Interview with James Bishop - Internal Comms Lead for McLaren Racing

Internal Communications is widely considered as part of the business operations side of sport compared to the competitive side. As the lead of internal communications, James Bishop manages communication with employees throughout the organisation’s departments. His role is so significant because he must ensure that employees are receiving clear, timely information, and keeping them informed, engaged and connected with the organisation’s goals and culture. In the world of Formula One, this is essential in such a fast-paced environment where performance is everything.

James Bishop at the McLaren Technology Centre where I interviewed him

His Career Pathway

Prior to working for McLaren, Bishop worked in internal communications for Three UK, and as a children’s Tv writer for Tv shows such as, Diddy Tv for CBBC and Justin’s house and Gigglebiz for children’s channel CBeebies. In 2018, he became an author and published his first book in his children’s series Iguana Boy.

Bishop’s varied background demonstrates that careers in sport aren’t always straight forward. Skills such as creativity, storytelling and communication developed in the media industry can be transferred successfully into elite sports.

Media For McLaren

As we were chatting, James shared that, "Media plays a significant role in McLaren’s racing success, particularly during high profile events such as the team’s and driver’s home races, Melbourne and Silverstone". To support the team’s growth and fan engagement during race weekends and annual breaks, such as the Formula One summer shutdown, James' team post promotional videos from the drivers and the team principal Andrea Stella.

The Importance of Internal Communications

Throughout McLaren's different departments, they all share the same objective: helping the team maximise performance both on and off the track. James' role is central to achieving this but he says "the pace of everything is relentless". His ability to do this allows him to reduce confusion, improve collaboration and allows employees to concentrate on delivering their best work. He helps to meet deadlines, co-ordinate projects and maintain focus during an incredibly demanding racing season.

The challenges of the role

It's not all easy however, due to the intense nature of the sport, "no day is the same and is always different" Bishop shared when he was opening up about his day to day in the role and the challenges that come with it. "The pressure can also be overwhelming at times especially when the team's performance isn't meeting expectations. Every member of the organisation, whether they are a driver, engineer, strategist and even those working behind-the-scenes in internal communications, marketing and finance are expected to play their part". Bishop's role in sports media is designed to keep employees informed and motivated contributes to the team's resilience and ultimately supports McLaren's pursuit of success on track.

Advice from James

Spending time with James, it's clear that a career in sports media isn't always straightforward and instead learning and applying your skills is what can help you get the next step in your career.