 |
| Positive Search #08-02: February 2008 |
Talking about Change
Frahm, J & Brown, K. (2007). First steps: linking change communication to change receptivity. Journal of Organizational Change
Management, 20 (3), 370-387.
These researchers used participant observation, document analysis and focus groups to understand the first 100 days of a change initiative in a public sector organization. They had access to both formal and informal meetings, emails, official memos and had employees complete questionnaires.
The researchers emphasize the importance of HOW the organization communicates change initiatives to employees. They make a distinction between communication efforts in a planned top-down, one off change initiative versus continuous change initiatives. In the first instance: the employee is the “target” of communication; in the second, the employee plays a proactive role in driving change within the organization.
Information-sharing
In discussing information sharing, the authors note that information can sometimes become a commodity: a resource to be hoarded or let out in small increments---often stopping at the supervisor level. Other change efforts work to include employees at all levels in ongoing communication which helped build understanding, acceptance and ownership of the change efforts. In fact, each organization’s culture (norms, taboos, etc.) can work to maintain the status quo and block successful communication and successful change efforts.
The focus of these efforts is to increase change receptivity ( how receptive a
person, group or organization is to change). Change receptivity can be made up of negative, neutral and positive elements:
Negative: Change contempt, Frustration, Fatigue, Fear.
Neutral: Passive Acceptance, Readiness, Ambivalence.
Positive: Pro-innovation, Change commitment, Excitement.
Positive Leadership in Change
Leaders and change agents need to look at their role in change. In planned change efforts, they may become the prime mover who sends message to change behaviour. In ongoing change efforts, they may be better cast in the role of sense-maker who actively communicates to influence the people and organization. Ongoing change efforts are more typical of organizations that must respond ever-changing external demands (such as in new product development). Learning organizations and public sector organizations also tend toward a continuous change model. Noteworthy, change fatigue and resistance can often be a negative side effect of ongoing change efforts.
The following is a summary of the key results I viewed as most central to leaders of change initiatives:
• Even if employees are initially open to change, poor communication can negatively affect their views and shut down initial openness.
• Managers should be sense-makers, helping employees understand any changes.
• Change efforts should start with a clear vision about WHY the change is needed (purpose).
• This vision should be clearly communicated to employees at the beginning of the change process. Both formal and informal communication should support this vision.
• The CEO and Management Team need to have a clear communication strategy with each member supporting the communication message (no subversion).
• Employee groups close to the change, who had regular check-ins were more aware of progress. Those who did not have check-ins felt the change process was too slow.
• Employees tend to blame managers for communication breakdowns. Generally, employees do not take responsibility for communicating their needs or providing feedback.
• Employees prefer formal information channels and face-to-face information sharing.
• Employees felt there needed to be more avenues to communicate to upper management during change processes.
• Employees are generally dissatisfied with how mangers handle downsizing. For example, behind closed doors discussions may lead to people feeling uncertain or anxious about what is “really” happening.
• Those employees who described themselves as “frustrated” tended to feel excluded from the change process and felt they had little information. Lack of information also made some employees feel uncertain.
• Change contempt typically focused on how management handled downsizing.
• Employees who were positive about the changes tended to be more involved in the change, had good relations with middle management, had reliable information sources, were geographically closer to senior management, saw the change as dealing with past problems and saw personal opportunities in the change.
• Those who felt they had a “voice” in the change were more positive, those who felt they did not have a voice were more uncertain, frustrated and contemptuous.
• Employees tend to prefer terms such as “continuous improvement” over “change”.
To increase success, communication should be:
• Receiver-oriented: Communication should focus on the audience.
• Dialogue-driven: Focused on 2-way communication to clarify the message and allow feedback and adjustment to create a new understanding of the organization.
• Leaders should act in a “sense-making” role.
Practical Application: Planning your communication
Continuous change efforts seem to exist everywhere. In my opinion, the value of this article is in understanding that knowing your audience is crucial to any change effort. Clear communication of the grander vision is important.
To increase success, you must also highlight: 1) the reasons for the change initiative and 2) how it will affect each person’s role. Information sharing is only the beginning, helping people make sense of the change will help them adjust to, and even embrace, new initiatives. Encouraging dialogue helps each person understand his or her role in the change and HOW their role will look under the new system. The best way to calm people is to share information and help them make sense of new realities.
Of note, Positive Leaders need to have a clear idea of any continuous improvement strategy. They then need to communicate it to their Management Team and allow for debate and disagreement so that any problems can be identified. Although you do not need unanimous agreement on the change, the Management Team needs to communicate a unified picture of the initiative to the rest of the organization.
Once the Management Team is clear on the change, it can be rolled out to the employees, with clear feedback systems in place. Employees need to understand how the change will affect their job and have a way to provide meaningful feedback. It is important that every member of the organization 1) feel involved in the change, 2) have reliable information, 3) see the change as dealing with past problems and 4) identify personal opportunities in the change. Ongoing discussions between middle management, supervisors and front-line employees become crucial to the success and acceptance of the change initiative.
Review the last change you initiated in your workplace:
How did you communicate the change?
Are there differences in how you communicated to those who were more open versus those who seemed opposed?
Was there someone you thought would embrace the change and they instead resisted? Was it a problem in how you communicated the change?
If you had used a different strategy, would it have influenced the outcomes?
Did you operate in a “sense-making” role or an “information sharing” role?
Did you use different strategies with those further away geographically?
Thoughtful and practical communication planning can help inspire the entire organization to move forward together, as opposed to leaving some behind.
Copyright 2008 Positive Leadership Solutions-James Hill
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
