Three types of change

Most people in communications realise that they are in the change business. The bulk of communications aim to make something different in some way. But, when we get frustrated that people don't do what we have told them to do and promised boosts in performance or fortunes don't emerge, it could be because there is confusion about the sort of change that is needed.

And there is a role for communicators to clarify what our stakeholders really want help with.

When I run courses on change communications, I ask attendees to tell me about the types of change which they are working on. Often, it seems that they have been asked simply to manage announcements; making sure that people have heard that the boss wants to do something.

Sending out stuff is enough; no one expects anything to actually happen as a result.

And I always feel that it’s a shame, as communicators could be involved in delivering far greater value than just crafting and circulating collateral. Our deep understanding of audiences puts us in a powerful position to help formulate strategy and not just shout about it.

The issue stems, I believe, from a lack of clarity among our colleagues and within the profession, about the nature of change. By asking people to think about change in three different ways, I have found that we can have much better conversations with our stakeholders, clients and job candidates.

Other people may have different terms, but in my mind, there are three, overlapping types: Change, Transition and Transformation. Sometimes they happen independently, but often shifts and movements, involve all three at different times and for different audiences.

Each offers a different role to the communicators and calls on different skills.

Change

I think it is useful to think of things changing and we don’t have a choice about it. We just come in to the office one day and something is different.

It might be something trivial, like the canteen menu has changed or something big, like the roll-out of new IT equipment or shuffling office space around. These are things that happen to colleagues and stakeholders and they largely just have to adapt and get on with things.

Typically, communication helps by making sure people know what they need to know – what’s happening, when is it happening and how to prepare. For example, the office move might involve warning people that removal crates will turn up on a certain day and who will be on hand the day after the move to check the IT is all working.

The job is mostly about announcing and explaining.

Transition

Whilst things change, people transition.

I use the word to describe the things which are discretionary and need at least the compliance of a particular audience, if not their wholehearted support.

And oftentimes, this discretionary shift is the key to ensuring that the changed things deliver their intended results.

For example, an office move might be intended to increase collaboration between teams or improve employee engagement. Just dumping people (and their boxes) in a different building or on a different floor won’t, on its own, deliver better interaction. The new canteen menu might just be part of a package to improve employee well-being and lifestyle choices; we'll still need people to choose healthier food and stick with it.

In order to deliver transition, we have to think about what drives desired behaviours and work on that. And some of those drivers are not just communication-led; this is where we start getting into the realm of HR policies, leadership and employee experience.

Communications therefore begins by asking questions about the real intent of the change and what behaviours are needed to deliver the outcomes which are expected.

Transformation

In my mind, things change, people transition and organisations transform.

Often change and transition are about discrete projects or programmes. There may be a specific behaviour we want to promote.

But organisations do undergo complete remodelling and the role of the communicator is increasingly about being part of the senior team (building on their role as a skilled technical advisor).

I’m thinking about when all, or a large part of an organisation, has to undergo some sort of tectonic shift. It might be adopting a wholly new business model, or a recasting of core values and purpose, or addressing an existential threat to the future of the organisation.

This is when new processes are introduced, new ways of thinking promoted, core purpose reviewed and major restructurings take place. And this is where outcomes are less clearly defined and likely to flex and evolve.

From the communicator’s point of view, it’s also the realm where the most nonsense is talked about change and people’s reactions. This is when the change curve gets dragged out like some sort of alchemic touchstone or people sit around in groups mumbling half understood platitudes partially stolen from psychotherapy.

The value of the communicator lies in a deep understanding of the audiences and their motivations, aligned with the instinct to keep things simple and to engage and involve people in conversations. It’s a value that is best delivered as part of the core team that is shaping the change where insight and challenge can be baked into the early stage of every twist and turn of the evolving transformation.

The terms and definitions that people use to describe this process vary. However, my core point is that there are at least three different things which are mentioned when people talk about change. When a communicator challenges stakeholders and clients to be clear about what they are considering, it is incredibly useful.?Often, our colleagues don’t really know themselves what sort of shift they are hoping to unleash, bringing a perspective based on how audiences think and react is vital.

If you found this article interesting you can join me on a webinar on Change Communications which I run for the PRCA.

With Sue Dewhurst I wrote Successful Employee Communications (published by Kogan Page Publishing ). It includes multiple cases studies and examples looking at how organisations around the world and in different sectors manage their internal communications processes.

I'd love to hear how change and transformation are communicated in your organisation.