Ensuring Transparency In Change Communication

A common communications problem I see in organizations with low-trust cultures: 🔺 Executive team makes a major decision that will change the company's direction or structure, a key employee experience, or a core process/tool. 🚨 All employees are notified at the same time - including people leaders and managers (because "this is HIGHLY sensitive and we can't risk a leak!") ⁉️ Employees instantly turn to their managers: "What does this mean for me?" 🤷♀️ Managers have NO idea because they just found out too. 😣 Employees are anxious, managers are anxious AND frustrated (not to mentioned embarrassed for feeling out of the loop). 👎 Productivity drops, morale suffers, and intent to leave rises. Managers are either your culture's biggest pain point or biggest success factor. The difference is you - not them. The difference is how well you empower them to actively advocate for the company's direction and goals and set them up to successfully lead their teams through these moments. The difference is trust. Here's an alternative way that scenario can play out in a high-trust, high-functioning culture: 🔺 Executive team makes a major decision that will change the company's direction or structure, a key employee experience, or a core process/tool. 💡 Executive team meets with all people leaders and managers a day before the internal company announcement. They inform them of the decision; provide background context that may not be appropriate for a broader audience; share resources to help managers support employees and answer anticipated questions; and give them time to absorb the change themselves and prepare for their team's response. 🚨 All employees are notified and are immediately invited to a team meeting by their manager. ⁉️ Employees instantly turn to their managers: "What does this mean for me?" 🤷♀️ Managers reiterate key company talking points plus add context unique to the team that helps put the change in perspective. They share links and points of contact for additional questions. They provide clear next steps for the team on how they are going to implement the change. 😣 Employees are processing the change, but feel in control. Managers feel prepared and valuable and a part of the broader leadership team. They are invested in a successful outcome. 👍 Productivity holds steady. Trust and morale increase because people feel respected. Empowered managers are sturdy leaders. Better yet, by bringing your managers into the 'room', you increase their self-confidence and deepen their commitment to the company by enabling them to be good at their jobs. Win-win. Again and again. #Culture #LeadershipDevelopment #InternalCommunications #ManagerDevelopment #Trust #Transparency

The Hidden Rules of Change Communication: Why Most Organizations Get It Wrong After observing dozens of transformations, I've discovered a hard truth: Great strategy with poor communication, Is the perfect formula for failure. Here are the 5 Golden Rules that separate Successful transformations from the failures: 1. Start With WHY Begin all change communication with purpose, not process. ✅ Create a compelling story that connects to both organizational mission and personal growth. 2. Maintain Message Consistency Ensure core messages remain consistent across all channels and leaders. ✅ Develop a central message platform and create communication toolkits that keep everyone aligned. 3. Create Two-Way Dialogue Make listening as important as telling. ✅ Establish multiple feedback channels and visibly respond to input received. 4. Visualize the Journey Make change visible and tangible through visual communication. ✅ Create visual roadmaps and progress dashboards that make the abstract concrete. 5. Communicate With Radical Honesty Build trust through transparent communication, even when challenging. ✅ Address concerns directly and create safe environments for difficult conversations. Communication isn't just about transferring information. It's the operating system for successful transformations. Which rule do you find most challenging to implement?

Layoffs, closures, restructuring... there’s no easy way to deliver hard news — but how you do it matters. I recently watched a video of Gary Vaynerchuk getting fired up (and I mean fired up) over a question from someone whose company announced they would be relocating their headquarters in 3 years. Yes — 3 years’ notice. They also announced that employees who chose not to relocate could keep their jobs and work remotely, but they wouldn’t be eligible for future promotions or increases. This employee was upset. She loves her job and the company, but feels management is ruining it. She asked Gary if she should cut her losses or stay, and he told her (with many trademark f-bombs) that her reaction reeked of entitlement, not injustice. He praised the company for communicating early, offering options, and giving ample time to prepare. (I’ll drop the link to the IG video in the comments if you want to see Gary go full Gary.) And this week, a coaching client called me. Their company recently announced that thousands of jobs will be eliminated by year-end, with a promise to notify impacted employees by the end of the month. No one knows who’s safe. Anxiety is high. Focus is low. We talked through how he, as a leader, could show up during this time: to keep his team informed, build trust, and support them — even while he’s in the dark himself. Here’s the thing: Companies can rarely “win” when change is coming. - If you give no notice — you’re heartless. - If you give months (or 3 years!) notice — you’re cruel for making people wait and wonder. But here’s what I know: ✳️ Transparency, even when imperfect, builds trust. So what can leaders do when change is coming, and people’s jobs — and lives — are on the line? * Communicate in person, with empathy. Even if the company made an official announcement, you need to have the conversation with your team. Meet with your team members one-on-one. Listen. Acknowledge their concerns without defensiveness. Don’t argue with feelings — they’re valid, even if the facts are off. * Be honest and transparent about what you can’t say yet. Answer questions when you can. And when you can’t, be clear about why, and when more information will be shared. People don’t expect certainty, but they do expect integrity. * Relate without centering yourself. If you’re potentially affected too, it’s okay to briefly acknowledge that. But don’t make it about you. Your role is to steady the ship, not captain a therapy circle. * Help them prepare — without feeding panic. Encourage your team to be mindful and proactive (talk with family, reach out to their network). But also remind them of the importance of staying focused and connected to the mission. Their work still matters. Their contributions still count. The truth is — if you haven’t built trust with your team before disruption hits, these conversations will be harder. But it’s never too late to start. You can’t make hard news easy. But you can make it human.

If your comms strategy during change is "wait until we know 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 before we say 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈," you’ve already lost. Transparency isn’t a "nice-to-have" during times of rapid change. It’s the only thing that keeps a team grounded when the ground is constantly shifting. If leadership goes silent, the watercooler theories start flying: "Are we hitting or missing our goals?" "Is a feature being sunset?" "How will our role change as a result?" Compare that to what we’re seeing from the best companies, who are rallying their people toward a mission, not demoralizing them: - Transparent, direct messaging 🎯 - Manager prompts 🤝 - Async videos & updates from execs 📹 - All hands with open Q&A 🙋 - Open door policy 🚪 Change is always coming, but when employees understand the context, they lean in and go the extra mile. When trust goes up ⬆️ Speed goes up ⬆️ And cost goes down ⬇️ — The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey

Employees faced 10 major organizational changes in 2024—up from just 2 in 2016. At the same time, their ability to cope with change has dropped from 74% to 43%. The result? Frustration, exhaustion, and burnout. We can’t always control how much change happens, but we can control how we communicate it. Here’s what makes the difference:   ✔ Clarify the WHY—Employees need to understand the reason behind change, not just the what and when. ✔ Simplify communication—A flood of branded initiatives can feel overwhelming. Tie changes back to a bigger purpose. ✔ Acknowledge the impact—Be honest about challenges. Transparency builds trust and helps employees adjust. Change fatigue is real, but leaders who communicate with clarity and empathy will create workplaces where employees feel supported, not just disrupted. #leadership #changemanagement #employeeburnout