New partnership to develop internal communications

Linda Hamman, Talk2Us CEO

Businesses are acknowledging the role that soft skills play in organisations, however, if leadership is not equipped with communication skills to 'sell' organisational objectives, it becomes difficult to secure an employee buy-in to change behaviours that deliver the sought-after results. The success of internal communication no longer resides solely in the message, but in the quality of the interaction.

"I am excited about this partnership with Impact Factory," said Linda Hamman, Talk2Us CEO. "For the past ten years we have been at the forefront in assisting organisations to develop the 'emotive' aspect of their leaders, so that they can create a sense of mission amongst the employees.

"The partnership announced today [30 August 2011] will provide an incredible drive to the communication industry in South Africa, with the vast expertise of both parties to deliver globally benchmarked and locally relevant communication training. Talk2Us has been training leaders and communicators in South Africa for the past eight years, and we look forward to adding additional world-class material to our own."

Impact Factory has trained both communicators and business leaders in some of the world's leading organisations, including Bloomberg, ASDA, Barclays, BASF, Lexis Nexis, Roche, BP, GlaxoSmithKline, Deloitte, DHL, Merrill Lynch and other. They will now offer their expertise locally through Talk2Us, which has an extensive client base comprising blue-chips, multinationals and SMEs, including Nedbank, Roche, Volkswagen, South African Police Services, Metso, Gijima, 3M, TFMC, Unilever and others.

A need for training programmes

Hamman says clients in South Africa have long been asking for leadership training programmes to improve managers communication skills. "All too often the solution is a short communication diploma that does not dive into the intangible issues that form the foundation of good communication. The Impact Factory training changes all of this, ensuring that delegates walk out with enhanced communication skills that can be applied in a business or personal environment"

"Impact Factory works in many countries and delegates from across the globe come to our London training. This has given us a huge insight into the variety of cultures and issues our clients grapple with every day," said Tony Loynes, chief executive of Impact factory. "We are very excited about the chance to invest this experience in a pioneering agreement with Talk2Us, one of South Africa's own business pioneers. We believe our combined skills will make a powerful story for the South African business community."