Welcome to Happeo Unmuted, the podcast where we go beyond best practices to explore what really connects people at work. In this episode, Jesse Bourgeault-Trickey sits down with Penny Crane to discuss the role of emotional translation, coordination, and how to protect your human touch when using AI.
1. Internal comms is orchestration, not just messaging.
Penny likens her role to conducting an orchestra—aligning people, timing, and content so teams receive the right information at the right moment. Effective communication creates clarity, connection, and confidence, enabling employees to make faster, better decisions while staying aligned to organizational priorities.
2. Empathy is a strategic tool, not just a soft skill.
Understanding how messages will be perceived through multiple lenses—across teams, roles, and seniority levels—helps prevent miscommunication and builds trust. Empathy guides timing, tone, and delivery, ensuring communications resonate even in high-stress or complex situations.
3. Consistency and structure amplify impact.
Using templates, repeatable processes, and clear frameworks—like structured all-hands agendas or a plug-and-play newsletter—helps employees know what to expect, making communications more engaging and efficient. Small changes, such as categorizing agenda items, can significantly improve attendance, comprehension, and alignment.
4. Internal comms requires emotional translation.
Penny emphasizes the unseen work of translating organizational strategy and emotion into clear, actionable messages. By anticipating reactions, addressing potential questions, and balancing multiple perspectives, communicators help employees navigate change while reducing confusion and friction.
5. AI and tools are accelerators, not replacements.
Penny uses AI to streamline tactical tasks like formatting, summarizing, and drafting, but stresses that judgment, tone, and audience understanding cannot be automated. Tools succeed only when paired with thoughtful strategy, strong governance, and ongoing human oversight to maintain trust and relevance.