How do you develop and implement a change communication strategy to support organizational transformation?

It is important to do a situational analysis -- be sure to get executive input as well. That is key. The executives need to be the ones talking about what is going on, so they will need to buy into your plan from the get-go. Without strong executive management support, you should question the initiative.

I agree entirely that situational analysis is crucial to enable an effective change communication strategy. In my experience it is vital to involve a cross-section of input from all areas and levels of the business, not only to develop a more rounded and real perspective, but to empower people to get behind the change.

A situational analysis is critical, but make sure that this doesn't remain a theoretical exercise that takes place at your desk. Get out there, talk to people, understand what is on their mind, and reflect that in your work. We communicate in the real world, and so our analysis must live in the real world too.

SMART objectives are the key to successful change communications and change management overall. If you don't have a clearly articulated vision of what success looks like, then your chances of hitting the mark are slim to none. There are two pieces here: 1. You must have a leader at the head of the change who will work with you to articulate the project objectives and how you will measure progress. 2. You — and the project leaders — must stay committed to measurement, even and especially when the numbers aren’t showing the results you hope for. If you’ve chosen to measure the right things, you now have actionable insights that will help you steer towards success.

It's important to remember that there may be--and often are--different messages for different audiences (stakeholders in this article). Leaders and managers have a role to play in ensuring change takes root, so there will be specific messages and communication needs for them.

#Communications101 in the words of Marshall McLuhan: “The medium is the message”. It’s vital to consider how the channel chosen for delivery may impact how the key messages are perceived by your stakeholders and vice versa. In my experience, McLuhan’s statement continues to stand the test of time. The challenge isn’t simply to master tailoring the message to the audience, it’s also imperative to align it to the most appropriate channel that compliments frequency, timing, format, and tone for your overall objective.

The choices we make when it comes to communication channels and tools are of the utmost importance. Marshall McLuhan, the brilliant Canadian theorist, famously stated, "#TheMediumIsTheMessage," and I couldn't agree more. The dual challenge lies in crafting a message that resonates and selecting a channel that aligns with the overall objectives. These two factors play a significant role in shaping the impact of your communication and influencing how your target audience perceives or ultimately connects with the corporate message.

Don't forget to keep empathy for your audience - it's easy to start to assume "everyone should know" or "everyone is ready" because you and your team have been close to the change for much longer.

Don't forget it's also important to evaluate your audience. This will affect how you share the message, as well as the channels you use.

There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen. Change is happening faster than ever and it is only going to accelerate with AI, the 4th industrial revolution. Your audiences need to help define and create the change, don't foist it on them. And you need people who can change. I changed how people perceived New Yorkers (mostly friendly now, right?). I helped the DoD get adoption for change policies with the services. I handled a staff revolt by having the team define their ideal work life and then create the processes to achieve it. I changed from being a terrible boss, to being a great one. Hope that helps!