Four words you’re grateful to hear: “Oh. We get it.”
Edition 4, Vol. #8 November 2025
Hi, friend,
November always nudges me to slow down enough to notice the moments that matter. (Gratitude is one of my favorite subjects after all.) And this week, one of those moments found me.
We’d been helping a client roll out a new intranet site — a big, cross-functional effort with IT leading the initiative and the communications team partnering closely. IT wasn’t against the idea of a full communications campaign. They just didn’t quite see the point.
But after they saw the launch materials, our client told us the IT team paused, looked at each other and said, “Oh. We get it.”
Maybe a little comment like that isn’t a huge victory to most. But I was thrilled for our client. She seemed to brighten up and stand a little taller. It’s gratifying when a non-believer finally sees the value of what you bring to the business as a communicator.
All this brings me back to gratitude. I’m so thankful for the clients who engage us in such important work … and for the teams who are open to being surprised.
May your season of thanks bring the kind of small breakthroughs that make everything feel a bit brighter.
With gratitude,
Mary Pat Nimon
President
idea one
The smartest way to plan 2026 (before Q1 gets away from you)
The end of the year comes fast — and most teams enter January already behind. That’s why we created Sip & Strategy, our relaxed, guided year-end planning session that helps teams pause, reset and get clear on what really matters for 2026.
No decks.
No pressure to perform.
Just a smart, human conversation led by an experienced facilitator who knows communications. It’s especially helpful for leaders of comms, HR, benefits, compliance — and any team that feels stretched thin and in need of a clear, shared starting point for 2026.
Why it works:
- People are more reflective in December than they are in January.
- A light, intentional conversation now accomplishes more than a 3-hour kickoff meeting later.
- Teams leave for the holidays aligned, energized and already thinking about next year.
We host Sip & Strategy sessions for our current clients when we know it will help them start strong. And this year, we’re opening a few complimentary seats for teams planning significant communications work in 2026.
If a grounded, human-centered planning session sounds like what your team needs, you might be a perfect fit.
idea two
Simple ways to make your town hall feel more modern and engaging
Town halls are powerful, but they can slip into predictable patterns fast. If you want yours to feel more modern and human, here are a few simple tactics that won’t add cost or complexity.
1. Two slides + one surprise
Invite each presenter to bring the two slides they absolutely need — plus one small surprise.
Maybe it’s a lesson learned. A behind-the-scenes photo. A myth they want to bust. Or maybe it’s an image or meme that punctuates their main idea.
That one unexpected moment grabs attention and gives presenters permission to be more human.
2. Set the tone with ambient sound
As people join — in person or virtually — play a subtle soundscape tied to the theme.
- Café ambience for a collaboration-focused meeting
- Upbeat jazz for a new rollout
- A warm seasonal playlist for year-end
It’s simple, but it instantly shifts the energy and cues people that this won’t be the “same old meeting.”
3. One humanizing moment
Town halls feel more engaging when the leader includes one intentionally human touch. Our current favorite: The one question I’m asking myself right now is….
That might be:
- What am I overlooking that my team sees clearly?
- What would make next quarter 10% easier for everyone?
It signals curiosity, humility and openness — and it creates space for people to lean in, ask their own questions and be part of the solution.
4. Hear, hear!
Ask a few employees to submit 10- to 15-second audio or video clips before the town hall answering a prompt like:
- What’s one thing your team learned this quarter?
- What’s a team accomplishment others might not know about?
- What makes you optimistic about the next quarter?
Play a short montage to kick off the town hall. Hearing real voices from across the organization adds unbeatable authenticity and energy.
Small shifts like these make a town hall feel fresh and surprisingly engaging.
If you want help with your next town hall, give us a shout.
idea three
When Compliance meets award-winning communications
Of course, companies want employees to remember their Code of Conduct. But most compliance content is built around rules, not resonance — and that’s why people forget it within days.
One simple shift can change that: Treat your compliance program like a story, not a set of instructions. When employees see themselves in real scenarios, meet relatable characters or follow a narrative thread, the material becomes more memorable, more human and far more effective.
Recently, we worked with a Fortune 500 life sciences company to reshape their Standards of Business Conduct — using story, emotion and a fresh narrative hook. It just received a Platinum MarCom Award, the highest honor in this international competition. More importantly, the storytelling approach helped employees connect with compliance in a meaningful, human way.
We have lots of ideas about how to strengthen compliance communications, but here’s one you can borrow right now:
Let the visuals help teach.
By grounding Compliance visuals in the spaces where people actually work, you communicate that the rules are relevant to them. It makes a difference whether they’re at a desk, in a lab, on the shop floor or at a service counter. The environment can become a storytelling device, showing employees how compliance fits into the rhythm of their day. Consider how your own environment could inspire a format that feels more like a tool and less like a policy manual.
If you’re exploring ways to refresh your Code of Conduct, annual training or any compliance communication, we’d love to share what we’re learning — no pressure, just a conversation.
(& a meme)
If you laugh, we really need to talk.
Four words you’re grateful to hear: “Oh. We get it.”
Edition 4, Vol. #8 November 2025
Hi, friend,
November always nudges me to slow down enough to notice the moments that matter. (Gratitude is one of my favorite subjects after all.) And this week, one of those moments found me.
We’d been helping a client roll out a new intranet site — a big, cross-functional effort with IT leading the initiative and the communications team partnering closely. IT wasn’t against the idea of a full communications campaign. They just didn’t quite see the point.
But after they saw the launch materials, our client told us the IT team paused, looked at each other and said, “Oh. We get it.”
Maybe a little comment like that isn’t a huge victory to most. But I was thrilled for our client. She seemed to brighten up and stand a little taller. It’s gratifying when a non-believer finally sees the value of what you bring to the business as a communicator.
All this brings me back to gratitude. I’m so thankful for the clients who engage us in such important work … and for the teams who are open to being surprised.
May your season of thanks bring the kind of small breakthroughs that make everything feel a bit brighter.
With gratitude,
Mary Pat Nimon
President
idea one
The smartest way to plan 2026 (before Q1 gets away from you)
The end of the year comes fast — and most teams enter January already behind. That’s why we created Sip & Strategy, our relaxed, guided year-end planning session that helps teams pause, reset and get clear on what really matters for 2026.
No decks.
No pressure to perform.
Just a smart, human conversation led by an experienced facilitator who knows communications. It’s especially helpful for leaders of comms, HR, benefits, compliance — and any team that feels stretched thin and in need of a clear, shared starting point for 2026.
Why it works:
- People are more reflective in December than they are in January.
- A light, intentional conversation now accomplishes more than a 3-hour kickoff meeting later.
- Teams leave for the holidays aligned, energized and already thinking about next year.
We host Sip & Strategy sessions for our current clients when we know it will help them start strong. And this year, we’re opening a few complimentary seats for teams planning significant communications work in 2026.
If a grounded, human-centered planning session sounds like what your team needs, you might be a perfect fit.
idea two
Simple ways to make your town hall feel more modern and engaging
Town halls are powerful, but they can slip into predictable patterns fast. If you want yours to feel more modern and human, here are a few simple tactics that won’t add cost or complexity.
1. Two slides + one surprise
Invite each presenter to bring the two slides they absolutely need — plus one small surprise.
Maybe it’s a lesson learned. A behind-the-scenes photo. A myth they want to bust. Or maybe it’s an image or meme that punctuates their main idea.
That one unexpected moment grabs attention and gives presenters permission to be more human.
2. Set the tone with ambient sound
As people join — in person or virtually — play a subtle soundscape tied to the theme.
- Café ambience for a collaboration-focused meeting
- Upbeat jazz for a new rollout
- A warm seasonal playlist for year-end
It’s simple, but it instantly shifts the energy and cues people that this won’t be the “same old meeting.”
3. One humanizing moment
Town halls feel more engaging when the leader includes one intentionally human touch. Our current favorite: The one question I’m asking myself right now is….
That might be:
- What am I overlooking that my team sees clearly?
- What would make next quarter 10% easier for everyone?
It signals curiosity, humility and openness — and it creates space for people to lean in, ask their own questions and be part of the solution.
4. Hear, hear!
Ask a few employees to submit 10- to 15-second audio or video clips before the town hall answering a prompt like:
- What’s one thing your team learned this quarter?
- What’s a team accomplishment others might not know about?
- What makes you optimistic about the next quarter?
Play a short montage to kick off the town hall. Hearing real voices from across the organization adds unbeatable authenticity and energy.
Small shifts like these make a town hall feel fresh and surprisingly engaging.
If you want help with your next town hall, give us a shout.
idea three
When Compliance meets award-winning communications
Of course, companies want employees to remember their Code of Conduct. But most compliance content is built around rules, not resonance — and that’s why people forget it within days.
One simple shift can change that: Treat your compliance program like a story, not a set of instructions. When employees see themselves in real scenarios, meet relatable characters or follow a narrative thread, the material becomes more memorable, more human and far more effective.
Recently, we worked with a Fortune 500 life sciences company to reshape their Standards of Business Conduct — using story, emotion and a fresh narrative hook. It just received a Platinum MarCom Award, the highest honor in this international competition. More importantly, the storytelling approach helped employees connect with compliance in a meaningful, human way.
We have lots of ideas about how to strengthen compliance communications, but here’s one you can borrow right now:
Let the visuals help teach.
By grounding Compliance visuals in the spaces where people actually work, you communicate that the rules are relevant to them. It makes a difference whether they’re at a desk, in a lab, on the shop floor or at a service counter. The environment can become a storytelling device, showing employees how compliance fits into the rhythm of their day. Consider how your own environment could inspire a format that feels more like a tool and less like a policy manual.
If you’re exploring ways to refresh your Code of Conduct, annual training or any compliance communication, we’d love to share what we’re learning — no pressure, just a conversation.
(& a meme)
If you laugh, we really need to talk.
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