Tone from the Top · Episode 2

The Open Communication Podcast, Tone from the Top, recently featured an episode with Speech and Language CEO Jane Harris.

Jane is an experienced and energetic charity sector leader with 15 years’ experience influencing public policy, building new audiences, and increasing income, raising the profile of and support for third-sector organisations, including the National Autistic Society, Leonard Cheshire Disability, and Rethink Mental Illness.

As an experienced charity leader, Jane has spent her career raising the profile of issues impacting people’s lives by influencing public policy, building new audiences, and increasing income generation. She helped to change public perceptions of mental health and autism measurably.

Harris discussed her organization's rebranding and how she involved her leadership team and stakeholders in the process. She emphasized the importance of one-on-one communication and listening to understand and meet the needs of the beneficiaries of her organization. She also stressed the importance of connecting the brand's narrative to the organization's mission and being open to feedback and objections.

Harris also discussed the staff's reaction to the brand refresh and the importance of having the brand reflect the organization and its work. She also emphasized the importance of internal communication in shaping an organization's tone and culture and how macro changes can affect these elements. Finally, she discussed how leaders in her organization actively set the tone and the role of internal communications in achieving the organization's mission.

Inevitably tone of voice is a broader concept, and it pervades everything an organization does, but the critical question is how can you measure its success?