Energize the Front Line
Best Practices, LLC
Strategic Benchmarking Research

2. Table of Contents
 Executive Brief 2
 Communication Definitions 4
 Business Issues and Objectives 5
 Key Findings & Recommendations 6
 About the Benchmark Class 7
 Message Channels 12
 Message Recall 17
 Strategy Alignment 23
 Hiring and Training Communicators 26
 Appendix 35
 Additional Quotes 36
 About Best Practices 37
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3. Communication Definitions Used in this Report
New Media: Technological forms of communication that have been
relatively recently accepted in the workplace. These forms include, but are
not limited to: instant messaging, SharePoint, text messaging, video
messaging, and blogs.
Traditional Media: Forms of communication that have traditionally been
accepted within the workplace. These forms include face-to-face
discussions, emails, and phone calls.
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4. Business Issue & Objectives
As companies continue to progress through a tumultuous business environment,
organizations must ensure that best practices, strategic insights and organizational goals
cascade throughout the company. One potential hindrance is a communications barrier
within middle management.
Objectives:
• Spotlight winning approaches, tools, and technologies that help leadership effectively
communicate to and through middle management
• Understand how to frame messages in such a way that they are retained
• Discover new, critical trends emerging regarding technology and communication
Field Research & Insight Development: Objective:
 Engaged 26 communications executives from 23
Formulate a Strategic
INFORM
INFORM
companies in a performance benchmark Approach for Removing
Communications
 Analyzed quantitative and qualitative findings Bottlenecks within Middle
Management
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5. Universe of Learning & Insights
For this benchmarking study, Best Practices®, LLC gathered insights and performance
data from 26 communication leaders representing 23 leading national and global
organizations.
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6. Middle Managers Do “OK” with Translating Messages
Most respondents rated their middle managers “good” or “neutral” in translating
messages to direct reports. However, 1 in 4 rated middle manager’s translation
effectiveness as only “fair” or “poor.”
Message Translation Effectiveness: When passing along messages from senior management to direct reports, how
well do middle managers translate the messages to make them relevant to direct reports and their jobs?
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(n=26) Copyright © Best Practices, LLC

7. Majority Do Not Effectively Measure Message Recall
As the graph below shows, most companies either do not use or cannot depend on most
measurement types. The sole exception – “formal message recall testing” – was at least
somewhat effective for more than half of respondents that employ the tactic.
Message Recall Measurement: Please rate the effectiveness of the following message recall measurement
approaches for tracking communication effectiveness through your organization.
(n=23) 7
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8. Most Leaders Say Middle Managers Are Informed
About Strategy
Most benchmark companies keep their middle managers well-informed regarding the overall
corporate strategy of the company, with nearly 1 in 4 stating that their middle managers are
“very informed” about overall important programs and initiatives.
Middle Management Alignment: In general, how well informed are your company’s Middle Managers regarding
corporate strategy, programs and important initiatives? (Choose one.)
* Not informed = 0%
(n=26)
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9. Strategy, Goals & Updates Communicated Quarterly
For most companies, key information types (e.g., strategy, performance goals) are communicated
quarterly. One notable exception is employee transitions, which are communicated more
frequently. A number of respondents find it important to alert middle managers about new
products and services, and division strategy and updates frequently – on at least a monthly basis.
On average, how frequently does senior leadership communicate the following types of information to middle
management employees? (Choose one frequency per item.)
(n=26)
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10. Managers Trained to Handle “Difficult Conversations”
The majority of respondents provide training to middle managers on handling difficult
conversations with employees who report to them. In addition, 40% of participating
organizations provide coaching on public speaking.
Communication Training: What type of formal communication skill training does your company provide for middle
management employees? (Check all that apply)
Other Responses:
•“My learning with series of training sessions on various topics”
•“Depends on employee -- middle managers tend to identify training
themselves as opposed to it being dictated by the company”
•“Periodic special training”
•“Engaging / creating a dialogue”
•“General communications training”
•Effective Presentation”
Note: Communicating Through
Video Formats = 0%
(n=25) 10
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11. About Best Practices, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts
work based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations
can chart a course to superior economic performance by studying
the best business practices, operating tactics and winning
strategies of world-class Segment.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919-403-0251
bestpractices@best-in-class.com
www.best-in-class.com