If you're leading change - in your business, in your life, in your community - stop and think about others around you. How will they be impacted by your actions? How might they benefit from more communication, not less?
I looked outside this morning and was struck by the progress being made on a new home built on the street behind us. As the framing begins, and the first floor elevation rises well above the neighbouring homes, we're left wondering what the end result will be and how it will impact us.
Now don't get me wrong, I support change in all aspects of life including improvements to the community. The home that was removed was in poor condition and the new one will be a significant upgrade. But, why do we have to guess what it will look like? We can see the changes day by day and after living here for 20+ years there's no question that we will be impacted by it, but we have no idea what the end result will be.
Does this sound familiar? Have you seen changes happening in your company, but you're left in the dark, wondering why this is happening and how it will affect you? I've seen too many leaders choose to communicate on a "Need-to-Know" basis. It erodes employee engagement and undermines the support that's critical to sustain change.
If you're still hanging on to a "Need-to-Know" communication style, here's what your employees want you to know:
1. We're going to find out eventually.
The owner will soon move into this house, but they have lost the opportunity to meet the neighbours and start this relationship on the right foot. We may not agree with some details in the plan, but we are going to be together soon either way.
The changes that you are making in your business will eventually be apparent to everyone. Communicating early and often builds trust with your employees and signals that they are important to you. If you care about the relationship, let them in on the plan. If you don't, gossip fills the vacuum and you will lose control of the message.
2. We can help you.
There happens to be an old creek bed that runs along the fence line between these properties. The Spring brings significant runoff and sometimes standing water. I know if I was building a house I would want to know about it.
Where are the creek beds in your organization? It's not possible to see them all from the corner office. Your people are out there, knee deep in water in the springtime. If you communicate and look for input, they can help you to avoid mistakes that would be obvious to them and invisible to you.
3. If we know where we're going, we may choose a different path to get there.
With a little more clarity, I may decide to adjust my plans for landscaping, directing sight lines differently or installing plantings that create the best possible outcome.
Your teams can do the same. It's easy to ignore those not working in the immediate areas/processes/divisions where the changes are happening. But businesses are highly connected, complex organisms. The work you are doing in one division may impact another in ways you couldn't understand. Why not get that on the table early and plan for it?
Further still, communication clarifies the strategic direction for your organization and lets everyone test their current projects against it. If they find they are heading in a different direction, they now have a chance to adjust their approach and improve the chances of achieving your overall strategic objectives.
4. Ahhh, now I get it. I'm on board.
At the end of the day, communication creates alignment and commitment.
I can't influence how or what gets built by my neighbour, but I can decide whether or not I want to look at it. I can even move from the neighbourhood if it no longer meets my needs.
The same is true for your employees. Communication creates clarity of vision and purpose that attracts team members with a similar vision. Don't be worried about losing those who don't agree. You will be far better off in the long term to replace them with those who buy in and will be motivated and engaged on the journey.
We Can Help
Chapman Management Solutions have extensive experience in facilitating change and effectively articulating the strategic direction for organizations large and small.
Give us a call at 289.885.3878 or visit chrischapman.ca to learn more.