First Capital Connect
Getting motors running
Train drivers, station staff, engineers and cleaners at First Capital Connect were instrumental in designing a high-octane communication programme to win colleagues over to the company’s new strategy.
When First Capital Connect called us in to help communicate its new strategy, our first move was to form a steering group of 20 people from across the organisation. We ran a series of half-day workshops in which we worked with the steering group to:
- identify key messages
- co-create a Big Picture visual analogy to engage employees in the business story and the new strategy
- brainstorm ideas for a launch conference and an 18-month follow-on communication campaign
The Big Picture, which depicted First Capital Connect as a motor racing team, showed the company’s heritage, current position and future ambitions. It became the centrepiece of a communication campaign that helped employees understand the strategy and - crucially - work out exactly how they could make a difference.
The Big Picture was used to launch the new strategy at a motor racing-themed leadership conference.
Features of the conference, which we produced, included:
- Peer-to-peer briefing: In advance, a group of managers were coached so they could brief the Big Picture story to a table of fellow managers.
- Interactivity: There were no conventional presentations. Instead, for most of the event delegates were involved in discussions and activities.
- Team-building: One exercise got delegates to work with colleagues from other parts of the business to assemble selfpropelled vehicles from kits of parts and then compete in a Grand Prix-style race.
- Action planning: In front of their colleagues, delegates made commitments to deliver the strategy
Delegates took away a communication pack to help them cascade the messages to their teams. The pack included a DVD of the managing director telling the Big Picture story
The follow-up communication programme is being supported by members of the steering group, who have become strategy communication ambassadors in their part of the business.
What our client says
"Axiom helped us initiate a fresh, bottom-up approach to communication. Involving frontline employees in the creative work made a huge difference. Overall, we are delighted with the impact made by the Big Picture and the supporting communications. What’s more, the Axiom team helped make the whole process enjoyable."
Miranda Luxford, internal communications manager, First Capital Connect
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