MNComms blog

“We told them five times. In five ways. Still, it didn’t land.”

You’re leading change. You’re rolling out a big strategy, launching new goals, or trying to get people to actually do something differently. But it’s not working - and deep down, you know it.

Let’s cut through the noise. Here are three reasons your message isn’t sticking, and how to fix it.

1. You’re giving them data. They want meaning.

“We’re restructuring.” “We’re becoming more agile.” “We’re shifting focus.” Followed by facts and rationale.

Why should anyone care?

People don’t rally around bullet points. They follow meaning. If your message doesn’t connect emotionally, it doesn’t make people move.

What to do instead: Tell a damn good story. One with stakes, purpose, and a reason to believe. Make them feel it - not just file it. And be real. People don’t want positive vibes only during change. They want honesty.

2. You’re broadcasting. But nobody’s tuning in.

Let me guess: You’ve got a loooong slide deck, a six-page Q&A doc, and a backup video message. But another PowerPoint won’t fix it.

Change isn’t something you announce. It’s something you earn. Change communication isn’t about controlling the narrative. It’s about earning trust.

What to do instead: Make it a conversation, not an announcement. Equip your managers, invite feedback, and make space for hard questions. Unless you’re into shouting into the void. Yes, it requires some effort, patience, and consistency - but if you want to make this work, it has to be done.

YOU have already bought the “why.” The others will either catch up over time or totally zone out.

3. Think clarity = more detail? Nope.

You’ve perfected your rationale with every detail. You’ve shown the revenue growth /value creation bridge, listed all growth projects, risks, opportunities, and whatnots. Somehow, these don’t seem to stick.

What to do instead: You don’t need more content and detail. You need a comms strategy that works. Ruthlessly simplify. If you want real buy-in during corporate change, ditch the jargon and talk like a human. People want to know why the change matters, how it affects them, and what’s actually happening.

A well-marinated senior comms consultant can help leadership teams nail the message, and actually move people. Especially during messy, high-stakes change.

If you’d like something a little different, let’s talk.

GO BACK TO TOP OF PAGE →

Once upon a time - literally just months ago - writing a great leadership message meant sweating a little. You’d stare down the blinking cursor, wrestle with ideas, obsess over tone.

Now? One prompt and voilà: 400 words of articulate, polished, LinkedIn-optimized mediocrity.

AI is incredibly helpful. It cleans things up. It gets the job done. It’s fast.

Sleek. Professional. Painless.
Also: Totally forgettable.

You know the type:

• “In today’s ever-evolving landscape, innovation is key.”
• “I’m humbled to share that [Insert Corporate Milestone Here].”
• “Grateful to our amazing team. #leadership #impact”

But AI isn’t the reason everyone sounds the same. That beige corporate CEO voice was here long before ChatGPT showed up. The real culprit? Corporate caution. Sounding original, human, and like yourself can feel risky. But it’s exactly what your audiences want.

Want to connect? Ditch the polish.

Lately, (what seems like) unscripted executive video has become LinkedIn’s top-performing content format. According to LinkedIn’s own data:

• Video posts generate 1.4x more engagement than text + image posts combined
• Executive videos are up 44% year over year
• They earn 4x the impressions of standard posts

Why? Because audiences crave authenticity.
86% of consumers say it matters when choosing which brands to trust. And rough-around-the-edges video updates signal honesty, confidence, and relatability. A bit of hesitation? A human pause? A moment off-script? That’s connection.

The same holds true for internal comms. Add human texture - a personal story, a lesson learned, spontaneous laughter. That’s where trust lives.

Use AI - but don’t delegate your voice to it

AI is a brilliant tool in the content development process. But it can’t find your edge. It doesn’t know your best story, your hard-won lesson, your spark. Your humor, your humility, your clarity - they don’t live in a prompt.

AI can’t breathe soul into your message. But a good comms partner can.

Someone who knows what questions to ask. Who listens for tone, intention, and energy. Who helps you land your message your way - with confidence, depth, and the occasional well-placed mic drop.

Ready to show up with substance and spark?

If you're curious about engaging, low-effort executive videos or more human-first messaging, let’s talk. We’ll bring together a compact, skilled team to make it seamless and on-point - and 100% you.

GO BACK TO TOP OF PAGE →