Communicating for the Inside Out: Building Trust and Relationships Through Communications

By: Ryan Foran

Simply stated, the public should never receive information before your own staff. As leaders, you must remember to communicate internally first, then go out to the public. As my mom used to tell my two brothers and me growing up, "If I'm going to get bad news, I’d better hear it from you first." That piece of advice always stuck with me, and I’m glad it did. Communicating from the inside out is an excellent philosophy for both personal and professional life. 

When you communicate the news first, you own the narrative. If you leave it to an outside source—like the media, a neighbor, or social platforms—you are entirely at the mercy of their framing. It's your news; you need to deliver it first.

With positive news, you might occasionally get away with informing the public and your staff at the same time, but it's still a misstep. What happens when your team is suddenly bombarded with questions about a new program or an exciting initiative? If they just received the news themselves, they won't have the answers. It's never a good look when employees lack an insider's track on what's happening within their own organization. You need to prepare your staff for the good news, too—not just the bad.

When it comes to that dreaded bad news, starting internally is non-negotiable. Your staff should never learn about critical organizational updates from a media report or a social media feed. That is an absolute trust-killer. Your team doesn't have to agree with every decision, but they do deserve to be privy to the facts before they go public. You will build far greater trust and alignment by speaking with your staff first. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't appreciate "being kept in the loop." When the public or your employees demand "more transparency," this is exactly what they are talking about. They just want to know what's going on before the rumor mill starts churning.

Even when communicating internally, remember the pecking order. Executive leadership should receive information first, followed by a structured cascade down the chain. A top-level executive should never hear critical organizational news from someone they supervise. If this is happening, you have a serious vulnerability in your communication pipeline that needs to be fixed immediately.

In closing, always prioritize your internal team and stakeholders. They deserve to be in the know. When people say "communication is key," this deliberate strategy is precisely what they mean. Everyone wants to feel trusted and valued within their own organization. When your staff is consistently kept informed, they are far more likely to champion your decisions, even if they disagree with them. More importantly, you will build an unshakeable foundation of trust and respect.