150 Mastering the Readiness Gap Scott McInnes, Sadhbh O'Flaherty & Maddison Grigsby

In this special bonus episode, Scott McInnes and his colleague Sadhbh O'Flaherty are joined by Communications Consultant at Gallagher, Maddison Grigsby, to explore the latest insights from the 'State of the Sector' report on internal communications, focusing on the readiness gap, strategic alignment, and human-centric communication . Maddison shares expert advice on improving manager effectiveness, change management, and leveraging AI for better engagement. Key Takeaways: The evolution of internal communication practices and the importance of continuous improvement. The "Readiness Gap": understanding the misalignment between technological potential, leadership expectations, and employee experiences. Six key risks impacting organisational readiness: audience burnout, budget constraints, line manager effectiveness, information overload, lack of inclusion of communicators in decision-making, and lack of clear direction. The significance of strategy clarity, shared understanding, and alignment in achieving organizational goals . The critical role of managers in communication effectiveness and how to empower them with practical tools and frameworks. Importance of change management versus change communication, and how emotional responses influence organisational change success. The impact of human-centric approaches, including tone of voice, narrative, and bite-sized content adapted for attention spans. The persistent neglect of management communication tools and the opportunity for AI to streamline messaging, measurement, and feedback. The cultural shift needed to support managers and improve communication effectiveness across organi s ations . Chapters: 00:00 Celebrating 150 Episodes and Reflecting on Growth 01:23 Introduction to the State of the Sector Report and Key Stats 02:25 Focus on the Readiness Gap in Organizations 05:44 Understanding the Six Key Risks Contributing to the Readiness Gap 10:07 The Power of Strategy and Shared Understanding 11:00 Leadership's Role in Clarifying Vision and Strategy 12:29 The Importance of Repetition and Clarity in Communication 12:57 Addressing Change and Emotional Responses in the Workplace 15:01 The Significance of Empathy and Human Emotion in Change Management 15:56 Embracing Continuous Change as the New Norm 17:04 The Skill Set of Change Communications and Internal Comms 18:52 Psychology and Employee Resilience in a Volatile Environment 22:56 The Role of Tone of Voice and Storytelling in Engagement 36:26 The Impact of Human-Centric Communication and Simplicity 42:22 The Power of Storytelling and Narrative in Internal Comms 44:39 The Shift Toward Authentic and Human Tone of Voice 48:57 Leveraging AI for Simplified and Impactful Communication 49:17 Practical Tips for High-Performing Teams and Manager Effectiveness 50:41 The Importance of Listening and Feedback Loops 51:56 Closing Remarks and Resources for Better Internal Communication Keywords: internal communication, change management, employee engagement, leadership, AI in HR, communication strategy, organisational change, employee trust, storytelling, human-centric communication Resources: State of the Sector Report - Website link with more Information: inspiringchange.ie/ stateofthesector Connect with us: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram Connect with Maddison Grigsby : LinkedIn |

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150 Mastering the Readiness Gap Scott McInnes, Sadhbh O'Flaherty & Maddison Grigsby is an episode from Face Forward - Communications,Engagement & Leadership. by Scott McInnes.

This episode is 55:04 long.

This episode was published on Apr 29, 2026.

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