Communicating change is critical to its success! The role of effective communication in successful change cannot be overstated. Harvard professor John Kotter believes that once you feel you are overcommunicating the reason for change by a factor of ten, you are beginning to get the message across. Communication experts agree that repetition of the same message is critical. However, there are right and wrong ways to go about communicating change. This is the first in a series of three articles that will set you on the right path.
The Key Message
Why did someone choose to embark on this change? What is it supposed to achieve? Can you describe this well in 30 seconds or less?
Before giving in to easy, cynical responses, imagine for a moment that someone, somewhere really thought that this was a good idea. You may or may not agree with them, but try to identify their specific intentions. The more clearly you understand these intentions, the better you will be placed to help your staff make a successful transition. Ask around, approach your boss and read up on any background material that you can.
Once you understand the intentions of the change, you need to dovetail these with your own vision of a preferred future. You know that for better or worse, certain changes are going to happen. However, the effect of these changes is largely within your control. What are some plausible scenarios that could happen, and which ones do you really want to (and which ones can you) avoid? How can you use this situation as an opportunity to bring about some worthwhile changes? If you are totally against the change, how can you make the best of a bad situation?
Once you have a clearer picture about both 1) the original intention of the change and 2) the future that you would personally like to see, you are ready to work with your colleagues to craft the key message that you want to communicate to staff. If your communication strategy is to succeed, it is imperative that all senior leaders are on the same the page. What is the 30-second core message you all agree on?
Next week we will look at how to frame this core message to suit your audience, and finally, which communication channels are the most effective for getting people on board.
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..The 30 second core message is often referred to as an ‘Elevator Speech’… most importantly it requires consistency and congruency. There are also several key elements within the ‘Elevator speech’ or core message…ie. the vision, the reason for the change, etc etc.
GFT