How And Why You Should 'Tell It Like It Is'

Staff will understandably be preoccupied with their own fate. They want their managers to “tell it like it is " but instead they are given carefully calculated messages. These communications can range from PR spin - to scare talk - to blind optimism. These types of messages can seriously erode the staff's perception of management's credibility.

Meanwhile the rumour mill can run rampant, forcing management into damage control.

Tell it like it is - the benefits

If you propose implementing or undergoing any restructuring or organisational change within your business in the future you can avoid all these problems by developing an appropriate communication strategy.

Having a sound communication strategy in place has some very sound benefits for your business. The improved communication strategy will ensure that you build staff awareness, understanding, acceptance, motivation, commitment, loyalty and trust.

Follow these 10 steps to create a successful communication strategy for any re-structure, merger, or organisational change.

1. Agree the “givens” up front
   
   The “givens” describe what you have to do and how you will do it.
   
   “What” you have to do is deliver the performance objectives the merger promises. Examples of those objectives are cost savings, revenue growth, sustained service levels, reduced employee churn or a heightened level of trust needed for the new organisation to operate.
   
   After identifying these objectives, establish principles for “how” you will communicate, e.g. committing to telling the truth, listening and using front-line managers as key communicators.
   
   
2. Lock in senior management
   
   The plan must identify desired performance outcomes – communication goals, stakeholders, actions and key performance indicators for each stage of the change process. Take senior management with you on the communication strategy development process, getting their input along the way. They must understand it, support it and own it.
   
   
3. Develop a “story”
   
   This story must answer the questions – what’s happened, why, what happens next and what it means for me. This should be “stress tested” with some front-line managers to make sure it addresses the real issues staff are worried about as well as what senior managers want to say. It must be simple, credible, honest and constantly reinforced.
   
   
4. Communicate early and often
   
   Don’t wait until you have “all the answers” – you never will. Uncertainty is an enemy and can only be overcome by communicating openly, honestly and often. Don’t be afraid to say what you know and what you don’t know yet. When all else is uncertain; communicate which steps will be used to resolve the issue.
   
   
5. Listen
   
   It’s easy for managers to go into “tell” mode and forget what people are really worried about. Gather “intelligence” from managers and staff early and on a continual basis. If you don’t know the top three issues being discussed daily in the cafeteria, or around the water cooler, you’re not listening.
   
   
6. Measure process and performance
   
   Are your communication processes working, and are performance outcomes being delivered? To check process, measure awareness in different parts of the business and the numbers of people briefed. Measure performance impact – productivity, lost time, market share, employee churn, trust etc. If performance is headed in the wrong direction, change your communication approach. Report to senior managers regularly.
   
   
7. Build new communication systems
   
   Create a merger communications team with representatives across functions and a network across the business to drive communication. Make sure you have the 80/20 right: put 80% of your effort into two-way, face-to-face communication (briefings, conversations etc.) and 20% of your effort into “long-life” communication (intranets, newspapers etc.) as support.
   
   
8. Manage signals
   
   People are watching for hints of the future. Develop a signalling plan for the CEO, MD and senior management team. It should detail what each will do to “signal” what’s important in the new organisation. This could include site visits or stopping activities or doing things differently. Monitor what people are thinking and saying, and eliminate any negative signals fast.
   
   
9. Use credible communicators
   
   Use senior people to communicate the “big picture” as well as any bad news, and front-line managers for detail and follow-up. Use senior managers as “mentors” for “hot spots” in the organisation or where front-line managers are struggling.
   
   
10. Manage it all very, very tightly
    
    Have the same heightened level of awareness, attention to detail and activity during mergers that you would during crisis communication. The difference is mergers or the like often take months, if not years, to bed down. Monitor the situation and review the communication plan as the merger develops. Finally, maintain focus on honest and frequent communication and never assume anything.

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