What are the 5 Key Strategic Considerations When Communicating Change?

Introduction

Ad-hoc vs Planned Communication Activities. There should be a proper change communication plan designed to run parallel to the change program, supporting it and promoting it. There is no way your change program can attain success if you are "shooting-from-your-hip", that is producing and distributing communication as and when you need it throughout the change. 

However at the same time, we must also blend the structured communication plan with ad-hoc communication activities to respond to capiltalise on unplanned momentums, unexpected scenarious and for the purposes of "change interventions". Therefore what we need is a properly planned change communication plan as well as a mindset to continuosly update it, add to it and even change it as and when needed throughout the change plan.  

Information Overdose. In most change projects, the management team or the change project team will normally be tempted to communicate everthing to everyone at the same time at the begining of the change program. This is a normal and understandable tendency. However, in my opinion, this could create an information overdose which can kill the people's curiosity and enthusiasim to change. We need to therefore communicate to change people but without they being bored or overdozed with information. 

Creating Momentum. In addition, the change program's success also depends on, all other aspects being the same, on a sense of momentum. Momentum is the increase in rate of development of the change process. It is the feeling of a sense of speed and urgency which keeps accelerating and brings us forward. It is an excellent ingredient of change but is often difficult to create. However, a well-planned communication plan can greatly help to create and sustain this momentum in diferent ways and during different phases of the change.

Communication - The Great Enable of Change. It is completely possible to spend a considerable amount of money and efforts organising carefully-crafted change communication activities, only to see that it did not quite help you achieve your change results.

While it is true that communication is the Great Enabler of Change, communication's success in change is not about big bang launches or mass communication activities or nice coporate events. Its about organising the right communication activities for the right stakeholders at the right time to give that right tilt for change to happen. Here are five key strategic considerations that helps you to achieve exactly that.

 

#1 Will you start your change communication the "Big Bang" way or the phased way?

Introduction. Let us assume that an organisation wants to improve its efficiency across all of its functions such as sales, marketing, finance, purchasing, production, quality, HR etc. And let us further assume that the change program has three critical parts which has to be run consecutively and that it builts on top of each other progressively.

Big Bang Change Approach. If the organization has sufficient resources to activate change and communication activities across the whole company, for all of its functions, managers and staff, in all locations and all at the same time, it can of course launch a company-wide offensive. This would be an absolutely massive big bang approach as the entire organization will be submitted to all the three parts of the change process at the same time. You can imagine that this exercise has to be extremely well planned, superbly resourced and masterly orchesrated. This is similar to moving a huge mountain at one go. 

Big Bang Communication Examples. Such a big bang change approach will normally be supported by an equally big bang style of communication activities. Here are some examples:

• Company-wide teaser campaign that a major change program is going to take place
• CEO letter or a speech to all staff announcing the change program
• Launch of a new corporate video about the change program
• Organization's offices and plants are decked with change banners, flags, posters etc
• Large staged events about the change with speeches and PowerPoint presentations
• Specially created dedicated websites with loads of bells and whistles 
• New newsletters or brochures on the change program
• Series of large scale workshops or trainings for a wide range of key stakeholders
• Status updates, success stories etc distributed to all staff on all change aspects

 

Phased Communication Approach. But if the organization has limited resources or prefers a step-by-step approach to the change process, it can break up the change program into smaller projects, for example, by change parts or by functions. This is similar to cutting up the mountain into managebable chunks and then moving it one at a time. This strategy has to be supported by an equally matching phased communication plan which is simply a deliberately timed plan of what to communicate, whom to communicate, when to communicate and how to communicate. 

Part-by-part vs Function-by-function. Let us continue the assumption that the change program is made up of three parts. You can take the first part of the change program and run it across the whole organization and ensure that you achieve sustainable success before rolling out parts two and three of the change program. Another way would be to take all the three parts of the change program and execute it into one function first completely before moving to the next function and the next until you cover the entire organisation.

Avoid information overdose. When you bombard the whole organization with information on what's happening with regards to change in one particular department, the wider staff in the organization will not read about it because "it's got nothing to do with them". Well, if their department heads do not point out how efficiency in one function is impacted by the efficiency or the lack of it in another department, general staff will probably not see the reason to read or digest such information or news. In such cases, you would be better off by only updating people about the change program within the community that is going through the change and offer a very high level status update for the rest of the organisation.

Mix of Big Bang and Phased Communication Approach. In very complicated or elaborate change programs, it can also be that there is a seamless back-and-forth flow between a big bang communication approach and a phased communication approach. But this would require significanly more planning and resources and needs to be helmed by experienced change and communication experts. But I can assure you that its worth the final change results.

 

#2 Will you deliver your change communication in corporate communication style or be informal?

The Case Against Corporate Communication. Many communication professionals when asked to support change efforts in a company, often dish-out standard corporate communication activities. Corporate communication style inherently uses "corporate-speak" which often makes this style of communication distant, formal and cold by nature. It is not really a communication style that makes you jump-up and say "Yes! I want to do this! I want to change!". In fact, it could even make a change program boring and unexciting.

The Case For Corporate Communication. However some amount of corporate communication is necessary as an official communication from an organization to its staff for legal, union, compliance etc related purposes. In fact, due to exactly these reasons, many corporate communication departments are often considered to be the loyal mouth-pieces of organizations. Because they release official communication from the company.

Conclusion. In summary, you need some amount of corporate communication in your change communication plan, BUT it cannot be the main style for communicating change. What we need is more warm communication activities that touches people's minds and hearts that motivates them to change. This thinking on what communication activities should be made corporate style and what should be done in a non-corporate way is part of the change communication strategy. 

Examples of Corporate Communication Activities:

• CEO letter on company letterhead with a corporate message talking about vision, mission etc and with a signature sent to all via email
• Company website, newsletter, poster, brochure etc in company colors and logos in "corporate-speak" language
• Corporate events with speeches from CEO or management talking about vision, mission, strategy, goals etc using PowerPoint slides

Examples of Non-Corporate Communication Activities:

• User generated and distributed content. This is similar to user activities in social media such as Youtube, Twitter, Instagram etc. People creating their own content and sharing openly and freely with others. The communication is coming from the ground and is unfiltered.
• Non-centralised informal team activities, discussions, trips, meetings, events in unusual locations, unplanned and unrehearsed, creating a sense of authencity.
• Unscripted CEO speechs, unplanned CEO walk arounds, discussions, drop-ins.

 

#3 Will you stick to your trusted communication channels or explore new diverse ones?

Different Ways of Communicating Produces Different Results. As a manager, you can bring your team into a white and grey meeting room, turn on the projector and run through twenty slides on the change program and explain to them what they need to do to support this change. 

Or you could drop the meeting room, the slides and the manager-speak. You could go for a walk, sit in the outdoor garden or have a coffee in the company's cafe and start the topic with a conversation. Giving it a more personal and emotional appeal. After which, you can still share the PowerPoint slides and other documentations.

Different People Respond Differently to Different Communication Channels. Because different people relate to different types of communication, the change program should be communicated and won via the use of a diverse set of communication channels. 

Some people are just happy with an email from the President with a link to an intranet page or an attached PowerPoint deck. Others love watching a video to take in the message. Some others like to hear the message face-to-face from the CEO direct. Some like it plain and some like with color and music. 

Repeat Key Messages Via Different Diverse Channels. If you truly want to reach out to each and everyone and WIN their hearts and minds, you have to repeat the same key message using different communication channels. And this communication can be for any of the following purposes

• Communication from leadership to staff
• Communication from manager to team
• Communication from project team to stakeholders
• Communication from staff to project team, managers, stakeholders and leadership

Here is an incomplete list of possible communication channels, divided into informal and formal channels:

Informal Channels

• Board games
• Business games
• 100 Day Calendars
• Team Challenges
• Video
• Making music
• Writing and singing songs
• Dance choreography
• Creating wall murals
• Culture festivals
• Workshops
• Creating sculptures
• Talent Contests
• Sports tounaments
• Team telematches
• Short film competition
• Arts program
• Awards ceremony
• Certificate presentations
• Initiation ceremony for influencers
• Company passport and stamps
• Book reviews
• Movie reviews
• Mobile apps
• "Leactures & tutorials" methods
• Etc

Formal Channels

• CEO letters on company letterheads
• Department townhall meetings
• Leadership roundtable
• Leadership Q&A sessions
• Leadership speeches in events
• Breakfast/lunch/dinner discussions
• Department/team meetings
• Corporate video presentations
• Corporate company website
• Official meetings
• Workshops
• Training

 

Recommended Split Between Formal and Informal Communication: 20% / 80%. You can infact take any informal communication activity and "corporatise" it giving it an official look and feel and vice versa. I would recommend that an effective change communication campaign should have informal and formal elements. Formal communication elements refering to corporate communication activities which I would limit it to about 20% of the entire campaign and the informal activities to about 80%. This can further change based on the specific change issue.

 

#4 Will you give your change communication a logical structure based on the Committment Curve or be free-and-easy?

Introduction to Committment Curve. Although there are many variations of the committment curve, I will stick to a basic version with four simple phases: Awareness, Understanding, Committment and Action. 

People who are going through change will need to progress from one phase of the engagement curve to another. When they have reached the last phase of the change, they have "internalised" the change or in another words have made the change permanent. 

However, people can "drop out" from any of the phases at any point in time and not complete the change journey. And also different stakeholder groups could be in different phases of the comittment curve at any one given point in time. 

Communication as the Great Enabler of Change has a big role in supporting people to transition from one phase to the other in the committment curve. Knowing what kind of communication activities to organise at which phase and for whom is key to helping people transition through the committment curve.

Communication Activities During Awareness. In many cases, I have seen communication professionals organising many awareness-level communication activities and then stretching them throughout the change program to support all the other phases of the committment curve. Unfortunately awareness-level communication activities only serve to tell the people that something is happening. It's an announcement, a news article or a poster etc that creates awareness. It is basic information. You cannot use awareness activities to create a deep understanding, seek committment or secure action.You need other types of more intense and different communication activities for the other phases of the committment curve to bring people through the change. 

Here is a list of typical communication activities that supports the awareness stage:

• Posters/E-Posters
• Flyers/E-Flyers
• Emails
• CEO Letters
• CEO speech
• PPT presentation by management
• Articles in company newsletters
• Announcements in meetings
• Team meetings with surface level discussions
• Information/exhibition type of booths/stalls
• Corporate gifts such as T-shirts, caps etc
• Banners, flags, signs etc in office locations

Communication Activities During Understanding. Communication activities that offer people a more thourough reading and appreciation of the change topic takes place at this phase. This normally ocurrs when there is an in-depth analysis and many different types of dialogues and discussions that helps the people going through the change to dig deeper and deeper. As such, communication activities at this stage focus on providing more information and having more interactive discussions to transition people from basic awareness to knowing the change topic quite well. Here is a list of understanding-level type of communication activities:

• FAQ and fact sheets
• Case studies and discussions topics
• Websites with in depth content
• Robot apps that answers questions and offers solutions
• Online forum boards to ask questions and clarify
• Online multimedia quizes, courses and certificates
• Round table discussions with stakeholders
• Q & A sessions with senior management
• Cross-functional/departmental alignments, discussions, workshops
• Team discussions with immediate line and department manager
• Supportive activities from change influencers and project ambassadors
• Series of workshops to bring different stakeholders through understanding
• Series of trainings to enable stakeholders, influencers etc to manage change

 

Communication Activities During Committment. After knowing what is the change about and having an in-depth understanding, the committment phase focuses on bringing people to some basic level of action. 

This could be trying out a new process, a new way of behaving or doing something. Here are some examples of communication activities that support the committment phase:

• Call-for-action communication such as "Click here" action buttons
• Communication activities to promote trials, receive samples etc
• Face-to-face helpdesk or phone or email support during implementation
• Workshops and training sessions to decide and start doing it the new way etc
• Use templates, submit online forms, take part in given surveys etc
• Sign-up to participate, to join a committee, support a cause etc
• Useful "How-to..." information and content via manuals, guidebooks etc
• Team discussions with immediate line manager on what to do, how to do etc
• Communication that offers frequent recognition from immediate line manager
• Coaching and mentoring from managers, project team and influencers

 

Communication Activities During Action. The final phase focuses on making those trial actions more consistent and permanent and making the experience coming out of that more desirable.

This is the much-desired and wanted ultimate outcome by the organisation's management and the change project team: a permanent change in the people's mindset and behavior. 

If the right push is not provided to people who have transitioned from awareness to understanding to committment to action, they may slide back. It is therefore important to ensure that there are right communication activities during action phase to secure the transition.

Here is a list of possible communication activities that can support the action stage:

• A stronger recognition program for those who have made a permanent transition
• Regular visibility for those who are contributing and performing consistently
• Editorials and focus stories on heroes and personalities to celebrate success
• Award ceremonies, certificate presentations, hall of fame etc
• Opportunities to share personal success stories and best practices with others
• Convert those who have transitioned into evengalists

 

#5 Will you always deliver top-down change communication or will attempt bottom-to-top and side-to-side?

Introduction. There is an additional dimension to a change communication campaign on top of the above four considerations above. And that is differentiating the communication activities as being from top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top and side-to-side. 

For example, there could be awareness level communication activities designed by the leadership and the project team, going from the management to the staff on the ground. But there could also be an awareness communication coming from the staff back up to the leadership and the project team. Awareness on such as what the staff think about the change from the ground point-of-view.

Top-to-bottom and Bottom-to-top Communication Activities. You can't run a change communication program with all the communication coming from top to the bottom. That can be seen as being too dictorial, authoritative, too formal, too corporate and old school. You also need some communication activities which bring information and messages from the bottom to the top. Bottom-to-top communication is unpolished, unplanned and informal. It gives the management, managers, project team, stakeholders and influencers an excellent ground-up feedback. 

Side-to-side Communication Activities.There can also be constructive communication coming from the left or the right camps in the organisation. I would classify this as communication produced and distributed by stakeholders. This kind of communication carries immense weight as it's not moderated or modified by management or the change project team. It can offer genuine insights into what the stakeholders are thinking, their issues, their challenges and their successes.

 

Key Takeaways

Introduction. While it is true that communication is the Great Enabler of Change, communication's success in change is not about big bang launches or mass communication activities or nice corporate events. Its about organising the right communication activities for the right stakeholders at the right time to give that right tilt for change to happen. Here are five key considerations for a strategic change communication plan:

#1 Big Bang Vs Phased Communication. Big bang communication approach is a company-wide offensive in which you want to communicate everything to everyone at the same time. Phased communication approach on the other hand is a deliberately timed plan of what to communicate, whom to communicate, when to communicate and how to communicate. 

#2 Corporate Vs Non-Corporate Communication. You need some amount of corporate communication activities in your change communication plan, BUT it cannot be the main style for communicating change. What we need is a more warmer style of communication that touches people's minds and hearts and motivates them to change.

#3 Use of Diverse Communication Channels. Because different people relate to different types of communication, the change program should be communicated and won via the use of a diverse set of communication channels. The recommended balance for formal vs informal change communication activities: 20% / 80%.

#4 Communication Based on the Committment Curve. People who are going through change will progress from awareness to understading to committment and action phases according to the committment curve. Knowing what kind of communication activities to organise at which phase and for whom is key to helping people transition through the committment curve.

#5 Vertical Vs Horizontal Communication. There is an additional dimension to all of the above considerations and that is differentiating the communication activities as being from top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top and from side-to-side between the left and right camps in the organisation. 

To read all the chapters in a book-in-progress on change, please visit https://thoseinchargeofchange.com