Cuttlefish Communication

Cuttlefish Communication Experts in communication - training, strategy & planning. Are you a team leader or a business owner? Does your team need to improve their communications?

Do your leaders need some help improving team engagement? Maybe you have a strategy or a significant project you need to roll out and you're not sure how to communicate it most effectively? We might be your new best friend! We run workshops and training sessions on all things communications - storytelling, authentic communication, effective writing, change communication ... all tailored specifical

ly to your needs. If you've got a problem we might be able to help you solve, let's chat! In the meantime, check out the range of free comms resources on our website.

Part of our planning here for 2026 at Cuttlefish, has been the re-jig of our infamous Less Chatter, More Matter podcast,...
11/12/2025

Part of our planning here for 2026 at Cuttlefish, has been the re-jig of our infamous Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, and with it: the introduction of a 10 episode part series where we focus on a specific topic for those 10 episodes.

And this is your chance to have your topic, query or question answered... and in depth, by an expert.

So, comment below what you want to hear about (a lot) and we'll try our darndest to bring in the experts, get you the lowdown and serve you the comms-related tea.

[Image description: A gold background with white transparent shapes over it. In front of it are two polaroid frames with two images of Mel, smiling. Above it in black is the title: "THIS IS YOUR CHANCE" and beneath it in black are the words: "To submit your case study, idea or topics you’d like to hear more about." The black Cuttlefish logo is beneath this and a line.]

11/12/2025

Between elections, natural disasters, global protests, workplace disruption and the rapid rise of AI, 2025 has thrown a lot at all of us.

In this week’s episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we’re sharing the top trends in communication and change from this year and what they mean for the year ahead.

We talk about AI becoming an everyday part of work, the return-to-office push, why change fatigue is turning into apathy, the new skills popping up across industries, and why strong, transparent leadership matters more than ever.

If you’re planning for 2026 or just trying to make sense of the year we’ve had, this episode will help you reset, refocus and prepare for what’s next: https://www.heymelcomms.training/148 🎧
[Video imagery description: Mel in front of her microphone talking to the camera.]

What a year! As 2025 wraps up, we’ve been looking at the big trends shaping how we work and what they mean for 2026.Then...
10/12/2025

What a year! As 2025 wraps up, we’ve been looking at the big trends shaping how we work and what they mean for 2026.

Then, we listed them all our latest free blog… with tips on how to navigate them.

For communicators and change professionals, 2026 brings huge opportunities to guide, coach and support organisations through what’s next.

Read the blog here 🔗👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/2026-trends
[Image description: An image of someone writing with a stylus on a tablet with a report open. In front of the image is a black half-tranparent box with 3 gold lines. The white title reads: “The top 5 trends shaping communication, change, and the way we work in 2026” and underneath the box is the white Cuttlefish logo.]

Stuck for a thoughtful gift this Christmas? Why not give a gift that keeps on giving, and buy a book from an author from...
09/12/2025

Stuck for a thoughtful gift this Christmas? Why not give a gift that keeps on giving, and buy a book from an author from your network? 🖋️

This year, several amazing minds in my network released a book, sharing their expertise with the world.

Whether a first-time writer or experienced author, I speak from experience when I say it's a HUGE effort to create a book, and an even bigger, braver effort to put it out there.

So a shout-out to some of these incredible authors - and if you have a book to add, please share in the comments!

- 'Become a Global Leader' by Victoria Rennoldson

- 'The Art of the Unignorable Email' by David Pullan and Sarah Jane McKechnie

- 'The Human Edge' by Bethan Winn

- 'Accessible Communications' by Lisa Riemers and Matisse Hamel-Nelis

- '10 Years Writing About Change' by Gilbert Kruidenier (note - 100% of proceeds from Gilbert's books go towards charities that support people facing homelessness)

- 'Attract: Recruitment Reimagined' by Cynthia Harris

[Image description: Yellow tile with black and white text that reads: Books by network professionals from 2025. It features the front covers of six books, titled: Become a Global Leader; The Art of the Unignorable Email; The Human Edge; Accessible Communications; 10 Years of Writing About Change; and Attract: Recruitment Reimagined.]

The end of the year is nearly here and we know: you're tired, you're ready for a holiday and you're most likely a bit di...
08/12/2025

The end of the year is nearly here and we know: you're tired, you're ready for a holiday and you're most likely a bit disconnected.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning your moves for 2026.

In fact, you already should be! But if you’re not, that’s okay, because we’ve got the tips and tricks for you, for free, in this fortnight’s mail out - right here: 👉: https://mailchi.mp/heymelcomms/8-12-25

Plus, subscribe to get more of these practical insights every two weeks — delivered straight to your inbox 📨: https://training.us6.list-manage.com/profile?u=a4e0f5f80596568d857875e0d&id=89b2354fad&e=%5BUNIQID%5D&c=742f306292.
[Image description: A blue and white calendar on a black background. The calendar is set to January 2026 but only the dates 1-10 are included, with the days at the top axis in green. The text where the missing dates are says "If you don't feel ready for 2026 - we can help!" and under it is the Cuttlefish black logo.]

What does 'collaboration' mean to you?That's a question I posed at the start of my last workshop of the year last week.'...
07/12/2025

What does 'collaboration' mean to you?

That's a question I posed at the start of my last workshop of the year last week.

'Destination Collaboration' was the theme, and we talked about:

- What collaboration is and isn't

- How far the team are from where they want to be (when they describe what collaboration looks like), and what they could do to get there

- The four common obstacles to collaboration I see on projects: lack of trusting relationships; not considering other people's perspectives; avoiding having uncomfortable conversations; and lack of alignment (on goals, approach, etc).

To sum up what makes collaboration work, it's the Three Cs:

- Curiosity: about the project, about others' thinking and ways of working, about opportunities
- Commitment: to a common goal, and to a way to get there
- Contribution: adding value to the team, as well as learning from others' contributions.

What else would you consider when thinking about creating a really collaborative team?

[Image description: Yellow tile with black text which reads: The Three Cs of Collaboration: Curiosity, Commitment, Contribution.]

05/12/2025

In today’s noisy world, even the best ideas struggle to get the attention they deserve. That’s why this week’s episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast is all about finding and using the stories that truly connect.

We’re joined by David Pullan, co-founder of The Story Spotters and co-author of two fantastic books: The DNA of Engagement and The Art of the Unignorable Email.

David started his career as an actor before taking an unexpected turn into corporate communication, and he now helps leaders spot the stories that inspire trust, build engagement and influence change.

We talk about the power of vulnerability, how leaders can co-create stories with their teams, and why emails still matter more than we think.

Tune in for a conversation packed with ideas you can use straight away. Listen in here: https://www.heymelcomms.training/147 🎧
[Video imagery description: Mel and David in front of their microphones talking to the camera.]

Do you use emojis instead of bullet points? Do you post a photo but forget to describe it?Maybe you love creating images...
02/12/2025

Do you use emojis instead of bullet points?

Do you post a photo but forget to describe it?

Maybe you love creating images where there is text over a photo...

If you're doing any of these things, your communication is not as accessible as you might think.

And as today is International Day of People with a Disability, it's a great time to reflect on our own accessible communication practices.

The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there to help, like the brilliant Kelly Thibodeau, and Matisse Hamel-Nelis and Lisa Riemers' brand-new, amazingly helpful book, 'Accessible Communication: Create impact, avoid missteps, and build trust.'

While you're getting your hands on a copy, here's five of my top tips to get you on the right track, especially if you're communicating through digital channels like social media.

1. Avoid emojis and emoticons. If a person uses a screen reader, these are very annoying! Also, they don't convey the same meaning for everyone. Use them sparingly, and at the end of a sentence if at all.

2. Include alt text and descriptions of your images. It's great for screen readers, great for SEO, and also just helpful for people to better understand the message the image is conveying.

3. Use colours with strong contrast. People with poor vision or visual processing can struggle to decipher text in different colours. Black on white is always a winner. There are great tools and guidelines out there to help assess your colour use.

4. Use short sentences and clear, common words. It's not just for accessibility ... it's just better for everyone!

5. Always include captions and transcripts for video and audio. People consume information in different ways and contexts anyway, and some people need a transcript to give them more time to process the messages.

What else would you add to the list?

[Image description: pale green tile with black text. The headline reads: Top tips for accessible communication, and lists the five points in this post. The logo for Cuttlefish, Mel's business, is on the right-hand side in black, all-caps text.]

'Disappointed' is how I've felt watching some leaders communicate during change.They had been involved in the change sin...
30/11/2025

'Disappointed' is how I've felt watching some leaders communicate during change.

They had been involved in the change since day 1, had been given multiple briefings, engaged in multiple workshops and 1:1s with program people and HR, were saying all the right things ...
.. and yet, they shirked their responsibilities at the last minute. They didn't want to own it.

When delivery did happen, it felt like someone was holding a knife to their backs. They hadn't bothered preparing, and made it out like they were 'just the messenger'. It became about them, not about the people they were meant to be supporting.

It was embarrassing for them and for the project team that had worked so hard to support them.

What have I learned?
1. You can't 'rub a bit of comms' on it ... poor leadership shows through, no matter what words on a screen say.
2. Some leaders require a lot more spoon feeding than others, at least until they build their confidence and capability.
3. Engage early and privately with leaders and ask the tough questions like, 'what's keeping you up at night about this change?'

What else have you learned about supporting leaders during change?

[Image description: Blue tile with black and blue text that reads: You can't out-communicate poor leadership. Below is a greyscale cartoon image of two characters smiling at each other with speech bubbles over their heads.]

28/11/2025

We’re hitting that frantic, slightly chaotic, end-of-year energy where you’re somehow juggling wrap-ups, reporting, Christmas parties and inbox avalanches… all while knowing you still need to plan for 2026.

But here’s the thing: you need to take the time to get clear on your goals, boundaries and priorities to set you and your team up for a calmer, more strategic year.

In this week’s episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we walk you through a simple step-by-step approach to building your 2026 communication plan: not in theory, but in a way any team can actually use.

Plus, I even have a little surprise for anyone who loves a good template.
Listen in here: https://www.heymelcomms.training/146 🎧
[Video imagery description: Mel in front of her microphone talking to the camera.]

Between wrapping up projects, juggling stakeholder requests and squeezing in Christmas catch-ups, planning for 2026 can ...
26/11/2025

Between wrapping up projects, juggling stakeholder requests and squeezing in Christmas catch-ups, planning for 2026 can feel completely overwhelming.

But, you can’t plan well when you’re exhausted; you can’t set clear goals when you’re drowning, and you definitely can’t build a communication strategy from a place of chaos.

So, how do we fix that? Find out here: 🔗👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/2026-to-do
[Image description: A green background with gold shapes around the edges. The black title is “Your 2026 planning to do list”, and in the middle is a cartoon man with a target. In the middle of the target is an arrow, and the black Cuttlefish logo is on the right hand bottom corner.]

Every company has its strategic goals, vision, mission, values … but what makes some more effective than others?And what...
25/11/2025

Every company has its strategic goals, vision, mission, values … but what makes some more effective than others?

And what can we do to make sure people not only remember them, but ‘get’ them? 🤔

Here’s six tips to get you creating and sharing strategic goals and values that will actually stick:

1. Co-create - get people from throughout the business to get involved in developing your strategic goals and values. Consultants can do great work in gathering the evidence, but the words need to be driven by your people, so they have skin in the game. And then talk about their involvement.

2. Keep them simple and memorable: stick to 3 values and 3 goals, keep them short, and think about using devices like rhyme or alliteration to help make them easy to remember.

3. Go right to the source. Don’t rely on the communication cascade - reach people where they’re at, in ways that work for them.

4. Repeat, repeat, repeat: It’s the best way to embed new ideas. But, do it in interesting ways and repackage for different preferences, so it doesn’t become white noise in the background.

5. Make it easy and fun: get away from the old, boring corporate ways of communicating, and think more creatively. Bring fun back into it - it’ll make it more memorable, and people will be more likely to actually pay attention.

6. Use concrete, image-friendly language: steer away from vague, abstract ideas and terms, and instead use language that people can visualise and relate to.

What else have you seen that's helped goals and values to 'stick'? 💡

[Image descriptions: A series of tiles all featuring 'dos and don'ts' relating to each of the six tips.]

Address

Brisbane, QLD
4171

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cuttlefish Communication posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Cuttlefish Communication:

Shortcuts

Share