Each month, IABC Ottawa does a Q&A with one of the members of our chapter to learn about their career and experiences. In October we spoke with Andrea Greenhous about her Communications Agency, Vision2Voice that she started 25 years ago.
Your Title: Andrea Greenhous, Founder & President of Vision2Voice
1. You started Vision2Voice 25 years ago as a new mom. Looking back, what have been some of the defining moments in that journey, personally or professionally, and what have they taught you?
That baby is now 26, working full time, and has just completed a master's degree!
As I look back, a few defining moments stand out (and I am sure I am forgetting some!).
One was discovering Professor Amy Edmondson’s work and the concept of psychological safety. I applied for a special program and was one of 20 selected from 800 applicants. I’ve loved incorporating psychological safety into my listening strategies with clients, and I think it is what sets our work apart. The lesson there is that it’s important to look outside of our profession for inspiration and ideas.
Becoming an IABC Fellow was huge. I think I might be the only Fellow from Ottawa, and I am proud of that. I think my bad habit of always striving for more and never being content with myself may have contributed to the achievements that led to this recognition.
This past summer, there were two big career milestones: writing a series of articles in the Globe and Mail and launching a course at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business in their executive education program. Both achievements focused on boosting our profession's profile and helping senior leaders understand how strategic communication fuels people and results. It’s a personal mission of mine to shift leaders’ thinking and pave an easier path for those who come next.
This isn’t just a moment; I am most proud of my team and their work. In 2017, when I dreamed of evolving from a one-person consultant into an agency, I envisioned finding great talent, sharing what I know, and helping them grow. On tough days (and I have those), I remind myself to be grateful that this vision is a reality.
2. You often talk about putting people at the heart of communication. What does that actually look like inside an organization, particularly when people are navigating significant change?
Yes! I’ve said that we are in the people business because the work we do touches people – it moves them, it inspires them, it gets them thinking, and most of all, it creates connection.
Creating people-first communication is about being a student of the human condition and understanding our differences and our similarities. It means understanding brain science, the science of motivation and the science of relationships.
When it comes to change, I think we tell ourselves a story that change is hard and no one likes it. But the reality is that humans have survived ice ages, migrations, technological revolutions and pandemics. Adaptation is our superpower. The problem is simply that organizations fail to support people through change because they don’t take the time to understand how to support their people through it. Our change communications approach and the strategies we develop for clients succeed because we take a human-centred approach that’s far more effective and builds trust over time through positive transformation experiences.
3. Can you share a moment when you saw communication materially change the outcome of an organizational challenge or transformation? What made the difference?
I’d like to think we make a huge impact on every project 😊 and certainly many leaders come to us after they’ve tried on their own and failed. The truth is, sometimes we just provide extra support, and on the odd project we haven’t had much commitment from the client, so it hasn’t had the impact we’d like.
One highlight was a major project where I led communications for an SAP transformation. The work went beyond supporting the change and helped solve some long-standing financial/accounting issues. I developed a strategy that included creating resources, which made a lasting difference by drastically improving workflows and client service. I’d walk down the hall at the client site, and people would hug and clap! Best of all, senior leadership acknowledged the team, and we won multiple awards for the transformation project.
Another big one was our first Staffbase project where we helped MDA Space through the entire process of selecting a modern intranet platform. We helped with everything from strategy, design, build and launch. It was hugely successful, and we won a global customer success award for our work.
4. As IABC Ottawa celebrates five decades, we’re thinking a lot about the Power of the Profession. From everything you’ve seen over your career, where does the real power of communications lie, and what role should communicators be playing when important organizational decisions are being made?
I’ve always believed the real power comes from strategy. Yet too often, communications professionals end up as ad hoc order takers developing plans instead of strategies (there’s a big difference). I think we need to demonstrate leadership and show up with strategies that solve the very real, very big challenges organizations face today. I also think we need to tell our story. I think we stay quiet about our work instead of advocating for ourselves and the important work we do.
5. You’ve spent much of your career working at the intersection of communication, culture and organizational change. What is one lesson about people and change that you think every communicator should understand?
I could write an entire book on communication and change, but for now I am still learning. I think the lesson is this: communication plays a bigger role in change than most people recognize. It goes well beyond awareness and explaining why people need to change; it's about supporting people through the change, listening, giving people agency, and building knowledge and capability.
6. Finally, for someone reading this who wants to keep learning, what is one resource you genuinely recommend? It could be a book, podcast, newsletter, person to follow, tool or even a practice you use yourself. Why would you recommend it?
My go-to resource is Harvard Business Review. For under $300 a year, I get the magazine, which arrives in my mailbox every other month, plus articles and podcasts. Beyond helping me understand how to help executives tackle their toughest challenges, it broadens my thinking and keeps me on top of the latest research. A lot of what I read on those pages inspires the articles that I write as I think about the role of strategic internal communications in solving those challenges.
