How Merck uses message maps to strengthen leadership videos

Employees decide in seconds whether watching a video with their leaders is worth their time. After they hit play, they’ll want to quickly hear how the message affects them and if any part of it helps them understand the larger business more.

Craig Thomason, director of global employee and executive communications at Merck, thinks that communicators can improve those odds by giving leaders a clear path through the message while also giving them the freedom to sound like themselves. His preferred tool is a message map that gives the speaker direction without dictating every word.

Ragan: What makes a short-form leadership video feel like thought leadership rather than just another executive update?

Thomason: Capturing a leader who not only has deep expertise that is informative, but whose communication style is so compelling that they inspire action on the part of the audience. The best thought leaders don’t just share information; they help people see things differently. Somehow, they make the message the focus, not themselves. They remind me of Dale Carnegie’s quote: “A good window does not call attention to itself. It merely lets in the light. A good speaker is like that.

Ragan: How do you choose which topics are worth putting a senior leader on camera for?

Thomason: In a way, we don’t choose the topics; the needs of the business do, and we find a leader who can speak to those needs. People are constantly inundated with messages and are always asking, in one form or another, “What does this have to do with me or the business?” By choosing an articulate leader to address a meaningful business need, we better serve the audience. And when people see the relevance, they are far more likely not just to listen, but to act.

What helps leaders sound natural and credible in a short video without making the message feel over-rehearsed?

Thomason: I don’t believe in scripts when it comes to thought leadership videos, but I do believe in maps. Maps show travelers where they are and where they need to go; outlines do the same for speakers. By sharing the thought journey in advance, leaders can speak authentically while still arriving at a concise and compelling destination. The result is a message that feels natural, yet purposeful.

How can employee voices or subject matter experts make executive videos more useful and relatable?

Thomason: It’s important that the talent you use truly speaks the language of the audience. That means understanding the problems people face and the goals they aspire to achieve. In other words, it should sound as if it were written by a trusted colleague, not a communications professional. That’s why audience analysis is so critical. People are far more likely to engage with a message when they feel it understands them first.

Which metrics tell you that a video actually improved employee understanding or trust, beyond simply earning views?

Thomason: I don’t know if there is a single metric that truly reflects employee trust or understanding short of asking employees directly. However, comments are often a tell-tale sign of how a message has landed with an audience. The most meaningful indicators are often the qualitative ones: whether employees are discussing the ideas, asking informed questions, or sharing how the message connects to their work. Those signals suggest the video generated more than attention; it generated understanding.

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Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.