No matter what the size of the company; when a business is preparing to undergo a major strategic change, it doesn’t happen overnight but as a series of smaller, more easily manageablem steps – hopefully well-planned right from the outset through to final implementation.
Organisations that have delivered successful transformation understand that effective and positive communication is essential for a successful outcome. This requires transparency from senior management and a mutual two way process that allows for the airing of grievances and the opportunity for people to provide feedback. This way everyone knows their feelings and emotions have been taken into account and that they are individually respected enough to be kept abreast of changes.
The sensible choice
Successful strategic change, therefore, requires the personal touch. Even though we have all kinds of digital technology and apps to aid communication in our modern world of work; there is nothing like a real human being talking to their staff face-to-face, and more especially in times in change – there really isn’t any other sensible choice to make.
What is the Personal Touch?
Informal, face-to-face conversations may not completely allow all information to be expressed or people to be held fully accountable for what they say, but they do have the effect of expanding the boundaries of what employees feel can be safely expressed. This is simply because conversations are not taking place in a formal and controlled manner, which provides some measure of freedom in what can be expressed.
Management Formality
Formality does not always work for executives either – using more formal channels of communication can lead to other implications. In formal settings people, at all levels, tend to use restricted language that can sound evasive or confusing to other people who encounter the information by way of an email, web page or brochure etc. Formal language can sound unnatural and unconvincing – so may not be the best approach in times of upheaval where people are feeling vulnerable anyway. If a company has an open door policy and managers know that, if needed, they can right go to the top to gain information directly from the horse’s mouth, which can then be imparted straight to their staff – then this is the epitome of the personal touch and this is something that change management courses can teach those involved in strategic change.
A note about open door policies – make sure the policy is genuinely “open”. All too often organisations claim to have an open door policy but the reality is that employees do not feel able to approach senior management when there is an issue.
Caution regarding the written word
Anything expressed on paper or via text or email could then be used as “evidence” or become public and permanent. This description is meant to be punitive but simply to point out that caution will overtake openness if staff feel that what they say could then be misconstrued or used against them at some point in the future. What they do say however can be used in a positive manner even if not all of it is flattering! Change management experts always recommend that constructive criticism be used as feedback by management to help execute their change strategy in an effective manner; and with the minimum effect and disruption to the employees they are responsible for.
The most successful touch
The personal touch of small communication with a respected member of your own department delivers the most successful strategic change because it inspires the behaviour from employees within the company. After all – it’s not really businesses that make changes – it’s the people who work for them that do.
