Previously, we discussed the importance of clear definitions for distinguishing between tasks, projects, and initiatives to guide work processes. Today, we will continue exploring this topic, focusing on its impact on communication. Instead of a quick recap, let’s bring the outcome of the previous discussion into a small table:

The stark differences in all relevant dimensions and characteristics bring special requirements for communication with them. Similar to the last time, let us start with initiative as the broadest of the terms and look at the different categories. The communication campaign around an initiative will be ongoing. It acts as a bridge between the future, represented by the organization's broad vision, and the present, represented by day-to-day activities. Thus, it will be serving both by closing this time gap and will be more art than science in its nature. Input and frequency for communication around an initiative will be supplied by certain organizational events and achievements, like successful results of a new project or outcomes of a strategic meeting, but even by the calendar itself. Working on reducing the carbon footprint? A great idea to take the world earth day or even the Mother’s Day as an opportunity to creatively remind the organisation that this initiative still defines your agenda.

Thus, a communication campaign around an initiative will be connecting the outcomes of today’s decisions and achievements with a broader picture and thus can become a powerful tactical tool. It will be more concrete than that around your strategic goals, yet more broad and general than that around a project. As an initiative is bringing projects from different departments, branches and counties under its umbrella, it will emphasize the contribution of these projects into its results. Your campaign should be diverse, creative and eye-catching to engage a very broad audience over a very extended period. Ideally you need a good cocktail of communication tools: short videos on digital screens, articles on your intranet, introduction of fictional characters on a mission (Mary and Harry Saving the Planet) and their periodic appearance on your local news… As you will be aiming at appealing not only to the rational side of your audience, but also to engage it on emotional level, there are virtually no boundaries to your creativity here and if an idea looks too weird – guess what? Odds are than the weirder the better as with any art – your main gaol is not to leave anyone indifferent.   

If the communication campaign around your initiative can be compared to art in its spirit and all-encompassing in its approach, project communication involves two main aspects: internal coordination and external. Within your project the emphasis is on smooth and seamless coordination of all moving parts. Thus, your communication may remind of a screen play or an orchestra performance: simultaneous interaction with all the participants of the project such that they have a clear understanding of their task, instantaneously receive feedback but also have a general impression of the bigger picture. When it comes to communicating outside, the style, the content and the level of detail will be largely determined by your target audience. As shared knowledge is essential for jellying people up, there must be a clear understanding of the baseline that ideally will be known to everyone, at least for key and mission critical projects. The communication styles for different stakeholder groups must be a logical next step after a thorough stakeholder analysis, more on this you can find here.

Finally, we arrive to a task. As a task is aimed at satisfying short-term and immediate needs, communication around it will be short, concise and straightforward. More to the point, as tasks form the backbone of a routine, there might be no communication at all except for feedback upon completion. However, for complex or first-time tasks, one could compare the communicatin with a either a cookie recipe or an instruction for the usage of a coffee machine (for a complete cookie experience). As a closing point – with a task it becomes key to provide enough context for the person to understand the relevance and the priority but also to be able to challenge it, optimize the execution or suggest a better approach for reaching your goal.