Communicating Change
January 9, 2002 | 12:00am
Change, before it is too late! A Jack Welch idea that carries more weight than any other business decree that and create a major impact in the future of any company. Welch is, of course, an acknowledged change agent who built General Electric into the most successful American corporation of the late 20th century.
"No one likes changes. They all start off with, I like the way things are. That’s why I’m here. If I didn’t like the way it is, I’d be somewhere else," Welch says.
Change. It seems easy enough to do. The boss issues a new edict, and the constituencies follow, shifting their attitude, behavior, paradigm and action. They let go of an old practice and adapt a new one. It sounds easy yes, but in truth it is not. Change is uncomfortable, and adjusting to it is messy. It’s a breeze to prepare a to-do list, but behavior and long-held habits are not easy to alter.
We react to change in various ways. We are either startled, energized, challenged, personally and professionally affronted, secretly horrified, or confused. It might sound embarrassing, but we love change when it suits or benefits us, our country, community, company, and family. Change that we don’t understand alarms us no end.
In the Age of Unreason, Charles Handy describes the era we live in as one in which "the only prediction that will hold true is that no predictions will hold true." In his view, even change itself has changed. He explains, "Change used to be more of the same, only better, but not anymore. Today, change is discontinuity." It no longer follows a pattern, allowing us to think upside down, backward and forward, inside and out.
The degree of change is the extent to which a company makes a departure from the needs of the market, or the way it responds to the climate of change. Business-book authors Edward de Bono sees "lateral thinking" as the answer to change; Michael Hammer believes that "strategic planning should serve to expose and then jettison out-of-date rules and assumptions."
No matter what kind of organization we lead, changes are inevitable, given the disruptive events happening around us. Implementation of a change management program in our respective businesses has become a necessity.
A critical component of the change management program is a detailed communication plan. We may have existing communication channels but they may prove inadequate to handle the effects of change. They often break down in a highly sensitive, emotional climate that surrounds a change program. "Big Bang" announcements to persuade people to fall in line are never enough. People starve for lack of information during change.
When they don’t get the data they need, they fill in the blanks or turn to the rumor mill. Planned communication allows people to prepare and brace themselves for change, even if they don’t have the power to stop or challenge it.
Price Pritchett, a change management expert, cites a study showing that 20 percent of an organization’s employees tend to support a change from the start, 50 percent are fence sitters, and 30 percent are resisters who are hard to sway. It is to this 80 percent that any communication effort should be directed.
Preparing an effective change communication plan can be quite simple. The vital considerations are the target audience or those who need to know, the message or what to say, the timing or when to say it, and the execution or how to say it.
Who needs to know? This refers to all the stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in the change process. Usually forgotten are the employees. Their expectations must be managed to gain their support and ensure the success of the program. Listening is a critical skill management and must be able to put into good use to connect with employees who may have simple questions or concerns that need to be heard. Remember, the word listen has the same letters as silent.
What do we say? Communicate the nature of the change, sharing information about how it will affect them , who will be affected, who will be spared, when it will take effect, over what period of time, and how much participation do they have in the process of introducing it. On a corporate level, we must tell how the change will affect customer satisfaction, product or service quality, market shares or sales, productivity, and profitability. We may not have all the answers, but the handling must be honest, forthright, and truthful, while remaining sensitive to the potential impact of our key messages.
When do we say it? Communicate early, simultaneously, and frequently. It is vital that our people know about the change plan from us, and not from any other sources. Announcing it must be done at the same time, and regular updates must follow after the initial announcement. If we don’t communicate early and frequently, people will make up or listen to things that may be incorrect.
How do we say it? Cater to individual differences and needs. Change will affect some people more than others. It is a must to meet with people face to face to discuss with each of them our concern, and inquire about theirs. Written memos and e-mails are deemed impersonal, and don’t allow us to assess people’s reactions. We must move around, and talk with people as much as we can, as soon as we can. Share as much information, and repeat the communication process as often as necessary.
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is holding a national communication conference on "Communication in an Age of Disruptive Change" on Jan. 29 at the Hotel Intercon, Makati City. Guest of honor will be Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, president of Atlanta’s Spelman College, best-selling author, spokesperson for the rights of women and people of color, and described by prestigious magazines as one of the most outstanding African-Americans and a national treasure of the US. Jaime Zobel de Ayala, chair of Ayala Corporation will lead an outstanding list of speakers. For inquiries, call the IABC Secretariat at 816 -94 -39 or 845-53-80.
You might have noticed that this column carries a new photo and a name––Commonness. Rooted from the Latin word "communis," it means the ability to establish oneness, and mutual understanding between the sender and the receiver in a communication process. It reflects my desire to achieve the same oneness and mutuality of understanding with my readers. Commonness will tackle business, communication and life issues that can hopefully inform, educate, as well as entertain.
For comments and questions, e-mail bongo@vasia.com or bongo@campaignsandgrey.net.
"No one likes changes. They all start off with, I like the way things are. That’s why I’m here. If I didn’t like the way it is, I’d be somewhere else," Welch says.
Change. It seems easy enough to do. The boss issues a new edict, and the constituencies follow, shifting their attitude, behavior, paradigm and action. They let go of an old practice and adapt a new one. It sounds easy yes, but in truth it is not. Change is uncomfortable, and adjusting to it is messy. It’s a breeze to prepare a to-do list, but behavior and long-held habits are not easy to alter.
We react to change in various ways. We are either startled, energized, challenged, personally and professionally affronted, secretly horrified, or confused. It might sound embarrassing, but we love change when it suits or benefits us, our country, community, company, and family. Change that we don’t understand alarms us no end.
In the Age of Unreason, Charles Handy describes the era we live in as one in which "the only prediction that will hold true is that no predictions will hold true." In his view, even change itself has changed. He explains, "Change used to be more of the same, only better, but not anymore. Today, change is discontinuity." It no longer follows a pattern, allowing us to think upside down, backward and forward, inside and out.
The degree of change is the extent to which a company makes a departure from the needs of the market, or the way it responds to the climate of change. Business-book authors Edward de Bono sees "lateral thinking" as the answer to change; Michael Hammer believes that "strategic planning should serve to expose and then jettison out-of-date rules and assumptions."
No matter what kind of organization we lead, changes are inevitable, given the disruptive events happening around us. Implementation of a change management program in our respective businesses has become a necessity.
A critical component of the change management program is a detailed communication plan. We may have existing communication channels but they may prove inadequate to handle the effects of change. They often break down in a highly sensitive, emotional climate that surrounds a change program. "Big Bang" announcements to persuade people to fall in line are never enough. People starve for lack of information during change.
When they don’t get the data they need, they fill in the blanks or turn to the rumor mill. Planned communication allows people to prepare and brace themselves for change, even if they don’t have the power to stop or challenge it.
Price Pritchett, a change management expert, cites a study showing that 20 percent of an organization’s employees tend to support a change from the start, 50 percent are fence sitters, and 30 percent are resisters who are hard to sway. It is to this 80 percent that any communication effort should be directed.
Preparing an effective change communication plan can be quite simple. The vital considerations are the target audience or those who need to know, the message or what to say, the timing or when to say it, and the execution or how to say it.
Who needs to know? This refers to all the stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in the change process. Usually forgotten are the employees. Their expectations must be managed to gain their support and ensure the success of the program. Listening is a critical skill management and must be able to put into good use to connect with employees who may have simple questions or concerns that need to be heard. Remember, the word listen has the same letters as silent.
What do we say? Communicate the nature of the change, sharing information about how it will affect them , who will be affected, who will be spared, when it will take effect, over what period of time, and how much participation do they have in the process of introducing it. On a corporate level, we must tell how the change will affect customer satisfaction, product or service quality, market shares or sales, productivity, and profitability. We may not have all the answers, but the handling must be honest, forthright, and truthful, while remaining sensitive to the potential impact of our key messages.
When do we say it? Communicate early, simultaneously, and frequently. It is vital that our people know about the change plan from us, and not from any other sources. Announcing it must be done at the same time, and regular updates must follow after the initial announcement. If we don’t communicate early and frequently, people will make up or listen to things that may be incorrect.
How do we say it? Cater to individual differences and needs. Change will affect some people more than others. It is a must to meet with people face to face to discuss with each of them our concern, and inquire about theirs. Written memos and e-mails are deemed impersonal, and don’t allow us to assess people’s reactions. We must move around, and talk with people as much as we can, as soon as we can. Share as much information, and repeat the communication process as often as necessary.
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