A recent Monday morning began like most others. I had a team conference call to discuss the status of different sales opportunities, then worked on getting a report out the door. Then I received an email. The president of our company had called a meeting for that day. This was unusual. Everyone in the company was summoned. The reason for the meeting? We were being acquired.
This is a big change for a small company but the biggest message our CEO kept repeating was, “It’s business as usual.” Well, all the employees knew that it was not business as usual. There was anxiety over job security, location changes and benefit changes. While the CEO thought he was doing the right thing by indicating it would be business as usual, this approach actually had the opposite effect.
In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we’re sharing six mistakes to avoid when communicating change from Henry DeVries, CEO of Indie Books International.
Mistake 1—Many well-meaning CEOs attempt to improve change communications talking directly to front-line employees. This can be a mistake because it can be viewed as a mere symbolic move, and today’s disillusioned worker has little love for the empty gesture. Also, this approach can actually weaken the relationship between front-line workers and supervisors. Workers want to work for someone who is connected and has a degree of power within the organization. They want to know their supervisor has some pull, and is not viewed as powerless.
Mistake 2—Some senior executives push for equality by having supervisors sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with front-line employees to hear the big news. Again, this shows senior management’s failure to recognize the supervisor’s superior status. This reduces the supervisor’s perceived power and weakens his or her effectiveness as a force of change with their direct team. What many senior executives fail to realize is that the only communications with the power to change behavior is the kind between a supervisor and a direct report.
Mistake 3—Applying the strategy that more must be better. Some executives believe in communication overkill with too many employee reports, posters, news bulletins, video scripts, team briefing outlines, brochures and guidebooks. Critical communication is the type that happens face-to-face between a supervisor and front-line employees, so spend time and resources on preparing the supervisors. Arm them with key messages and key questions they can anticipate from their staff.
Mistake 4—Not giving supervisors a persuasive story to tell. If there is a true story to tell about how the change will benefit the company, then prepare your supervisors to communicate that story. If not, at least give supervisors a narrative to tell about how success can be achieved in the future. Every story starts with the name of a character who wants something. Give them a tangible example of what led to this and how it helps them and employees in the future. Be the voice of wisdom and experience. Don’t count on the listeners to get the message. It’s your job to tell them what the story—or what this new chapter in your business means to them.
Source: Henry DeVries, CEO of Indie Books International, works with consultants to attract high-paying clients by marketing with a book and a speech. As a professional speaker, he teaches sales and business development professionals how to build an inventory of persuasive stories. He is the author of Marketing with a Book and Persuade with a Story!
