687: Getting Better at Internal Communication, with Roy Schwartz

Coaching for Leaders

Roy Schwartz: Smart Brevity

Roy Schwartz is co-founder and CEO at Axios HQ, the world’s first AI-powered internal communications management platform. He’s also the co-founder of Axios, the award-winning news organization known for its Smart Brevity writing style. He’s the co-author, along with Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen of Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More With Less*.

Most organizations spend way more time and strategy on external communications than internal ones. In this conversation, Roy and I discuss how your internal strategy can reduce email, save time, and create space for innovation and insight.

Key Points

• An effective, internal publication via email reduces the amount of total messaging people receive.
• Position one, big item in every publication. There should be a hierarchy of what’s important, since not everyone will read everything.
• Keep each topic to 200 words and under 1,000 words for the entire publication.
• For each topic, start with a strong, first sentence — and then provide context for why it matters.
• Find a word other than “newsletter” to name a regular, internal publication.
• Bring personality and smiles into internal publications. People will engage and look forward to reading.
• Done well, internal publications help inform, recognize, provide accountability, and allow leaders to focus on the human aspects of communication.

Resources Mentioned

• Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More With Less* by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz
• Axios HQ: AI-powered newsletter software

Interview Notes

Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

• The Way to Make Sense to Others, with Tom Henschel (episode 518)
• Getting Better at Reading the Room, with Kirstin Ferguson (episode 651)
• Get People Reading What You’re Sending, with Todd Rogers (episode 666)

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