The document provides tips for engaging team members to create powerful content. It discusses focusing on quality over perfection, keeping content short and pertinent, explaining concepts without assuming knowledge, and thinking about why the content matters and who cares. It emphasizes helping content creators who are subject matter experts but not communications professionals, providing constructive feedback, finding motivators, and investing in training. Success is measured not just by metrics but by influencing the intended audience and gaining skills.

1. How to Engage Your Team to
Create Powerful Content
Leigh Kendall
Communications Lead, NHS Horizons
Passle User Workshop
27 June 2019
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

2. • We tune into the latest change thinking
and practice in healthcare and other
industries around the world.
• The team has emerged
through years of supporting
change in the NHS
and the wider
health and care
system.
• A small, diverse team of people within the
NHS that supports change agents and builds
change agency.
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

3. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

4. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

5. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

6. • Good spelling and grammar is preferable
– though nearly perfect is better than no
content at all
• Short and sweet is better than War
and Peace (lots to write? Create
more posts!)
• Get ideas down first, worry about
structure later
• Pertinent information ‘above
the fold’
• Explain, link, don’t assume knowledge
Creating Great Content –
a few quick tips
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

7. Creating Great Content
Think “so what, and who cares?”
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

8. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

9. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

10. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

11. YOU are the
communications professional!
• Your content creators are likely to be experts
in whatever they’re an expert in – not comms
• Have confidence in your expertise and
experience
• Help identify opportunities
• Listen for stories!
• Don’t be afraid to give honest,
constructive feedback – connect to the
purpose (you’re helping them to look good!)
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

12. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

13. Influencing
• Persuade, encourage – reflect on what might
motivate an individual
• Use coaching techniques – ask an individual
what their goal is, and work together to plan
how creating content can help them achieve
it
• Meet people where they are
• Find allies
• Be persistent, tenacious,
don’t give up!
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

14. Invest time in training
• Creating great content is a
skill like any other – it
requires investment in
time and effort
• 1-1, group workshops,
co-creating, editing
• Make sure colleagues
understand the effort is
worthwhile!
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

15. Give voice to staff at all levels
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

16. Co-create
• Engage with colleagues to create,
together, a sign-off process that works for
you.
• Feedback, feedback, feedback.
• Communicate!
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

17. How do you measure success?
• Metrics – reads and shares are important
AND
• Read by intended audience, someone
whom you seek to influence
• Gaining confidence in mastering a new
skill
• Led to a new contact, lead, opportunities
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

18. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

19. Takeaway question!
How can your people turn an
understanding of your audience
in to an effective content piece?
@leighakendall #Rainmaker19

20. @leighakendall #Rainmaker19

21. Thank You
@leighakendall @HorizonsNHS
leigh.kendall@nhs.net
horizonsnhs.com https://nhshorizons.passle.net/