Creating Brilliant Champion Networks

90-Minute Virtual Course

‘Champions’ networks are becoming ever more important as they can support the delivery of key programmes on behalf of often resource-constrained central teams. This course will enable you to feel confident about creating, inspiring and managing a champions network, using practical examples to help you understand how and when to use such groups.

What to expect         

• Clear understanding of why champions networks are important and how they can help deliver key organisational-wide programs locally.
• An understanding of the ‘Truer’ model to help build, maintain and develop Champions Networks in a way that delivers benefits to the individual champions and also to the organisation.
• Learn what is needed to set up, recruit and get a Champions Network off the ground.
• Understand strategies for maintaining and renewing a Champions Network.
• Plan for how to build on the initial successes to build a Champions Network that sustains for the long term.

Who should attend 

Professionals working in strategic communication, corporate communication, internal communication, external communication, corporate affairs, employee experience, human resources change management, public relations or other roles that might involve setting up or managing a Champions Network.

Career Level

Generalist / Specialist, Strategic Advisor, Business Leader

Course outline

Topic One: Defining a ‘Champions Network’

• What are champions networks, why might you need to use them?
• Considering local and national differences – understanding ‘one size doesn’t fit all’
• What is the role of central team when it comes to delivering central programmes or communication that need to work effectively in a local environment?

Topic Two: Case study, JM PionAirs

• What do we learn from this case study?
• What worked and what didn’t work so well?

Topic Three: The Truer Model

• Introduce and go through each stage of the Truer model:
  • Take off – define / get buy-in / advertise.
  • Roll-out – recruit / onboard / publicise.
  • Uphold – motivate / listen / recognise.
  • Energise – being a part of your extended team / celebrating their contributions.
  • Renew – bringing in new champions / maintaining momentum / developing long time skills.

Topic Four: Building the plan.

• What will you get started?
• How will you know it is working?

About the trainer
Howard Krais co-founded True in early 2023, a business that helps organisations build winning cultures by maximising the potential of their people. Before True, Howard spent much of his career in senior in-house communications and engagement roles at businesses such as Ernst & Young, GSK and latterly Johnson Matthey. Over the past five and a half years, together with colleague Mike Pounsford and Kevin Ruck, Howard has led work focused on how organisations listen. Following four ground-breaking reports, a book, entitled “Leading the Listening Organisation” was published by Routledge in December 2023. Howard was President of the UK chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for two years (2019-21), and Chairman of Wealdstone Football Club (2007-16).