Change is difficult to communicate well and puts us all in the same boat whether or not we all want to be. But are we all rowing in the same direction, and how do we put all our effort into navigating the rough seas ahead?
Implementing large-scale transformation can be deeply challenging for organisations to get right, as it can introduce a lot of uncertainty for staff, customers, and how teams operate. Effective, timely communication is critical for successfully removing the unknown and facilitating the positive impacts of transformative change.
But the challenges of effectively communicating change remain numerous, especially in geographically dispersed organisations, where a one-size-fits-all communication strategy is often insufficient to bring a multi-faceted workforce on the change journey.
To ensure transformation initiatives have the best chance of successful implementation, change communication must be effective, timely, dynamic, and tailored to specific audiences, with leaders needing to take a prominent role on the path of change.
Getting the messaging basics right
Successful transformation – whether it’s the big end or small end of town – is contingent on engaging teams as the change journey unfolds, informing stakeholders about the benefits and impacts that it will deliver.
An effective, impactful communication strategy is a valuable mechanism for ensuring that change can be understood well at the different layers of a business, bringing along those who may be concerned about what it means for them as well as those who are advocating for change.
It can be a balancing act to deliver the right message to the right people at the right time, especially in larger organisations where it’s simply not practical to tailor communication to individuals and teams.
When the change is led from the front and those tasked with delivering change are clear about both what the aims of the transformation are and how change may be delivered, it is possible to deliver a more cohesive narrative to the business.
The messaging needs to answer important foundational questions likely to emanate from those impacted: why do we need this change? Why do we need this change now? What is the full extent of the planned change? What should improve as a result?
Leaders who can provide clear and articulate answers to these questions are in a better position to consider how best to communicate the strategy across the organisation.
The communication plans
At this point, leaders can be confident in formulating a communication plan for the large-scale transformation that can embed the high-level aims and ambitions of the project. That’s because they have already demonstrated a clear vision that they share with the organisation and have painted a detailed picture of it that teams can envision.
A good communication plan comprises several important activities, such as identifying audiences and setting objectives, the development for each audience identified of consistent, credible, compelling, and clear messages, as well as formalising communication channels, timing, and responsibilities of those tasked with implementing change and determining key stakeholder involvement.
When this is done will depend on the size of the change, with larger transformation efforts requiring a dedicated change communication team. For smaller teams and organisations, communication about more limited change initiatives can often be undertaken by an internal project director or manager.
Keeping it personal
Where it’s practical and possible, communicating change in person can insulate the organisation from mistrust and division, as it enables leaders to share information directly and at a cadence that befits the scale or dimensions of change. It can also avert miscommunication or misinterpretation.
Trust is forged by the quality of the relationships between leadership and people across the business. While it’s true that people buy from people and in-person communication, more often than not, trumps virtual engagement, leaders need to understand that it’s the quality of the engagement that can make a significant impact on how change initiatives are understood.
Pushing the message down from the top can be fraught with risk. Building relationships and establishing trust with teams is contingent on the ability not just to share the vision and goals but to reiterate how transformation may impact their teams and explain what’s in it for them.
Without a doubt, meeting people face-to-face with positive and confident communication at the coal face does a lot to demonstrate the sincerity of leadership as well as putting the interest of the organisation at the core of the project.
Right audience, right message
However, keeping a personal touch has its limits, especially in the context of multinational organisations. In big organisations, staff may differ in terms of their personal backgrounds as well as their understanding of the nature of the change being sought.
Here, it is about really understanding the audience the communication is being targeted at and being familiar with the emotional, practical, and contextual levers you can connect with to make the story relevant and relatable, and also to get emotional buy-in on the change.
In terms of getting the right message to the right audience, make use of stories. Deploying stories can be powerfully framed around target audiences and their specific challenges.
Once the basis for trust has been established across the organisation, and everyone understands their role in the change journey, there’s a better chance for success, with a unified team headed towards a common goal.
To find out more about how Quay Consulting can help your team communicate change effectively within your organisation, please contact us.
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