Communication within the project
Effective internal communication is crucial for the success of collaborative projects involving multiple partners. The Estonia-Latvia-Russia ENPI CBC Programme training held on February 20-21, 2012, emphasized the importance of maintaining alignment among project partners towards common goals. Participants learned to agree on communication procedures, utilize tools like emails and newsletters, and emphasize regular updates through meetings and reports. Strong internal communication also supports external communication, ensuring that all stakeholders present a unified message. Building clear communication strategies is essential for project success.
Communication within the project
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Presentation Transcript
Communication within the project Estonia-Latvia-Russia ENPI CBC Programme Project Management and Implementation training 20&21 February 2012
Importance of internalcommunication • For projects where many partners work together, a well organised and managed internal communication is very important and a critical success factor: • Internal communication keeps all project partners aimed at the same final goal • Helps all involved parties to understand the project aims and activities and their roles • Allows to monitor project progress, keep the workplan updated, anticipate difficulties in implementation… • Good internal communication involves regular and effective two-way communication with all project partners
Agreeoncommunication procedures • Agree on when and how and on what are you and your partners communicating • Make a format for (monthly) internal reports • Agree on tools that will be used: e-mail, internal newsletters, skype meetings, real meetings • Agree on who is responsible for the website and who and when will contribute for the updates
Tools for internal communication • Electronic: • Email: Email has made sharing information much simpler, but avoid clogging up inboxes with too much irrelevant information (think about who should receive a cc.) Also, it can be one-way and you cannot be sure emails are read or digested • Intranet: It is a fast, interactive and cost effective way of distributing information to a large number of people • Internal newsletters (e-mailed or accessible via the intranet) • Oral: regular meetings with your partners to coordinate tasks for project implementation; tele or video conferences • Written materials: Internal memos, meeting notes, progress reports etc.
Sowhenyour project has started • Overall coordinator keeps in regular touch with all partners • All partners report regularly (monthly) to monitor project progress • Regularly meet (in person and via telecom tools) • Make minutes of those meetings and use them as working documents!
Remember • Yourproject is a partnership and CBC project • Invest in establishing good partnership relations and clear andregular communication and meeting procedures
Internal/external communication • Good internal communication is also aprerequisite for efficient external communication and both of them should be in line with each other: • Ensures everyone speaks with one voice!