Internal communication is about building trust, alignment, and a shared understanding. Address these four common mistakes and you will be supporting a communication culture that benefits both employees and the organization’s goals.
When internal communication works, employees are informed, aligned, and engaged. When internal communication breaks down, employees are confused, distrustful, and more prone to errors.
Quantity over quality Effective messaging strategy is not more = better.
Unified messages on multiple channels (email, Zoom Chat, quarterly newsletter) are good. Disparate messages can lead to confusion. Don’t make employees track the latest information and identify what is most important.
The fix: Prioritize clarity over quantity. It is encouraged to send the message through multiple channels to increase awareness, but it should be a singular message. Be intentional about the information being shared and highlight the key takeaways.
Confusing who is responsible You have a lot of stakeholders. But who owns internal comms?
Not doing this leads to conflicting information and important stakeholders not receiving the message.
The fix: Create clear communication guidelines and plans that identify a) who is responsible for sharing what information and b) who it needs to be shared with.
Neglecting middle managers Managers (and directors) can be a great conduit between the executive team and staff, but they often feel ill-informed themselves. This makes their job harder.
The fix: Provide your middle managers with context, talking points, clear rationale behind decisions being made, and give them the opportunity to ask questions. The more informed they are, the more effectively they can share the message accurately and keep their staff aligned.
Staying silent The surest path to angst and turnover is never talking to your team and making them unsure about the future. If leadership remains silent during times of change like organizational restructuring, new leadership, or shifting priorities, rumors fill the gap.
The fix: Leadership should deliver messages early and with clarity. “We don’t know yet,” is better than saying nothing at all. Be transparent and keep them updated.
https://www.probolskyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/4ef1ae36-4f3f-4a68-a55b-5b0ee1f69fdc.png6751200Probolsky Researchhttps://www.probolskyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Logo.pngProbolsky Research2026-02-04 04:27:332026-02-04 04:31:124 Internal Communication Mistakes You May Be Making
A poll conducted in November discovered that California voters have a distinctly different view from environmental and political leadership on how to address the future of water.
Surface storage (dams and reservoirs) are supported by seventy-two percent of voters.
Ocean water desalination is supported by seventy-seven percent of the voters.
The real number is closer to 80% of the state’s water supply going to agricultural use.
All this adds up to a challenge for the environmental community that is largely opposed to dams and desalination. It may also be an opportunity for supporters of new water infrastructure. They may use these voter sentiments in how they approach funding.
A more complete look at the polling data on water policy can be found here.
https://www.probolskyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Desal-copy.png500500Probolsky Researchhttps://www.probolskyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Logo.pngProbolsky Research2025-12-03 07:07:212025-12-03 07:12:11The Voter – Policymaker Divide on Water
Most Americans are not trying to get to the “shining city on a hill.” They can’t see “a thousand points of light.” They do not believe it’s morning in America.” But it gets worse, recent national polling shows that just 54% of us have a positive view of capitalism – it’s down to the lowest point ever measured. The free market is upside down among Democratic voters – they rate socialism higher 66% to 42%. And while Republicans still somewhat hold high the idea of making money, they are in the minority.
Big business is in serious trouble with just 37% support. The companies we buy from, we invest in, that innovate, the companies that make miracle drugs – they are all reviled by most of our 340 million.
This warns of huge implications for the future of Western democracies, but right now communicators need to recognize the moment we are in and adjust their approach. Hint: Ditch your aspirational words for something more demure.
Here are the seven (7) things communicators can do today to filter their message for the malaise we are in
1- Acknowledge systemic failures first – spend time validating that “the system is broken” or “the old ways aren’t working” – people need to hear that you understand their frustration
2- Find your connection to small business (which is put on a pedestal by nearly everyone) – it has to be believable – how you partner with, support, and celebrate them
3- Localize – it’s hard to be upset when you see your hometown water tower on TV, or your high school mascot on the billboard
4- Talk about “getting by” instead of “getting ahead” – swap aspirational language for survival language – focus on “making ends meet, and “keeping your head above water”
5- Frame solutions as “fighting back” rather than “moving forward” – use combative language that positions your audience as justified warriors against unfair systems rather than passive consumers*
6- Emphasize “basic dignity” over “opportunity” – talk about people deserving a fair shot at a decent life, not the chance to climb ladders – focus on fundamental respect rather than advancement
7- Lead with problems, not solutions – spend more time diagnosing what’s wrong than prescribing fixes – people want to feel heard before they want to be helped
Your role has fundamentally changed – stop trying to inspire people who just want to be understood. Communicators who adapt will connect – the ones who don’t will become background noise in a very angry room.
*Use obvious caution with this one.
Dr. Adam Probolsky is president of Probolsky Research and a Senior Research Follow with the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.
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Every year, millions of employees are asked to fill out surveys. They share their opinions on everything from organizational culture to feedback on their direct supervisor to what training would help them do their job better. But a crucial question often goes unanswered: Does this feedback actually lead to change?
The answer is perfectly illustrated by Peoria, Arizona Police Chief Thomas Intrieri during a recent city council meeting. He was making the pitch for additional funding for the police department and cited how their employee survey found that officers were concerned about equipment. His use of the data to make his point and drive home support from policymakers is a testament to the principles recommended by organizational leadership experts and researchers.
Instead of relying only on anecdotes, Chief Intrieri presented hard data from an employee engagement survey. He pointed to a specific finding, noting that the equipment he was seeking funds for was among the top three concerns expressed by employees. Good staff work and the forethought to have done the employee survey led to a 7-to-0 yes vote for the $884,192 budget adjustment.
Why This Is a Textbook Example of Effective Leadership
It Proves to Employees That They Were Heard
The single most important outcome of a survey is for employees to know their feedback wasn’t ignored. By bringing the item before the city council and publicly citing the survey results, the Chief showed every officer in his department that their collective voice was the foundation of his request. This is the first and most vital step in building trust.
It Turns Subjective Wants into Objective Evidence
A leader’s request for “better equipment” can be dismissed as a routine departmental wish. But a request based on a formal, organization-wide survey becomes a business case – informed by data. It provides decision-makers (like a city council or a management team) with objective evidence to justify allocating funds and making a change.
It Creates a Positive Cycle of Improvement
When employees see a direct line between the feedback they gave and a positive change in their workplace, they become more invested in the organization’s success. They are more likely to participate thoughtfully in future surveys, which provides leaders with even better data. This creates a powerful loop: employees give quality feedback, leadership acts on it, and the organization gets better as a result.
The alternative: It’s easy for employees to feel like their feedback goes into a black box. This can lead to distrust in the process and diminishing response rates to future employee surveys. Don’t let this happen in your organization.
Frequently Asked Questions About Employee Surveys (FAQ)
Q1 Why should an organization conduct an employee survey?
Organizations use surveys to get an honest, confidential look at what’s working and what isn’t from the employees’ perspective. It’s one of the most effective ways to identify hidden problems, measure morale, and find opportunities to improve the workplace. Hint: Using an independent research firm gives assurance to employees that their responses will remain anonymous.
Q2 What is the most important step after a survey is completed?
The most critical step is action. Leaders analyze the results, share them with employees, and demonstrate a clear plan to address the key findings. Even small, visible changes show that the feedback was taken seriously.
Q3 How does acting on survey feedback help a business or organization?
Acting on feedback directly impacts organizational success. It boosts employee morale and engagement, which leads to higher productivity, better customer service, and lower employee turnover. A workplace that listens and responds is a workplace where people want to be.
Dr. Adam Probolsky is president of Probolsky Research, which conducts employee surveys for corporate, government, and nonprofit clients.
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Unique Research Opportunity: Add Your Questions to Statewide Voter Polls in California
Probolsky Research is conducting a statewide voter poll in California and accepting add-on questions from organizations, advocacy groups, candidates, industry, and researchers. Results will be available first week of September 2025.
Overview of This Unique Polling Opportunity
Probolsky Research is offering organizations the chance to add custom questions to our upcoming statewide voter poll in California. You gain access to statewide polling data that would usually require conducting your own poll.
Poll Details
Sample Size: 900 registered voters Languages: English and Spanish Survey Methods: Multimode: online via email and text-to-Web + live interviewing on landline, mobile phones Margin of Error: +/-3.3% at 95% confidence level Results Timeline: First week of September 2025
What’s Included
When you add questions to our statewide polls, you receive a complete research package that provides actionable insights and professional presentation materials:
Comprehensive Data Analysis Presentation
Top-line Results: Clear, straightforward answers to your questions with percentage breakdowns
Cross-tabulations: Detailed analysis showing how different demographic groups (age, gender, party affiliation, geographic region, etc.) responded to your questions
Open-ended Question Analysis: If your questions include open-ended components, we provide thematic analysis and categorization of responses
Professional Media Support (Optional)
Custom media release highlighting key findings from your questions Media availability with our research team to discuss results
Complete Confidentiality Protection
Your participation and specific questions remain confidential You control all aspects of how and when your results are shared publicly
Pricing
$2,400 per question (Multi-question discounts available)
Participating in our statewide polling opportunity is straightforward and designed to accommodate your organization’s specific research needs and timeline.
Step 1: Question Development and Consultation – contact our team to discuss your research objectives and question development. Step 2: Question Finalization and Reporting – once your questions are finalized, we discuss reporting format preferences and earned media support (if requested) Step 3: Poll Conducted Step 4: Results Delivery and Analysis
Receive your complete results package during the first week of September, including all analysis, cross-tabulations, and presentation materials.
About Probolsky Research
Probolsky Research is a national nonpartisan, Latina, and woman-owned market and opinion research firm.
Contact: Adam Probolsky Phone: (800) 492-9556 Email: info@probolskyresearch.com
Most people do not understand public affairs, so Dr. Adam Probolsky wrote this primer:
/// Many executives are great at business, but uninformed about public affairs and political risk because they have never had to know how to navigate government
/// The need to engage with government is extending to broader groups of industries – to head off or fix a problem / or for prospective opportunities
/// There is a public affairs approach that successful companies use and can be adopted to great effect, just ask, any public affairs professional can share the typical roadmap
/// This is not comms, lobbying, marketing, market research, or PR – public affairs has elements of all of them, but don’t assume your existing team can “just handle it”
/// Public affairs practitioners have worked in politics or possibly government – there is no secret sauce, but when you have a heart attack, you want the board-certified cardiologist, not the school nurse – the same goes for public affairs
/// It may sound unoriginal, but the first step is to get a strong consulting team in place
/// 99% of public affairs happens at the state and city/county level, it’s not always as exciting or sexy as what happens nationally
Probolsky Research partners with consultants that operate in the public affairs space. We love collaborating. We love winning.
Local government staff have a dual role – their functional job and the job of keeping their residents happy. No one else has to work under those condition. Sure, corporate executives answer to shareholders, but not with the intensity and proximity that residents have to City Hall.
Yet many agencies instruct staff to leave politics outside the building – not just their personal politics. My new piece for the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA), “A Strict Politics – Policy Divide Is Holding Your Agency Back,” shows why limiting staff’s ability to watch and consider the politics of the day is bad for the agency.
The article explains how politics works as an early warning system.
I outline a routine that requires no extra headcount: track narrative shifts, assign a lead, and circulate a one-page memo each week. This way staff gain situational awareness.
Probolsky Research follows the same approach when guiding agencies through surveys, focus groups, and message testing. We help staff see the story behind the numbers, then translate that story into policy choices that withstand public scrutiny.
A Strict Politics–Policy Divide Is Holding Your Organization Back
If your organization is facing a political threat, you do not fight it with silence—you fight it with strategy.
By Dr. Adam Probolsky, president of Probolsky Research and senior research fellow with Claremont Graduate University’s Drucker School of Management
I have yet to meet a local government staff member that could not read the room. But when their hands are tied behind their backs—told to avoid politics at all costs—they are not operating at peak performance. Staff are not confused about the differences between political and public policy disciplines. They understand the unique dynamics between thinking politically and acting politically.
They know it means anticipating what might trigger backlash before it shows up on an agenda.
For example, flagging a new fee before it appears on an agenda where activists are likely to label it a “tax” is thinking politically and giving everyone involved the opportunity to prepare. Staff are not going to seek an endorsement of the fee from the local county party chairman.
Politics is about power: getting it, keeping it, and using it to win. Public policy is about outcomes: what laws, regulations, or programs actually say and do. The two often intersect. Both are grounded in research, data, and stakeholder input—we hope.
Politics as an Early Warning System
What is often overlooked in the public policy realm is the anticipatory value of politics.
Political systems theory frames politics as a connected feedback loop. Citizens express needs and preferences (inputs) through elections, political speech in all its forms, and media consumption patterns. Politicians interpret those signals and attempt to translate them into public policy (outputs). When expectations are not met, the public responds through disengagement, outrage, or votes.
What This Means for Staff
Staff’s focus on statutory obligations or program design is important. But dismissal of the broader political environment is causing your agency to miss early signals of change. This is not about partisanship. It is about situational awareness. Politics can tell us what people believe is happening, even if it is not true.
Staff may pride themselves on evidence-based thinking, but politics operates on emotion, identity, and perception. Research in behavioral science consistently shows that people make judgments based on recent, vivid events, not long-term data. Policy professionals who do not account for this disconnect risk being right but irrelevant, sharing the truth but still losing trust.
Monitoring, Not Reacting
The answer is not for staff to become political operatives. It is to treat politics like a real-time sensor network. This means tracking the origin of negative public comments—sometimes valid concerns, sometimes personal frustration. Monitoring social media not just for sentiment, but for narrative shifts. Knowing which local or regional issues are heating up, even if they are not “yours” yet.
Taking Action
Every public agency needs a top-down directive that makes caring about, learning about, and strategizing over politics’ impact on local policy the norm, not a taboo activity to be hidden.
Having a clear, consistent approach to tracking the political environment does not require a new hire. It requires assigning responsibility and making political awareness part of normal operations.
That might mean:
Reading statewide and regional political blogs, not just waiting for association updates.
Monitoring legislative agendas and committee activity, not just relying on lobbyist summaries.
Watching for local versions of national debates before they surface at your public meetings.
This work can live within your public affairs or public information offices, or be assigned to a management analyst intern. The point is: it needs to be someone’s job, and everyone’s shared awareness.
Consider creating a short political signals memo. Think one page, once a week. No spin, just intelligence. A few bullet points on:
Community sentiment shifts.
Stakeholder activity worth watching.
Viral local issues or narratives.
Legislative developments that could ripple your way.
Some agencies already have a version of this, but keep it confined to the executive team. That is a mistake. Siloed awareness delays coordinated response. Bring a broader group into the picture. Give them the foresight they need to avoid surprises and plan smart.
This is not about playing into the headlines. It is about anticipating impact. The goal is to be aware. Strategic. Less reactive.
Politics is not always rational. But it is rarely random. People expressing fear, anger, or distrust are data points. If your agency is facing a political threat, you do not fight it with silence, you fight it with strategy.
https://www.probolskyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-2.22.20-PM.png11841588Probolsky Researchhttps://www.probolskyresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Logo.pngProbolsky Research2025-07-31 21:24:082025-10-14 07:25:20Politics ≠ Political
From homelessness and affordable housing to fixing public transit, protecting subway riders, and improving education and public safety, Democratic Primary voters in New York have high expectations that are not being met.
The poll also finds that Mayor Adams has a narrow path to re-election and that Governor Cuomo would be an instant frontrunner should he decide to get into the race.
Call or text Dr. Adam Probolsky at (949) 697-6726 for comments or more information about the poll.
Methodology
From January 7 to January 13, 2025, Probolsky Research conducted a survey among likely 2025 New York City Democratic Primary Election voters. The sample was compiled from voter file data and matched to the demographics of likely voters. A stratified random sampling methodology was used to ensure accurate representation.
The survey was administered by phone (33%) and online (67%). Phone interviews were conducted via landline (32%) and mobile (68%), while online participants were invited by email (50%) and text message (50%). Respondents could choose their preferred language: Cantonese (<1%), English (94%), or Spanish (6%).
The survey has a margin of error of +/-5% citywide and +/-5.8% for Manhattan oversample, CCD 28 oversample, and CCD 39 oversample, all with a 95% confidence level.
These results are being released for public interest only.
Probolsky Research is a nonpartisan Latina and woman-owned market and opinion research firm with corporate, election, government, and non-profit clients.
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