There are 2 aspects to your change management communication strategy: firstly the balance between information content and emotional resonance; and secondly the initiative's phase, in other words before and during.
The content and structural facet of your communications
You'll benefit significantly in the area of a programme-based approach to leading and handling your change initiative, as your communication strategy will probably be based across the following:
- Stakeholder map and analysis [everyone who will be impacted by the change along with your evaluations of the impacts and their reactions ]
- Pattern [ the clear definition and statement of the altered organization]
- Vision statement and pre-programme preparation procedure [ the high level vision and analyse the impacts and the follow up pre planning procedure to unpack the vision ]
- Programme plan [the measures that will be taken to create the changes and get the advantages - a schedule of endeavors and undertakings and initiatives ]
The essential FACTUAL questions that the communication strategy need to address
- what exactly are the aims?
- What will be the crucial messages?
- Who are you trying to reach?
- What information will probably be communicated?
- When will information be disseminated, and what are the related timings?
- How much information is going to be supplied, and to what level of detail?
- What mechanisms will be utilized to disseminate information?
- How will feedback be supported?
- What is going to be achieved as an effect of feedback? to disseminate information?
- Who are you wanting be encouraged?
What advice a result of feedback?
- What are the aims?
- How much advice is going to be provided, messages?
- What mechanisms will likely be utilized
The key EMOTIONAL questions that the communication strategy must address
Regarding the psychological resonance feature of the communications, John Kotter makes the point that change leaders that are great are great at telling stories that are visual with high mental impact. Kotter exemplifies this the anecdote of Martin Luther King who did not stand up in front of the Lincoln Memorial and say: "I have a great strategy" and illustrate it with 10 good reasons why it turned out to be a great strategy. Kotter said those immortal words: "I've a dream," and then he proceeded to reveal the folks what his dream was - he exemplified his image of the future and did so in a way that had high psychological impact.
William Bridges focuses on facet of the change and the mental and psychological impact - and introduces these 3 easy questions:
(1) what's altering? Bridges offers the next guidance - the change leader's communicating statement must:- Certainly express intent and the change leader's understanding
- Link the change to the drivers that make it necessary
- "Sell the situation before you try to market the option."
- Be under 60 seconds
(2) what'll actually be different as a result of the change?
(3) Who's going to lose what? Bridges maintains the situational changes aren't as difficult for firms to make as the people affected by the change's emotional transitions. Transition direction is about seeing the situation through the other guy's eyes. It truly is an outlook based on empathy. It works with people to bring them through the transition and is communication and management process that recognises and affirms them's realities. Failure to accomplish this, on the section of change leaders, along with a denial of the losses and "lettings go" that people are faced with, sows the seeds of mistrust.
5 guiding principles of a good change management communication strategy
So, in summary the 5 guiding principles of an excellent change management communication strategy are as follows:
- Resonance of message - delivery and the mental tone of the message
- Exact targeting - to get to the right people together with the message that is proper
- Timing schedule - to achieve timely targeting of messages
- Feedback process - to ensure two way communication that is actual
Failure reasons changed and in change management are many. But one thing is painfully clear.
The cause is a lack of communication as Internal communications audit well as dearth of clarity. This is what a Programme Direction based way of change is about and why it so significant.
