Transformation Communications Program: Assumptions and Constraints

This document presents a framework for approaching communications around a typical change initiative, and includes some ideas and recommendations to improve the effort and results.

At a basic level, the primary objectives for communications around a business project are to…

• Create awareness/inform
• Create understanding
• Influence (gain acceptance; enlist support; engage actions/behaviors)

These are sequential outcomes. Unless the immediate situation is threatening to health and safety, we can’t just pour on the communication fuel for a few days and create spontaneous understanding and instant willingness to ‘jump on board.’ Generally, people need some period of time and multiple doses of communication from knowledgeable, influential people in order to…

• Just see/hear it     Break though the message clutter
• Consider it             Decide whether this makes sense
• Question it            Translate the specific what/why/when/how/how much for ‘me/us’
• Consensus it          Get peer group input/assurance
• Just do it               Accept and comply

We strongly advocate that organizations should be able to expect ‘reasonable compliance’ from employees on requests for how their company work is performed. When procedures change or when new automation tools or equipment are introduced, managers should not have to handhold, gently cajole and endlessly persuade people to do the work the company pays them for doing in a different (and ultimately improved) way.

For their part, employees should be able to expect from their organization ‘reasonable compliance’ in the form of fair warning. They should receive accurate and timely information, be able to attend forums for discussions, demonstrations, and presentations; get timely and thorough training on any new work tools and skills required to use the tools competently; and feedback on individual and business performance. The most basic mechanism for feedback is the company’s evaluation and compensation program.

In designing a communication program for an initial transformation rollout, we focus on high touch, interactive techniques and media, using high tech where it makes sense. E-mail is an over-used medium and ineffective in accomplishing any of the three objectives (awareness, understanding, influence); however, e-mail does work well for follow ups and quick updates. Other high tech that can work…

• Program portal, ebulletin board or website that gives general project information, important dates and links to documents in an e-Library project related documentation and communication products (but this only works if people can be persuaded to visit)
• Virtual meetings (WebEx, Go-to-Meeting) and podcasts, which utilize a visual medium and enable high interaction among participants
• Tester/user blog to ask questions, exchange comments and express any frustrations as well as approvals about the new tools/system

Depending on company culture and workplace policies, social media could be utilized as part of project communications – within project work teams and to reach and interact with user populations. Project managers and teams work in collaborative environments where discussion around tasks, status and results are important. Efficient, effective interaction with users is equally important. Social media encourages natural, regular conversation and the platforms are generally not hard to set up or use.

These tools include but are not limited to…

Caveats: Control and caution are critical when using social media. “Socializing” key project information (e.g., vision, business case, major milestones) is fundamental to effective communication. Too much “social” devolves into unstructured, off-task commentaries. There’s a big difference between quality communication that is productive and meaningful and the sheer quantity of disparate conversations and data streams that just generate extra noise. Like all other media, these platforms require thoughtful use, monitoring for effectiveness and content management. It is also critical to set privacy and protections appropriately.

 Generally, here’s where most projects start…

• Beyond people working on, providing expert input to, or sponsoring and financing the project, knowledge of the project is normally limited. We would assume that companywide communication will come after project kickoff
• If the company has any negative experience with past initiatives in the functional or process areas covered by the transformation, there will likely be some degree of sensitivity and residual fallout around a change in tools. In our experience, it’s best to acknowledge the disappointment and move on.
• Expect time to be short and much of the initial message will have to get out quickly before visible aspects of the project catches the workforce’s attention driving false messages and unattainable expectations

Following is a list of other assumptions and constraints that could impact the execution and success of the communication program. We have provided some suggestions to help mitigate risks to a successful rollout