News
01 June 2009
How to Communicate Effectively
The emphasis on communicating effectively has never been greater. The “current climate” has become common rhetoric in organisations. Add to this the fact that 98% of change projects fail because not enough attention is paid to communicating effectively and you have a new complexity to how you make change safe for people.
It is not enough to just inform people of what is happening but a necessity to inform people of what is NOT going to happen. It is an opportunity to use the ambiguity of recession to re-evaluate, be creative or completely change your habits and rituals. When implementing change in organisations, there are many facets of communication that need to be addressed:
- the launch can often involve elements of shock or surprise
- the management of the communication process can call for a variety of approaches and techniques to appeal to a variety of personalities and needs
- the assessment of stakeholders attitudes involves accurate understanding of needs and requires a breadth of tools for dealing with possible backlash or resistance
- throughout the change the messengers need to create new networks, be able to build trust and also get support themselves.
Chameleon Works has extensive experience in formulating internal communication plans to minimise change resistance.
“Leaders have an active role in understanding and designing communication of change far earlier than many of the target participants of the change. It is vital that leaders remember this when the time comes to release the message” says founder of Chameleon Works Ltd Deborah Fleming.
“Many leaders forget that they have had time to reflect on the message and make the mistake of issuing the message AND tasks to action at the same time which can feel overwhelming to the audience and build resentment!”
Feedback channels need to be built into the change programme to allow filters up and down the organisation. Open dialogue and consistent messages are just a few considerations. Chameleon Works organisational consultants have extensive experience in internal communication and the needs of different Personality Types during change.
Communication Services
- Communication Design – stakeholder analysis and planning
- Employee events - launch parties, awards, networking events
- Employee and management focus groups, networks and coaching
- Communication training and change management workshops
- Toolkits, management guidelines, staff handbooks, pocket guides, newsletters etc.
