Updated for modern communication:
• AI and emerging technologies
• Measurement and business impact
• Today’s communication challenges
For communication leaders, HR executives and teams driving change.
"A must-read for anyone who wants engaged employees, teams and leaders."
— Leigh Diffey, NBC Sports Commentator
Engaging Employees through Strategic Communication
The role of employee communication has changed. Expectations are exponentially higher. Start leading employee communication as a driver of performance today.
Based on work across organizations ranging from local teams to global Fortune 100 companies.
Available on Amazon. Kindle, paperback and hardcover.
Written by Mark Dollins, a former Fortune 100 communications leader and president of North Star Communications Consulting, and Jon Stemmle, a professor of strategic communication at the University of Missouri.
Why This Book Exists
Most organizations still treat employee communication as a support function.
Messages get sent. Channels get launched. Metrics get reported.
But business outcomes often trail communication outputs, resulting in little or no meaningful business impact. Alignment is inconsistent. Change stalls. Put simply, internal communication fails to deliver measurable results.
That gap is why this book was written.
It draws on decades of experience leading communication inside Fortune 100 companies, combined with research, case studies and global best practices, to provide a clear framework for making communication a driver of performance.
This book is built from real experience, not theory.
From leading communication during a $130B merger to shaping executive messaging at global brands, the strategies in this book have been tested where it matters most: inside complex organizations.
About This Book
Employee communication has evolved from broadcast messaging to a core business capability.
Today’s organizations operate in constant change — and communication is the connective tissue that drives alignment, engagement and performance.
This book brings structure to a discipline that has matured rapidly.
It combines real-world leadership experience, research and best-in-class case studies to show how communication can move beyond activity and become a measurable driver of results.
Clarity is no longer optional. Communication is how organizations execute.
Who This Book Is For
Designed for leaders, practitioners and those looking to grow in the field of employee communication
For Communication Leaders
Executives and leaders who want to use communication as a driver of performance — not just messaging.
If you’re responsible for aligning teams, leading change or improving business outcomes, this book gives you a clear framework for making communication deliver results.
Communications Professionals
Professionals working in employee communication, engagement and change who want to go deeper.
If you’re looking to move beyond tactics and become more strategic, this book shows how to connect communication to measurable impact inside your organization.
Students
Aspiring communication professionals preparing to enter the workforce.
If you want a practical understanding of how communication drives performance in modern organizations, this book gives you a foundation grounded in real-world application.
Educators
Professors and instructors teaching internal communication, engagement and organizational strategy.
This book provides real-world case studies, frameworks and tools to help you teach the discipline as it actually operates inside organizations today.
Includes ready-to-use teaching aids:
* PowerPoint decks for each chapter
* Discussion questions and assignments
* Downloadable PDFs for classroom use
Chapter 1 Sample PowerPoint Deck
Downloadable PDFs for classroom use Purchase the book to receive teaching aids for every chapter.
Everything you need to teach this course — ready to go
This isn’t just a book. It’s a complete teaching system designed to save you time.
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Ready-to-use PowerPoint slides for every chapter
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Built-in discussion questions and assignments
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Downloadable PDFs for immediate classroom use
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Real-world case studies students actually understand
Ready-to-use materials included for every chapter.
Authors
Mark Dolllins
Mark Dollins is president of North Star Communications Consulting and a former Fortune 100 communications leader with more than 30 years of experience.
He led executive and global employee communications at DuPont, supporting 35,000 employees and guiding communication during the company’s $130B merger with Dow.
Earlier in his career, he held senior communications roles at PepsiCo, including Chief Communications Officer for major business units and global internal communications leadership.
His work has earned multiple IABC Gold Quill and PRSA Silver Anvil awards.
Jon Stemmle
Jon Stemmle is chair and professor of strategic communication at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a leading researcher in communication strategy and storytelling.
His work focuses on how communication drives behavior, engagement and outcomes, with research published in leading academic journals and presented to organizations including the CDC and National Cancer Institute.
He brings a rigorous, research-based perspective to modern communication strategy.
Book Mark and Jon for Speaking
Keynotes, workshops and executive sessions for leadership teams and communicators
What You'll Learn
• How to make employee communication truly strategic — not just tactical
• How to measure communication impact across awareness, behavior and performance
• How to support enterprise change using proven communication models
• How to align executive communication with business outcomes
• How to segment internal audiences to drive real engagement
• How technology and AI are reshaping communication inside organizations
• How to evaluate and measure communication impact
What's Inside the Book
A practical framework you can apply immediately inside your organization.
• Real-world case studies from Fortune 100 organizations
• Frameworks to measure communication impact and prove value
• Practical tools for leading change and executive communication
EXAMPLES FROM THE BOOK
Built for application, not just reading.
Features case studies, best practices and insights from organizations ranging from local and regional teams to global Fortune 100 companies.
What Communication Leaders Are Saying
“Connecting with any audience demands discipline, strategy and preparation. Dollins' and Stemmle’s 2nd edition of Engaging Employees through Strategic Communication has lessons and insights relevant for every communicator and business professional. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants engaged employees, teams and leaders.”
— Leigh Diffey, NBC Sports Commentator, Play-by-Play―NASCAR Cup Series, Motorsports and Olympics
“This book is a masterclass in the art and science of employee communication. With clarity and depth, it guides readers from foundational concepts and strategic planning to measurement, ethics and the evolving role of technology, especially AI, in shaping workplace dialogue. Dollins and Stemmle weave together real-world insights and practical advice for today’s complex organizational landscapes. Whether you’re learning the basics, advising the C-suite, looking to expand your skills or navigating a crisis, this resource delivers both the vision and the playbook to succeed.”
— Gina Anderson, Fortune 100 financial services executive
“Having well-informed, engaged and loyal employees is the secret sauce for any size organization to build a strong culture and achieve desired results. Mark Dollins and Jon Stemmle have provided a blueprint to create and enhance successful organizations with Engaging Employees through Strategic Communication. This new edition demonstrates how internal communications can be used strategically to reach employees across various channels, particularly as technology evolves rapidly and changes the way organizations function. Now more than ever, communications students and professionals need this type of resource to better understand how to drive clear and transparent storytelling and create compelling events to keep employees informed, aligned with organizational goals and motivated to perform at their best every day.”
Bill Etling, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs (North America), Nestlé Purina PetCare Co.
“At a time when employee engagement is at a 10-year low, Mark Dollins and Jon Stemmle have created a very timely and important guide to the art and science of bridging strategy, story and culture to drive performance and success. Engaging Employees through Strategic Communication should be on every communicator's desk.”
Steve Soltis, UVA Darden School of Business and Co-Founder of Arvo Advisory; Former Head of Executive and Employee Communication at The Coca-Cola Company
The role of communication has changed. Expectations are higher.
This book shows how to meet them and lead communication as a driver of performance.
Start leading communication as a driver of performance today. Start leading communication as a driver of performance.
Trusted by communication leaders across Fortune 100 organizations.