While collaborating with a partner organization on a complex and emotionally charged announcement recently, one of its leaders shared an insight about messaging: “So the goal,” he said, “is to get it down to as consumable and quotable a size as possible, without sacrificing the nuance… which is a tremendous balancing act.”
That wisdom — the equivalent of describing all of strategic communications while standing on one foot — captured the challenges that values-driven organizations face in an era dominated by binary narratives, information overload, and widespread skepticism.
That tension between clarity and nuance, between speed and substance, is also what inspired us to launch BandOne a year ago. In that year, we’ve helped organizations develop a more balanced communications approach so they can Band together with their members and supporters to speak with One clear voice.
We’ve helped university leaders, religious organizations, and public agencies navigate change, uncertainty, and growth. Much of this collaboration happens quietly through planning, research, and strategy so they can better shape their narratives publicly, speak with purpose to internal and external stakeholders, and become crisis-resilient.
As we enter year two, we are excited about what’s ahead. Our new Director of Strategic Communications, Dr. Yael Avnaim, has brought new perspectives and capacity. And we are expanding our services in media training, public speaking and presentation coaching, and leadership transition communications, to help groups tell their stories confidently while staying true to their values.
As my colleague and friend observed, strong communications is very much a balancing act. But when you strike that balance, your organization is positioned to win support and finish the work before you.
We’re proud of what we’ve done so far, inspired by what we’ve learned, and excited to work with more leaders who want to strengthen their voice before moments of change, scrutiny, or crisis arrive.