Hi,

You want to know three things I’m not subscribing to?

1. Wearing a hoodie when it’s more than 80 degrees outside. Just why?
2. My IG algorithm insisting I’m the target audience for vintage mink stoles turned into creepy caricature taxidermy.
3. Saying “no” to internal stakeholders.

But what if that invite came from the CEO, paired with a message ping wanting “your thoughts” on an upcoming announcement?

I know, number three is shocking. Everyone’s on LinkedIn talking about “the power of saying no.” But let’s be real: In internal comms, it’s not that black and white.

Yes, boundaries matter. And sure, we’ve all gotten those requests (looking at you, “Can I get a logo for ___?”). But there’s been a recent wave of comms content urging IC pros to say no more often, and honestly, I’m not totally on board.

Here’s why: I try to never actually say no.

Instead, I ask questions. I redirect. I look for the yes inside the ask and offer a smarter, more strategic way to get there.

Here’s an example.

Stakeholder: “Hey Regan, can you add this to the intranet homepage so I can get more eyes on it?”

Me: “Can you share a little more about what you’re trying to achieve and who you want to reach?”

Stakeholder: “We’ve got a Tech Talk coming up. It’s a learning event for engineers (200+ employees), but only five are registered, and we’re hoping to get at least 40.”

Me: “Awesome, I love that you’ve got a clear goal. Here’s what I recommend:

• Let’s include it in the next Engineering newsletter
• Drop it in the #engineering-managers Slack channel so they can boost it in team meetings
• Showcase it on the Engineering intranet site leading up to the event

Let’s see what the numbers look like after that. We can always adjust if we need more traction.”

Boom. No “no” necessary.

It’s not about saying no. It’s about teaching people how to fish. Or in this case, how to think like an internal communicator.

So why avoid no?

Because relationships matter more.
Because authentic communication starts with listening.
Because we’re bridge-builders, not bottlenecks.

It’s give and take. When you show up with curiosity and kindness — even when the ask feels off — you build credibility and connection that pays off long-term.

I don’t chase down win stories anymore. I don’t have to “make rounds” for team updates or campaign content. My people come to me because I’ve been showing up for them all along. With empathy. With thoughtful questions. With commitment to making communication feel real.

And just like that, stakeholders become strategic partners. Because when people trust you to listen, they start showing up with better stories, well-planned asks, and more openness. That’s not just influence. It’s authentic leadership in action — built one conversation at a time.

Let’s get real about being real

While I’m always down to nerd out on IC strategy, one of my favorite parts of the job is crafting messages that actually feel human — the kind that help people feel seen while helping leaders feel heard. We all talk about wanting authenticity in our comms, but the truth is, it’s harder than it sounds.

In my upcoming webinar for the International Association of Business Communicators, I’ll walk you through a few of my own lessons, tips, and behind-the-scenes moments that have helped me cut through the corporate fluff to build comms that are both intentional and genuine. Come hang?

Turns out, I have a lot to say about authenticity

Okay, truth time: I got so jazzed writing this blog that it turned into the webinar I just finished gushing about. Then, as soon as I wrote my blog promo above, I read a newsletter claiming authenticity in corporate comms has never existed — that it’s all performance, all strategy, never real. For a second, I felt gutted, and I second-guessed EVERYTHING.

But after some processing, I’m doubling down.

Because how we communicate does matter. Vulnerability and empathy aren’t weaknesses. They’re how we build trust, foster connection, and lead with clarity in uncertain times. And believing this — well, it’s not naive. It’s brave.

So read the blog, and let me know what you think. And join the webinar to go deeper.

Time for an employee profile glow-up

You know that moment when you open your intranet to find Lauren from Marketing and her profile says “Marketing Maven <3” with a headshot from 2020 and zero useful information? Yep, we’ve all been there.

Employee profiles are usually on the list of “set it and forget it” onboarding tasks. But here’s the thing — they’re actually tiny goldmines for connection, collaboration, and making work feel a smidge more human. (Shocking, right?)

Maybe a lot of profiles have boring “copied over from LinkedIn” vibes or they just feel stale — like that one coworker who made their profile two years ago when they were “trying to learn golf.” Did they actually learn or are their clubs gathering dust in the basement? Our latest guide breaks down how to create employee profiles that people actually want to fill out AND use.

Life is too short for boring or blank employee profiles. Time to jazz ’em up!

Customer voices

Latest from Simpplr

Empathy. Strategy. Repeat.

For us IC folks, at the end of the day, it’s all about the people. We don’t do this work to create shiny, perfect messages. We do it to build real relationships. To foster trust. To create clarity in the chaos for stakeholders and employees alike. We care about how PPL feel. We care about the why behind our work. And we know that when comms are done well, everything else at work is just…better.

So yes, sometimes we’re homepage traffic cops (the kind with good dance moves). Sometimes we take icky, jargon-filled quarterly business updates and make them sing. And sometimes we’re just trying to kill off one more Slack channel to minimize the noise. Through it all, we’re building something that matters.

Keep showing up with empathy, insight, and enough backbone to guide the chaos. You’re not just keeping things moving, friend — you’re making them better. And you’re doing a great job.

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