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Data Sheet
[download data sheet]
Change. . .
rapid change. . . is rampant throughout the work place
and our lives. How we, as individuals or
businesses, adapt to and lead change efforts reflect how
successful we will be. A research study found that the top two
reasons projects succeed are 1) executive support and 2) end
user involvement.
Communicate-Change is a
high-impact, nominal cost program specifically designed to
increase the success and adoption of corporate change and
technology initiatives.
When employees
fail to adopt change, poor communications is generally cited as
the #1 reason. Lack of effective involvement by the #1 person –
the CEO or a senior leader – is the person most cited for not
being involved enough with the change process. Research shows
that adoption rates can be as low as 35 percent if change is
handled poorly or as high as 145 percent when handled well.
Productivity is
initially impacted negatively and acceptance of the change must
be achieved before productivity begins to rise again. The key is
to get through “the valley of despair” – or bottoming out – as
quickly as possible and “lock in” the new status quo.
The Difference
How
Communicate-Change™ works is through a holistic, integrated
communications and feedback methodology that focuses on end
users. Following a structured approach to communicate early and
often, it continually provides sufficient information to end
users, first to create awareness and then understanding.
Providing feedback mechanisms and two-way communications empower
end users to, sooner than later, accept and embrace the change
when they see how it benefits them. The result is more rapid
acceptance and adoption of the change and higher productivity.
Without the proper preparation, end users can sabotage a
project’s success with adverse behavior.
A targeted,
expertly segmented communications plan helps prepare people for
change, accept the change and make the change work smoothly for
them personally. The Communicate-Change™ custom road map,
templates, assessment, ongoing coaching and talking points guide
organization leaders to become successful change communicators.
As each individual successfully makes his or her own change,
then the organization changes more smoothly in the aggregate.
The Methodology
The Communicate-Change process addresses how to reach all end
users in a segmented manner with the right message for each,
depending on what aspects of the change affect each individual.
At the same time, assessment and refinement of the
communications plan are regularly conducted throughout the
project and at project milestones. The key is feedback and
tuning from all stakeholder groups impacted by the change from
the beginning through post-deployment.
State-of-Change Analysis
Assessment
starts at the beginning, usually during development of business
requirements for a technology project or the earliest planning
stage for corporate change. This includes the use of surveys,
focus groups, visioning and/or one-on-one feedback techniques.
Once gathered, the information helps determine the readiness of
different groups for change and the best means of communicating
only the change that impacts them. This change analysis drives
the strategic direction of the project’s communications plan for
your organization. The ongoing assessments and feedback loop
allows everyone—from executives to project leaders to end
users—to work through the many phases of change.
Change Sponsors and Agents
Custom
messaging
and coaching are provided to sponsors (executives and senior
leadership) and agents of change (front-line managers and
influentials) to regularly communicate change with end users
throughout the project life cycle.
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Executives
and senior leadership
are vital in any change management program. As change sponsors,
they must be visible throughout the project lifecycle and lead
the charge for change. Study after study shows that lack of
leadership in the change process is cited as among the top
reason for a change failing to take place. A key element of the
Communicate-Change process is coaching leaders and providing
ongoing support with messaging, talking points, action items and
next steps based on ongoing assessments and feedback loops.
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Front-line
managers and influential peers
are typically the most important leaders in directly reaching
end users making the change. Their communications and actions
are critical as change agents in moving direct reports and
colleagues along in the process. They, too, receive the same
level of communications support.
Communicate-Change Delivers Results
Even basic
change management communications is often ignored or put off
until an announcement to end users gives them a training date.
With no preparation, they can be shocked and resentful. While
considered the soft side of an initiative,
the hard reality is that the failure rate of IT
projects still hovers around 70 percent, and these types of
intangibles frequently contribute to the cause. Intangibles are
easy to eliminate from the budget, but allocating a rather small
percent of a project budget to communicate change effectively is
worth mitigating a potential and common 70 percent failure
rate. Communicate-Change ensures that a technology investment
isn’t wasted and can improve productivity after a change is
deployed. The flexibility
and adaptability of the Communicate-Change program matches your
needs and budget. It’s how you make change your gain.
About Us
MJ Hudak
Consultants blends expertise in technology, communications and
project management with an original change management
communications methodology, combining years of hands-on
experience with contemporary theory and research for these
rapidly changing times.
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