From Inbox to Impact: a Coaching Journey.
Ever wanted to sneak a peek into what internal comms coaching looks like? Let us take you through this client’s journey.
The client? Amnesty International France (the French Secretariat of the international NGO).
The challenge? They wanted to build an intranet on SharePoint and define what internal communication could look like by 1 January 2026.
How did we partner up? They’d been following Caring Comms’ adventures on LinkedIn and reached out when the time felt right. We planned an initial call to meet and discuss what they wanted to achieve. These first chats are also a great way to get a feel for each other, because good collaboration starts with a good connection.
After a few exchanges by email and video, we drafted a proposal tailored to their ambitions, objectives, budget and timeline. For a project like this, it was clear that “doing the work for them” wouldn’t lead to the meaningful impact they deserved. It needed to be a shared journey … even if that meant rolling up their sleeves on top of an already busy day job. And they did that, brillantly. So, what does that look like in practice?
Let’s dig in…
The starting point: Hands-on SharePoint sessions
We agreed on a structure blending the use of a stamp card and some thematic workshops. This way, we could stay flexible and adapt to their calendar and needs.
While it meant doing a bit of homework between sessions, this approach worked because the client stayed in the driver’s seat. They learnt more about SharePoint at their own pace. It allowed them to become more proactive, inspired by learning with us and testing things themselves. Best of all, they started to engage their colleagues, showing off SharePoint’s potential and how it could solve existing challenges.
We started with the basics: getting familiar with SharePoint, understanding its purpose and functionalities, and figuring out how to build a new intranet that could declutter their digital landscape. They saw quick results, and colleagues were genuinely curious about how this new space might make their lives easier, some already wanted to start drafting News posts, yay!
We covered technical bits (web parts, good practices, layouts, permissions etc.) but we always brought it back to their context, and the bigger picture:
What value does this bring to their team and organisation?
What kind of experience are we creating for employees?
How can we help people find or share information faster, smarter?
You guessed it – we managed to take a higher stance and approach things with a strategic lens.
Pivoting to: defining the internal communication function, mindfully
After a few weeks, and taking into account the rhythm of the organisation, we shifted focus. The client felt confident enough to explore SharePoint further on their own, so our sessions moved up a gear. Now it was not just about launching the intranet., but more importantly , asking ourselves: what is internal communication here to do?
We explored their broader objectives, their audiences and their internal needs. We also took time to understand the technical landscape and the types of messages currently being shared. This was essential to begin building the intranet – and the whole comms function – with intention.
One of the biggest pain points? Email. We advised them to think about: What kind of content is being sent? Does it need to go to everyone? What’s a must-know? What’s nice-to-know? What could shift to a lighter, more informal space?
This helped them in mapping how different channels could work together – blending email, Teams and SharePoint to make communication clearer and less overwhelming.
They also started planning interviews with colleagues to better understand how people use platforms, what they need to share, and where the gaps are.
The aim? To shape a more grounded, inclusive approach, and involve key departments in the process.
In parallel, they’re now reviewing how content can be shared more intentionally:
Should it be a news post on the intranet?
A Teams message?
Still an email?
We shared a simple framework to help them decide, stay within scope, and avoid overloading people. And with all of this, and their internal work of informing and engaging stakeholders, things really opened up. They began asking deeper, better questions:
What content do we want people to find or share?
Who should own what?
What behaviours are we encouraging?
Why do we want to make our work more visible internally?
How can we create a better experience for our colleagues?
That reflection led to an important realisation: the original intranet launch date wasn’t aligned with where the organisation truly stood. And that’s gold. The ability to reassess, pause, and do things right. We were so proud of them for making that call.
They’ve now even hired a new colleague whose main focus is internal communication – a clear sign they’re building for the long run.
So, what’s next?
After the summer break, they’ll finish reviewing existing content, involve colleagues, and take the time to shape something that truly fits their organisation. From the interviews and content audits, we’ll:
Solidify the launch timeline
Clean up existing channels
Define best practices for both tools and tone of voice
Prepare a clear, thoughtful rollout plan for the new intranet
We’ll continue supporting them to refine the approach, build adoption, and embed new habits around sharing and accessing information. We’re now looking beyond the 1 January 2026 milestone, giving them time to match real needs, build engagement, and communicate in a more human, connected way.
