Change communication strategy

Change Communication Strategy
Changing Behaviors through communication

Overview Presentation

There are many messages that are being sent. How do we figure
out what is important? How do we navigate through all this
information to make decisions that lead to success?

Focus on what you
need to make decisions

Copyright © 2013 George B. Lampere

How Do We Make Decisions?

80% of our communication efforts
and content are ineffective when
measured by impact on people’s
decisions to change their behaviors.
This relates to a very low ROI on our
efforts to drive change.
(Results based on a 1998 Northern Illinois University study of over 10,000 individuals within
organizations which included communications professionals, HR managers, trainers and
line managers.)


Defining communications for individual
change
Key Message Communications
The delivery of any information that does not
require action. Any communication for which
there is no discernible consequence if the
recipient ignores it.

Behavioral Communications
The delivery of any information, in any form or
format, designed to drive a specific action with
clearly defined measures, consequences, tools
and rewards.

Redefining Measurements to Impact
Behavioral Communications
The typical transformation communications message analyzed:
• 80%

Why we’re changing

• 10%

Overall organizational priorities

• 0%

How the employees will be measured and the consequences

• 0%

Tools and support provided

• 10%

What’s in it for us?

Here is what the employees need in order to change behaviors:
• 10%

Why we’re changing

• 10%

Overall organizational priorities

• 20%

How the employees will be measured and the consequences

• 50%

Tools, and support provided

• 10%

What’s in it for us?

The Communications model
To change behaviors, employees need the answers
to just five sets of questions:






Why change? How is this important to what I do?
What do you want me to do differently? What are the priorities?
How will I be measured and what are the consequences?
What tools and support do I get to help me make this change?
What’s in it for me? What’s in it for us?


Redefining Communication for
Organizational Change
Most of what passes for change communication is based on a partial premise.
Knowing “why we’re changing, where we’re heading” or even “creating a shared
vision are just steps in the negotiation process. Change communication is about renegotiating the relationship between the organization, the individual and the
customer.

The delivery of any information that changes what’s important.
Organizing and delivering what we know about...

• What’s important
• Redefined rules and roles
• How we will work
…in a way that gives employees the ability to navigate through
change for themselves.

We can no longer rely on the conventional method of
communicating in relation to a change initiative.

Executive sponsors of change
can no longer manage
messages and delivery
vehicles, promoting the
illusion of control.

The Executive sponsor
must organize and deliver
information about what is
known in a way that gives
others the ability to navigate
through change for
themselves.

This form of communication
is mostly key messages.


Behavioral Communications Tool

Impact
Statement:
Stakeholders

Relevance to me?

Do differently?

Measures /
Consequences?

Tools / Support?

What’s in it for
me?

To change behaviors, each stakeholder may require different information.

For each change initiative, an assessment should be made


The Communications Strategy is an integral
component in the redesign initiative when used in
conjunction with a change management plan.
The communications plan targets these major
redesign activities:
• Creating a business case for change.
• Defining the vision through the redesigned process.

• Designing the components in the redesign process.
• Implementing the newly redesigned process.
• Measuring the change and instituting process improvements.


The key activities within the communication
strategy ensure that the behavioral
communication is obtained.









Segment and assess impacted change audiences.
Conduct a communications audit.
Develop an overall communications plan for each phase of the
change process.
Design and develop detailed components of the communication
plan (e.g. objectives, messages, sender, medium, frequency and
feedback mechanisms)
Assess the effectiveness of the communication for each redesign
initiative on a regular basis.
Conduct recognition programs and events to celebrate sort term
wins as well as major milestones.


One study has found that “when a company president
sends a message down through the organization, the
level of understanding of that message decreases:”
•
•
•
•
•

Vice presidents
Directors
Line Managers
Supervisors
Employees

67%
56%
40%
30%
20%

With this dramatic level of
misunderstanding, messages must be sent multiple
times using a variety of vehicles.


The Value of Effective Change
Communication











Creates an underlying foundation of trust needed to engage all
levels of the organization in change.
Controls messages about change.
Minimizes destructive rumor mills.
Connects the organization to a single vision.
Energizes people for change.
Supports rituals of sharing, participation and community.
Creates or strengthens participant’s faith in who they are, what they
believe, and what they do.
Builds credibility in those who are driving the change.
Links executive management to employees
Helps build a business case for change


A communications audit is needed to
determine the most effective ways to deliver
behavioral messages.
The rational for conducting an audit:




Understand the organization’s communication style.
Understand why current vehicles are used.
Understand the effectiveness of the current vehicles.

Actions to take include:



Align the change effort communication plan to the organization’s
style.
Take advantage of current communication vehicles to avoid
redundancy and to not add to the complexity of the “message
mania.”


The communication audit can be conducted at
different levels in the organization. Each level adds
an additional degree of complexity and requires an
additional amount of effort.
 Overall communication
strategy
 Specific communication
intervention per initiative

 Specific communication to
targeted individuals.


The Segmentation Continuum

Same
communication
for all

Customized
messages for each
employee

Most communication is segmented to some extent




Not everyone needs to receive the same information at the
same time in all circumstances.
Segmenting the employee population by type is often a
common practice.
The criteria is often limited to a couple of variables.
• Degree of involvement, degree of impact, personnel level


Setting Stakeholder Communication
Goals
Internalization

Institutionalization

Objective 1: Create a sense of urgency and excitement to support
the cloverleaf change initiative.

Objective 2: Identify and support new behaviors, remove
barriers for sustainability and internalization of the change.


The Goals of Change Communication







Provide people what they need to make informed
choices about whether and how to comply with or
commit to the change.
Build trust with candid information about the need for
and the difficulty of changing, including the
consequences of not changing.
Report progress -- or lack of progress -- so that
people can be responsible contributors to the
success of the changes.


The Communication Strategy and Plan


The strategy is the high level description of what you
want to do within the organization. (I.e., effectively
disseminate all messages to internal stakeholder
groups) in a manner that demonstrates compassion.



The communication plan is a component of the strategy.
It is the details related to what needs to be done, by
who, and when.


Developing a Communication Strategy

Components of this tool:
 Key questions addressed by the strategy
 Communication guidelines

 Steps to developing a communication strategy
that includes directions on what to put in a
communication plan, getting feedback, etc.


Measuring Communication
Effectiveness

Assess whether or not individuals:







Have heard about the change effort
Have started to do things differently as a result of the
change effort.
Are recognizing the positive effect the changes are
having for themselves, customers, and the organization
at large.
Are an advocate of the change efforts; promoting them
to others.


Communication Plan
Event

Message

Sender

Developer

Timeframe/
Frequency

Vehicle

Feedback
Mechinism

Desired
outcome

In designing any communication, determine and document
 Intended message of the sender (content)
 Most effective channel / vehicle for delivering the message
 Likely perceptions / barriers of the receiver

The Ten Principles of Change
Management Communications












Segment the audience
Use multiple channels
Use multiple voices
Be clear
Communicate, communicate, communica
te
Honesty is the only policy
Use emotions, not just logic
Heal, console, encourage
Make the message tangible
Listen, Listen, Listen

Segment your Audiences:










Who is in this segment?
How will they be affected by reengineering?
What reaction will they have to it?
What behavior do we need of them?
What messages do they need to hear for that behavior
to be stimulated?
When do they need to hear these messages?
What medium should we use for each message?
What should communicate the messages to them?


Use multiple channels of
communication
The Change Management team must use as many
mechanisms as possible to articulate the message:










Presentations
Informal discussions
Articles
Videos
Design simulations
Audio tape
Comic strips
T-Shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads
Use a logo or slogan to help reinforce the message.


Use Multiple Voices
It is not a good idea that for all communications to
emanate from the CEO, Executive sponsor or the
project team.

Each individual will describe the change initiative from a
different point of view, enriching what is said as well as
broadening how it is said.


Communicate Clearly
Use the four “P’s” in managing the change
initiative:






Purpose
Process
Progress
Problems

The four elements should form the core of the
change initiative message.

Communicate, Communicate, Communi
cate
The key to effective communication is reinforcement in
may ways, through many channels, and by many people.
Use the rule of seven times seven:
 The same message must be communicated seven
times in seven different ways before anybody will
believe it.


Honesty is the Best Policy


Lies and half truths about the change initiative
are not only unethical -- they are foolish and
counterproductive.



If something is unknown , acknowledge it. If
something is painful, face it.


Use Emotions, Not Just Logic
A delivery style that works best in many
organizations is what’s called borderline evangelism.
 Communicate passion
 People respond to burning and sincere
enthusiasm -- it’s catching.
 Playfulness can be as productive as passion.


Communicate to Heal


We have an obligation to use our
communications not just to further the
reengineering effort but also to help minimize
the stress and trauma that it causes.



Messages should contain
hope, consolation, encouragement or
appreciation.


Communicate Tangibility


Words are a start, but they are rarely enough.



Change initiative teams must find experiential
ways to convey important issues.
Examples may include:
• Simulations
• Participative workshops
• Collaborative problem-solving sessions
• Field trips to other organizations


Listen, Listen, Listen
Communication is not just talking; it must be twoway and involve keen, attentive listening.


To determine the effectiveness of our
communication program.



Offer people the opportunity to voice -even vent their feelings.


Example of a Behavioral Message

Components

In 2010, we took a long, hard look at our customer contact centers and asked ourselves where we were at
in our journey to becoming the Financial Center that defines great customer experience. The image we saw
reflected back at us was not going to get us to where we needed to go. Our situation was similar to that of
a rowing team struggling to find its rhythm. While each rower might be working hard at their job, winning
the race comes from working in unison. Without an integrated, consistent approach, being the first to cross 1
the finish line is next to impossible. The same held true for our customer centers across the country. Each
group was working hard to deliver a great customer experience to the customers they served. The problem
was, we were not doing it together. We were not set up 'to row in unison' and deliver a consistently great
customer experience.

Need to
Act

The development of our customer Centers gives us the means to row together in unison. We will do this by
delivering an integrated, consistent customer experience in our contact center and by leveraging a common
infrastructure between our contact center and Collections groups.

Inflection
Point

2

Our customer centers are like our own custom built racing shell, built to house all of our rowers in one boat.
By co-locating our customer centers and collections teams together in one place, we will be able to take
advantage of opportunities to stream line our operating model to ensure we are effective. We have the
head start in San Francisco already. By bringing our retail payment services centers together under the 3
new customer centers structure, we will be able to coordinate an integrated approach to making money
make sense for the 65,000 customers who reach out to us each day.

We have made the decision to hit the water and win the race. The changes we will be making will enable
us to take a significant step forward in our journey to becoming the Financial Center that defines great
customer experience. Some of the changes will take more work than others. Some of the changes will 4
require us to reconsider the way we do things - change our rowing stroke. While we realize that some of
these changes may not be easy, these are changes we must make to win this race. We will be guided by
our model as we make these changes.
We are committed to supporting you throughout the
process, keeping you informed and engaged.
Just as our vision to be the financial center that defines great customer experience is a journey, so too is
the development of our customer center and the evolution of the operating group. Each of us plays an
important role in this journey as our story unfolds. We ask you to join us on this journey. We have the
5
courage to win. It is going to be our journey that will raise our pride.

Scope of
Change

High
Aspiration,
Balanced
with Reality

Vision


For Additional Information

George B. Lampere, Ph.D.
Navitsumo Consulting Ltd.
Office: 847-794-8910
Email: glampere@glampere.com


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