We tend to externalise communications – see it as the ‘inside’ communicating with the ‘outside’. and make big assumptions about the scope of what we mean by communications – from ‘broadcast’ to ‘dialogue’ – without much consideration of the degree of inter-penetration of one another. After all ‘language creates its own reality’, as well a communicating what might be the case.
In this train of thought, ‘internal’ means communication between parts – between parts of an organisation – between parts of ‘me’. Indeed you could argue that internal communication between ‘parts’ is what produces the sense of something being organised. Without communication between parts you cannot see the patterns which we call organisation. and part of my capacity to regulate this internal communication between the parts of me is what contributes to my sense of self and mental states, moment to moment.
The capacity to tell a ‘coherent’ story to others is in direct relation to the coherence of my own story to myself about myself – or equally yourself to yourself.
What is the technology of internal communications? Look at Simply Communicate – published by my old friend, Marc Wright….this community of practice has 20000 members, all involved in the practice of internal communications – getting parts of organisations to talk to one another, engaging with stakeholders etc
What is technology of intimate, internal communications? Gaze, attunement, shared experience, engagement, looking into the blind spot (noticing when things ‘snag’), treating behaviour as communication, mutual self governance. Governance is about the extent to which you have internalised your purpose. You can see this in organisations – it is no less true of each of us.
Internal, intimate communications is a dialogue through which I govern myself; trying to make something essential but invisible into something visible, but no less essential. This is a process facilitated by leadership and followership, through us sharing experience in which parts get related to each other.
Slingshot