Cuttlefish Communication

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Cuttlefish Communication

Experts in communication - training, strategy & planning. Are you a team leader or a business owner? Does your team need to improve their communications?

Do your leaders need some help improving team engagement? Maybe you have a strategy or a significant project you need to roll out and you're not sure how to communicate it most effectively? We might be your new best friend! We run workshops and training sessions on all things communications - storytelling, authentic communication, effective writing, change communication ... all tailored specifically to your needs. If you've got a problem we might be able to help you solve, let's chat! In the meantime, check out the range of free comms resources on our website.

01/11/2026

What does your internal comms say about your company’s culture?

Communication isn’t everything when it comes to culture, but it can certainly offer some insights.

For example:

- Who is doing most of the communication? Is it only the CEO, or is it shared around the C-suite … what does that tell you about how hierarchical your culture might be? What might it tell your employees about how aligned or empowered your senior leadership team is?

- What is the usual style of message? Is it mostly operational, directional, or reporting? Or is it sharing stories from different leaders and team members to send a message? How could that be contributing to a sense of psychological safety?

- Are you using words / phrases that are unique to your company? These are the little ‘insider’ phrases that your team uses. They’re not your values, but your values show up through them. For example, ‘TOFU’, meaning ‘take ownership, follow up’. Or are you always using standard, corporate language? What does that tell you about a sense of ‘one team’?

What are some other culture indicators you’ve seen show up through comms? Would love to hear your examples!

[Image description: yellow tile with black headline text in a white circle that reads: What does your internal communication say about your culture?

28/10/2026

In the latest episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we share five key trends that emerged from the IABC APAC Fusion 2026 conference in Brisbane.

The big takeaway? The tools are changing fast, but our value lies in our judgement, relationships and courage.

Find out how to use them: https://www.heymelcomms.training/193 🎧

27/10/2026

The communications profession is changing. No, it’s not just because of AI.

Across the Asia-Pacific region, some clear trends are emerging about what organisations need from communicators and how we demonstrate our value.

The question is: are we keeping up?

Read the blog to see what’s changing and where communicators should be focusing their attention: 👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/apac-2026

[Image description: A picture of Mel presenting at the 2026 IABC APAC Fusion conference, with blue line shapes over the top. The rest of the background is gold, with the black title underneath it: "5 trends shaping the future of communications across the Asia-Pacific region" and the black Cuttlefish logo above this title.]

27/10/2026

What do we know about the state of work, the state of the world, the state of trust ... and what that means for your change communication?

A couple of weeks ago I got to travel to beautiful Busselton in Western Australia to deliver a change communication workshop for the Local Government Professionals Association of WA.

We talked through how our 'old' brains are living in a very tumultuous and uncertain world, and as a result we need to think differently about how we communicate change.

A big thank you to the Association for having me, and giving me the opportunity to finally check out the incredible Busselton Jetty!

[Image description: Mel stands at the front of a conference room smiling, holding a microphone in one hand. She wears blue and pink trousers, a white shirt, and her hair is pulled back. Behind her is the edge of a projector screen, and a beige curtain.]

26/10/2026

Does the ‘fish rot from the head’?

It’s a saying I’ve heard often about culture - that it’s driven from the top down.

Of course leaders have a huge part to play in designing and role modelling culture. But is it all up to them?

Are we being intentional about what our culture should look like, and are we making sure we’re building it at every level and every touchpoint in an organisation?

I’m talking about things like:
- Your internal communications voices and content
- How your teams collaborate and work together
- Your unspoken ‘non-negotiables’ for working at your organisation
- Your recruitment practices
- How you welcome people to the organisation, and how you let them go
- How you manage things when they go wrong
- How you celebrate things when they go right
- Your flexible working practices
- How aligned to your organisations values and purpose everyone is…

What else contributes to culture design in your experience?

[Image description: green tile with black headline text that reads: who is really responsible for culture? Below is a four panel cartoon with a person being interviewed for a job. They describe the culture at their current workplace as 'toxic' and the interview hires them because 'they'll fit right in' at the new workplace.]

26/10/2026

Free knowledge on offer, right here.
..you'll have to read our newsletter for it though: https://lnkd.in/gqCTfWSS

Actually, probably a better idea to sign up for it here to keep the free knowledge going: https://lnkd.in/gKhJJbAJ.
[Image description: A meme of Kevin Hart being held by a woman, pointing menacingly at another woman, protecting him. Over Kevin is captioned "You", and over the woman holding him is "Us making this meme about our newsletter" and on the other woman is "ChatGPT poster about it". In the top left is the Cuttlefish logo in white.]

25/10/2026

Communicating about change isn't hard ... it's a matter of putting people right in the centre of your strategy and planning. And if you remember these six things, you'll be on the right track!

1. Reactance is natural. People like change when they're in control; but not when it feels like it's being forced upon them. This is where co-design is key.

2. Parade your elephants. They're in the room, so you might as well talk about them! And people's brains are constantly scanning for threats, so address the messy stuff upfront.

3. Honour the past. There can be a sense of grief with some changes, and losses hurt more than equal gains feel good. So acknowledge what's been before moving on to what will be.

4. People want answers. Our brains hate uncertainty, and in the absense of information, people will make their own assumptions ... which aren't always accurate. Acknowledge what you don't know yet, and be clear on what you do know.

5. People want to feel heard. That doesn't mean they always get their way; but if you take the time to listen, play it back, and explain your decision, it can go a long way.

6. Change means different things to different people. There's no 'one-size-fits-all' approach, so you need to tailor your channel, voice, and message and align the effort with the impact.

What else would you add to this list, Change Pros?

23/10/2026

Another book in the works? You bet!

And I need your help…

I'm looking for stories of when curiosity drove …
- A change in strategy
-A new product or service
- A new initiative for your team or employees
- A new direction for you.

Specifically, you asked yourself the question: "What if I / we did ….?"

If you have a story to share, please head here: https://forms.gle/sfAjaw8rbKDUvvtJA

[Image description: blue tile with black headline text that reads: Every asked 'What if...?'. Below is a greyscale cartoon of a figure looking thoughfully up at a thought bubble above their head with a question mark in it.]

22/10/2026

You might be comfortable using AI to create content, but is your audience comfortable receiving it? 👀

AI is becoming part of everyday comms, with drafting content and developing strategies or answering customer enquiries and automating workplace processes.

However, it’s a tale as old as time: just because we can (use AI for something) doesn't mean we should.

Which is what we asked over 124 people from across 15 countries to tell us all about: how they really feel about AI.

The results? There are some pretty interesting differences between what people are happy for AI to do and where they want a human involved.

Listen in to find out what they said: https://www.heymelcomms.training/192

20/10/2026

AI can help you create content faster, but is it helping you communicate better?

There's a difference between using AI to draft a communications plan and using it to handle a sensitive employee complaint. One can save time, while the other could impact trust, relationships and how people experience your organisation.

So, where should AI fit into your communications? When is it better to keep a human in the driver's seat?

Find out here: 👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/ai-trust

[Image description: A picture of Mel presenting with a gold box in front. In the box is the title: "How to use AI in your comms without losing audience trust" in white text. Above this box are gold chevrons, and there is a white Cuttlefish logo in the top right.]

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Brisbane, QLD
4171

Website

http://www.cuttlefish.group/

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