Mel: It's a staple of the internal comms diet, town halls. We pull them out for all sorts of reasons: new strategy, leadership changes, people saying in the engagement survey that they didn't know anything, and sometimes leaders just like to hear the sounds of their own voices.

And while you and your leaders may be well-rehearsed in these things, how often are they actually achieving the outcomes you wanted? Are you actually just wasting a lot of people's time? Here's the thing, town halls absolutely are important. They're an opportunity for the leadership team to show up in front of employees, report on progress, and show they actually care about the company and its people.

And especially in really big companies, it's a good channel to reach a lot of people all at the same time. So they're not going away, but if they are going to work, then some things might need to change. So how do you make sure that your town halls are actually effective? That's what today's [00:01:00] episode is all about

Hello, friend, and welcome to another episode of Less Chatter, More Matter, the communications podcast. I'm your host, Mel Loy, and I'm recording this episode on the lands of the Yuggera and Turrbal people here in Meanjin, Brisbane. And today, we're tackling one of the most common channels in the internal communicators toolbox, the town hall.

Perhaps you hear those words with a hint of dread because you know just how much work goes into them, or perhaps you hear them with a little bit of excitement because they're an opportunity to show value as a communicator. No matter what you think of them, in all likelihood, you've either been responsible for organising them or you will be at some point, so this episode is for you.

Why are we talking about town halls, though, apart from the fact that we've all been to one or will likely organise one at some point? Because unfortunately, they're often done really badly. I'm not saying that internal communicators are all to blame, though, [00:02:00] mind you. Often, leaders have very fixed ideas on what a town hall should look like, and c- it can be really hard to change their minds.

Or you've inherited a town hall format from previous teams, and you don't have the mandate to change it yet. Whatever the case, there is always room for improvement anyway because, like I've said before, if you think you've reached perfection, then you've really just stopped learning. So today, we're going to share some ideas on how to make sure your town halls actually hit the mark.

But before we get into that, let's look at some of the signs that perhaps your event isn't all it's cracked up to be. Number one, first and foremost, if you are running a hybrid or fully online town halls and everyone's camera is off, that's a pretty good sign that people are not getting what they need out of your event.

And it's certainly a good sign that people are not listening, or they're probably doing other work while your voice is just wafting over their heads. Or maybe they're just not even there. The second sign is there's no questions or no chatter. [00:03:00] It might be tempting to take silence as a sign of assent or understanding or everyone just being fine with what you've just announced.

In fact, it's probably the complete opposite, and that's a much bigger problem to solve when people don't feel safe enough to speak up or ask a question during this event Number three, when questions are asked, they are safe questions. So the types of questions that have probably been planted to get things started, but then there's no other questions other than those safe ones, or it's just the sycophants asking the easy questions as per usual.

The fifth sign is that attendance is shrinking, whether that's in person or online or both. It's a good sign that people just don't see the value. And the sixth sign is that the feedback or the real talk comes afterwards in the hallways or in the private chats, and it's typically not good. It's not positive.

So if any of these strike a chord, then stay where you are because I'm about to share a few ideas for how you can actually get [00:04:00] the most out of your town halls. And the first one is have clear and measurable outcomes. Ask yourself, what is the point of this town hall? Not town halls in general, this one specifically.

What do you want people to know, feel, or do as a result of this town hall? Now, if you can't answer that question, then you have to wonder if it's worth the effort. If you can answer it, but the know, feel, and do might not be compelling or it's super sensitive, then ask if a town hall is really the best forum for that message.

It might be that small group chats or roundtables or one-on-ones are even the best way Then once you're clear on what you need this town hall to deliver, then you can design the event to help achieve those outcomes. This is often where people get it wrong. They start with the agenda before they think about what they want to achieve, if they think about it at all.

They just follow a template or they follow a format that they've done before and just plug in the content. And often you'll get people in the business, like other [00:05:00] leaders or project managers, who want their thing on the agenda. They just think it's the most important thing in the whole wide world and we sh- you know, there's a town hall coming up, so let's just get it on the agenda, even though it's not relevant to the whole audience or it simply isn't that interesting.

And this is where having very clear outcomes per event can really help with saying no to people and offering them an alternative channel instead. Because you can clearly say, "The point of this event is to do X. Your thing doesn't fit with that agenda, but you could try Y instead." Now, when setting these outcomes, also think about how you're going to measure whether or not you've achieved them.

We've talked about measurement a few times on this show because it's simply not done enough, so you can go back and listen to those s- some of those episodes. But if you want to prove your value, then you need data to back it up. And on the flip side, if you want to prove that the executive's way of doing things isn't working, you also need data to back you up in that [00:06:00] conversation.

Now, one top tip here which I've mentioned before is do not wait until after the event to put out a feedback survey. You just won't get a really great response. People have moved on, et cetera. Do it right there and then. Get a QR code up on the screen or a link in the chat or both, and get people to share the feedback before they leave.

The point here, though, to make is to make it really quick and easy to share that feedback, so a maximum of three to five questions. This is not an engagement survey. So that's number one, have clear and measurable outcomes. Number two, spark curiosity, but balance it with preparedness. So what do we mean by that?

Well, firstly and foremostly, curiosity is something that is embedded in the human way. We are innately curious beings. It's why we've traveled and explored and experimented for eons. And that curiosity doesn't stop just because a town hall is a work thing. If you want people to turn up to this event, then get them curious about it.

Think about the description of the [00:07:00] town hall itself. So for example, rather than just saying, "Join us for the CEO town hall where Joe Bloggs will share the latest customer survey results," boring, rephrase it as something like, "Find out what our biggest challenges are according to our customers." Or, "What do you think our customers are saying about us?

We know. Find out at our next town hall." It's a much more interesting introduction, but it's also going to elicit that feeling of FOMO if it's something that your audience will care about. That's important to note. If they don't care about customer satisfaction, then this probably won't work, but hopefully they do care.

One other thing to note here is that you also want to balance curiosity with helping people to have the time to come up with questions. So you might also want to mention some of the other key topics you'll be covering and let people know they will be able to ask questions. So those who need that time, that processing time, they've got time to prepare.

You could even allow people to pre-submit questions, which I've done before, and that's a really good [00:08:00] way to kickstart the Q&A. So that's number two, spark curiosity, but balance it with the need for preparedness. Which brings us to the third point, make it interactive. Nobody finds talking heads or a talking head interesting, whether it's a corporate video or a town hall.

It's incredibly dull and definitely won't encourage people to come along. If anything, they'll just be telling each other that it's boring and not to bother turn up. So it's especially important for hybrid or completely online town halls where people are likely to be distracted by other things around them.

We need to get them engaged right from the start. So for example, start with an icebreaker poll or a question to answer. Even better if you can use an activity that forces people to put their cameras on. So for example, show us your pets, uh, show us your favorite coffee mug, et cetera. And too often when people think interactive, they think poll, which is a good [00:09:00] activity, don't get me wrong, but it is done to death, so it's also a great idea to just get a bit creative and think of some other interactive elements you could bring in.

Um, for example, maybe there's a quick trivia question, or people could vote on the topics they want leaders to talk about. Um, maybe do a fun thing like you get leaders to draw a self-portrait on their phones or with MS Paint and share it on the screen, which could be quite funny as well. And also, if you've got a fully online town hall, consider using breakout rooms.

Now, in these smaller groups, people are much more likely to put their cameras on because it becomes more comfortable but also more obvious when you don't have it. But you can also use these breakout rooms for activities like coming up with questions to ask or coming up with ideas to solve a problem, sharing thoughts on what's working really well, or shout-outs to people who deserve it and that sort of stuff, and then report back to the broader group.

In that way, these events become much more about two-way communication, less about broadcast, more about [00:10:00] collaboration. People get to know each other better, all those sorts of things, which makes it a much more valuable exercise. So that's point number three, make it interactive. Number four, this is a big one, create a safe space for hard questions.

Now, the first thing to note here is if you are already working in an organisation that lacks psychological safety and people are afraid to speak up in general, one town hall obviously isn't going to change that. If leaders are absolutely refusing to accept or acknowledge that that's the case, or are scared themselves of looking like they don't have the answer, then you will find this even harder to change, I know.

But that said, a town hall could be a great way to start a little... with little baby steps to thaw that ice and create a much safer environment to ask tough questions. So how do we do that? Well, simply saying, "You can ask anything," or, "This is a safe space," isn't very reassuring. It's just [00:11:00] words. You need to show it.

So a few ideas. First one is start with a hard question rather than an easy one. That sets the tone for what kind of questions are acceptable, and it also demonstrates straight away that leaders are willing to answer those kinds of questions, assuming of course, that they answer them thoughtfully and not defensively.

Um, use a tool where people can ask questions anonymously, at least at first, while you're trying to get people more comfortable with asking any questions at all. So a tool like Slido or Menti is a great way to start, rather than expecting people to put a name to their question in the chat or to come off mute.

Uh, the third tip here is practice with senior leaders beforehand, especially if they're nervous. Treat it like you're prepping them for a media interview, and in all likelihood, the questions will not be as scary as a media interview. And the fourth tip is start responding to questions they were with...

Sorry. Start with responding to the questions they were asked last time that they didn't have a chance to answer then [00:12:00] or didn't have the answer, so they've promised to follow up. It shows that you are willing to listen, to dig deeper, and there is that feedback loop. It encourages people to ask questions if they know they will get answers.

That's the key point here. And also, a top tip here, try to avoid asking a question like, "Are there any questions?" Or, "Does anyone have any questions?" That is a closed question, meaning it's just a yes or no answer. So instead, try asking an open question or a very specific question. So for example, you could ask, "Tell us what has stood out to you from today's session?"

Or, "What would you like to know more about?" Or, "What's the best way for us to share more information about this with you?" So get the conversation going, and that's where you'll understand where people's real questions are. So that's number four, creating safe spaces to ask the hard questions in town halls.

Number five is shake up your casting. Guess what? It doesn't always [00:13:00] have to be the CEO leading your town hall. Shocking, I know, but I said it. The CEO should definitely be front and center if the topic of the town hall is something contentious, like a crisis response, or there's a massive change about to happen.

But other than that, you can keep it interesting by sharing the love around. So for example, perhaps each time it's a different team's turn to lead it and shape the agenda. You could flip the script and have employees presenting to leaders instead. So for example, they could provide updates on key projects or initiatives they're working on.

They could share stories of great customer or employee interactions, et cetera. Giving others a share of the limelight is also a useful tool to help build up the confidence of other leaders or thought leaders in the business, because you never know when you might need them. So for example, maybe you've got an individual in the business who is an expert in a particular area, and you would love to put them forward for more LinkedIn content or media interviews or [00:14:00] conference speaking opportunities, but they're just not well-practiced.

So a town hall could be a nice, good place for them to start to build that confidence and capability. And having a different team lead it each time also means their teammates are more likely to turn up and cheer them on, and it keeps it interesting and taps into that curiosity piece again, because you'll have other teams wondering what this team will present and how they're going to do it.

So that's number five, shake up your casting. Number six, combine the town hall with some other fun event. So another way to boost attendance and to get people interested is to combine those formal proceedings with something that is more fun or more personalised. So give people another reason to attend other than just receiving information.

So for example, put on a morning tea or a coffee cart. People love free food, and they love free coffee. It provides an opportunity for people to meet and mingle, and also for leaders to get out and have informal chats before or after the event. [00:15:00] Perhaps you could also include a section in the town hall where you recognise people for their years of service or for particular achievements.

And these could be personal achievements too, like, you know, Joe Bloggs has just completed a triathlon, or Mary Jane's just been accepted into a university course, and so on. Most people like to be recognised, but they really like to celebrate their teammates, and again, more likely to turn up if they know that this is happening.

You could even do something more competitive, like a team trivia competition afterwards, or whatever it is you want to do to build up a bit of that friendly rivalry. Repeat the competition each time so people get excited and start to prepare for it. And you could even make this something that is closely linked to an objective like building understanding of the strategy or the sector that you work in, so it has a learning outcome as well.

So these are just a few ideas. I'd love to hear yours as well. And the seventh and final tip is remember the start and the finish matter the most. These [00:16:00] are the most critical points to impact how people will feel about that town hall. I've spoken about this before on the poddy, so I won't harp on about it, but it's called the primacy and the recency effects.

Essentially, we tend to remember and be most swayed by the first and last impression or experience of an event. Everything in the middle tends to get lost to time. So it pays to reiterate the key points of what was discussed at the end of the town hall, much like we do on this podcast, right? I always do an episode recap.

But go back to those objectives that you set right at the start, you know, feel, do. And think about the feel. If you want people to feel excited or happy, then do something like playing fun music as people arrive and leave. And yeah, you can do that online too. Or having short or fun or inspirational videos as the last thing people see before they log off or leave the room.

If you just finish it with, "So that's all we have time for today. Thanks, everybody," it's a bit awkward, much like joining [00:17:00] a Teams call and nobody's talking, super awkward. In that case, have a quick fun poll or question in the chat and get people chatting. The key point here is when you are planning your agenda, think really carefully about how you are going to welcome people to the space and how you're going to leave them feeling when they log off.

Now, there's one more thing I want to talk about here, and that is the question, should you share the recording of the town hall? The short answer is yes, because not everyone will be able to attend every time, and it's about equitable access to information. The long answer is yes, and you should also make those key messages available in other ways.

I think people often have a great intention to go back and watch a recording, but they very rarely do. They're time poor, and they have more pressing matters. It's especially the case when they don't think they've missed anything important. So share the recording, but also consider a few other ways of sharing the key messages, [00:18:00] like have one person from each team responsible for creating a summary and share it with teammates, highlight what's most important for them.

You could share the audio recording as a podcast that people can listen to on their way to and from work or while out driving around. Uh, you could do a short visual infographic summary that creates a neat synopsis but also links to where people can find more info. Um, take the transcript, turn it into a blog post or a series of Viva Engage posts.

Take short snippets of the video and share those around. There is heaps you can do, and in this age of AI, it is quicker and easier than ever to do it. Remember, you need to cater for the different communication and learning preferences of your audience and make it accessible to them in their context. So a person who is working in a call centre all day talking to people probably doesn't even want to watch or listen to the whole recording, so a short infographic might be just the thing they need.

All right, team, it is time for your episode recap. And today we talked about town halls [00:19:00] and why they can suck, but also how we can fix them. And I shared seven tips on how to do that. So the first one is have clear and measurable outcomes. You have to be really clear on what is the point of this town hall, what are your know, feel, and do objectives, and then design to meet those objectives.

Number two is to spark curiosity, but make sure people also have time to prepare if they need it. So use the description to help... of the town hall to help encourage people to come along, but also give people options to pre-submit questions or to prepare their own. Number three, make it interactive. Think of all the tools and tricks of the trade that are available to you.

Do a bit of a brainstorm, but make sure that people are engaged from the beginning through to the middle through to the end. Number four was create a safe space for hard questions, and I shared some ways that you can do that, like anonymous questions, but also mostly it's about leaders role modeling that this is a safe space.

Number [00:20:00] five is shake up your casting. So you don't always have to have the CEO leading the town hall. Think about other opportunities, put other leaders forward or have other teams shape the agenda. Number six was combine your town hall with another event, something that's fun, that becomes another draw card for getting people along.

And number seven was to remember that the start and the finish matter most. So when you are designing this event, think really carefully about how you're going to welcome people and then how you want them to feel when they leave the event. All right, team, that is all we have time for today. And as always, I would love to hear your feedback, but also your ideas.

What have you seen that's worked really well with town halls before? What has bombed out? What have you tried or experimented with? Or do you have any questions about how you can make your event better? Whatever it is, please make sure that you get in touch. I'm easy to find. We've got links in the show notes, and you can find me on LinkedIn, et cetera, et cetera.

But in the meantime, keep doing amazing things, and bye [00:21:00] for now