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.

22/07/2026

In this episode with Petra Zink on Less Chatter, More Matter, we unpack one of the biggest challenges facing leaders today: trust.

With AI-generated content, misinformation and growing scepticism everywhere, how do you build credibility when credibility alone is no longer enough?

Petra shares why trust is becoming one of the most valuable assets you can build, how AI is changing the way we’re judged at work, and what practical steps leaders, communicators and organisations can take to strengthen trust over time.

Find out why trust is the most important asset you can have: https://www.heymelcomms.training/180 🎧
[Video imagery description: Mel and Petra in front of their microphones talking to the camera.]

Expertise used to build credibility… nowadays, AI can help almost anyone create polished content, write impressive resum...
21/07/2026

Expertise used to build credibility… nowadays, AI can help almost anyone create polished content, write impressive resumes and sound like an expert.

Now, while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it does raise an important question... if everyone can look credible, what actually makes people believe in you? Trust.

For communicators, this couldn't be more important.

Every conversation, every piece of communication and every leadership interaction either builds trust or chips away at it. By the time your organisation is navigating change, people have often already decided whether they trust the people leading it.

In our latest blog, we explore why trust is becoming the one thing AI can't replicate, and why it may be the biggest competitive advantage leaders have: 👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/trust-over-expertise
[Image description: A darkened image of people chatting over pieces of paper. In front of this is a dialogue box with the words "Why trust matters more than expertise in the workplace now" in white text. The white Cuttlefish logo is in the centre bottom.]

If you've been meaning to catch up on the latest communication trends but haven't had the time, we've done the hard work...
20/07/2026

If you've been meaning to catch up on the latest communication trends but haven't had the time, we've done the hard work for you.

The newest edition of the Less Chatter, More Matter newsletter brings together everything we've been talking about over the past two weeks, from the impact AI is having on our profession and what our latest AI survey revealed, through to practical ways to improve your town halls and boost your visibility on LinkedIn.

It's full of useful resources and fresh ideas that you can put into practice straight away. So get reading, folks 👉: https://mailchi.mp/heymelcomms/20-7-26

So sign up for more free stuff here: https://training.us6.list-manage.com/profile?u=a4e0f5f80596568d857875e0d&id=89b2354fad&e=%5BUNIQID%5D&c=742f306292.
[Image description: A picture of a white billboard, with a blue sky background behind it, with the black title: "Our latest newsletter is here" with the black Cuttlefish logo at the bottom right.]

So… where do we draw the line on AI use? It’s a question I asked recently and 124 people from 15 countries shared their ...
19/07/2026

So… where do we draw the line on AI use? It’s a question I asked recently and 124 people from 15 countries shared their thoughts.

We looked at 30 different AI use cases (predominantly related to communication), and the pattern that emerged was sharper than I expected.

People are genuinely comfortable with AI for research and first drafts, like researching a trip, pulling together a report, drafting a presentation. No demographic, industry, or age group in our sample pushed back on this.

But comfort collapses the moment AI is asked to stand in for a person or a personal task. AI-facilitated job interviews scored lowest of all 30 uses (1.52 out of 4).
Performance reviews, complaints about a colleague, and whistleblower processes were all near the bottom.

The line isn't "AI vs. no AI." It's "AI helping me" vs. "AI replacing a human in a moment that requires judgement or trust."

One comment summed it up nicely: "My responses assume no human oversight. If there was, my answers would mostly flip from uncomfortable to comfortable."

That's the real finding … people aren't rejecting AI, but they're asking to see the human still in the loop.

The full survey results will be available shortly. Make sure you’re on our mailing list to be the first to know: https://cuttlefish.group/email

[Image description: Blue tile with black headline text that reads: The truth about our comfort levels with AI ... below in a box with a cross at the top, there are the words: 'AI' versus 'No AI'. In a box next to that with a tick at the top, there are the words: 'AI helping me' versus 'AI replacing a human in a moment that requires judgement or trust'.]

15/07/2026

This week on the poddy, we’re joined by AI strategist, futurist and storyteller Bosco Anthony for a fascinating conversation about where AI is really heading, why prompt engineering is only the beginning, and what communicators need to do now to stay ahead.

We chat about agentic AI, the skills that will become even more valuable in the future, why curiosity beats fear every time, and how AI is creating opportunities, not just efficiencies.

Get some top tier tips, right here: https://www.heymelcomms.training/179 🎧
[Video imagery description: Mel and Bosco in front of their microphones talking to the camera.]

What if AI wasn't something to fear? What if it was simply another tool that helps us spend less time on repetitive admi...
14/07/2026

What if AI wasn't something to fear? What if it was simply another tool that helps us spend less time on repetitive admin and more time on strategy, creativity and connecting with people?

That's exactly what our latest blog explores.

We've shared six practical ways communicators can start using AI to complement their work, while keeping the human skills that technology simply can't replicate.

So where do you start? Find out here: 👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/use-ai-tech
[Image description: A textured gold background with a photo of Mel typing on a laptop with people in the background. Above the photo is the title in black: "How to use AI and technology to complement your communications work" and underneath it is the black Cuttlefish logo.]

Is your content showing up when people use LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini?The reality is that more and more...
12/07/2026

Is your content showing up when people use LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini?

The reality is that more and more people are using LLMs as a search tool, rather than your 'traditional' search engines like Google.

Unlike traditional searches, you can't pay (yet) for your site to appear at the top of the results, and you can't be assured that people looking for the services and products you offer will be able to find you.

Which means your brand won't show up unless you work hard for it.

So we're now in a new era of GEO - generative engine optimisation - which means we have to develop our content with a mindset of 'AI as an audience'. And like any audience, you need to tailor your content to meet their needs.

How do we do that?

1. Start with the answer to the question people are asking. Ensure that you're thinking about the questions people are likely to ask these LLMs, then craft concise, specific statements the LLMs can easily 'lift and shift' into the output it creates.

2. Use the built-in heading styles in your digital content, and also make sure those headings are really specific. High-level, vague headlines no longer do the trick. It's even better if you can include a stat in the heading, or a question that makes it easy for the LLM to identify the answer you offer.

3. Cite sources, not just facts. LLMs are looking for passages that not only have statistics, but clearly state the sources as well.

4. Demonstrate your expertise with case studies (your own or examples). It loves a story!

5. Keep it fresh with new content regularly. LLMs typically disregard any content that's more than a few years old ... and rightly so, the internet has been around a long time so there's a lot of old stuff out there!

I spoke about these tips in much more detail on my recent podcast, and we did a summary blog on the website if you're more of a reader than a listener.

[Image description: Yellow tile with black headline text that reads: How to write for AI (LLMs). Below is a list summarising the key points mentioned in the post.]

08/07/2026

We've all sat through a town hall wondering if we really needed to be there.

The thing is, the problem is how we use town halls, not simply that they exist.

In this week's episode of the Less Chatter, More Matter podcast, we’re sharing seven simple ways to make your town halls more engaging, more interactive and, most importantly, more worthwhile for everyone involved.

Have you ever been to a town hall that actually worked really well? I'd love to hear what made the difference.

Either way, listen in here for more tips: https://www.heymelcomms.training/178 🎧
[Video imagery description: Mel in front of her microphone talking to the camera.]

Town halls have become the default answer to almost every communication challenge.New strategy? Town hall. Leadership up...
07/07/2026

Town halls have become the default answer to almost every communication challenge.

New strategy? Town hall. Leadership update? Town hall. Big change? Town hall.
But are they actually working?

No, attendance doesn’t equate to success. Why is it that we assume if people logged in or turned up, the messaging has landed? People can attend without engaging, listen without understanding and leave with more questions than answers.

So how do we make it that your town hall doesn’t suck… and actually gets across what you’re trying to convey? Find out here: 👉 https://heymelcomms.training/blog/townhalls
[Image description: Half of the background is an image of a room of seated people facing a stage. The bottom half of the background is a light green background with the black title: "Why your town halls aren't effective" in the centre. Underneath is a black Cuttlefish logo.]

The type and impact of the change you're dealing with can be a useful way to think about how to communicate the 'why'.I ...
06/07/2026

The type and impact of the change you're dealing with can be a useful way to think about how to communicate the 'why'.

I recently presented this new idea at the Rethink Change conference in Sydney. While there's a lot more to creating compelling messaging and a case for why (flick through some of my previous posts in the last few weeks for more), this model can help us get a start on that messaging.

Of course, a change might cross across a few of these squares at once, or even move as the project progresses. That's okay! But being clear and transparent on the why is the first step in creating messaging that matters.

What do you think of this model? How could it be applied, or even altered? Keen for your thoughts!

[Image description: A white tile with black headline text that reads: Quick Guide: Making your 'case for why' in change communication. Below is a two-by-two matrix with the vertical access labelled 'Impact of Change', going form minor to major; and the horizontal axis labelled 'Type of Change' going from reactive to proactive. The bottom left square is titled 'compliance'; the bottom right is titled 'opportunistic'; the top left is titled 'crisis / burning platform'; and the top right is titled 'transformation'. In each square are examples of the type of change and messaging.]

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