Change Management Plans That Enhance Communication

Clear strategy. Solid plan. Adequate resources. Yet your transformation is still struggling. The missing ingredient? Effective communication. I've learned that communication can make or break your change efforts. Here are the critical dos and don'ts that separate success from failure: 1. DO start with why before what DON'T jump straight to implementation details 2. DO tailor messages to different stakeholder groups DON'T use one-size-fits-all communication 3. DO address the "What's in it for me?" question DON'T assume people automatically see personal relevance 4. DO communicate regularly and consistently DON'T go silent during difficult phases 5. DO create two-way dialogue channels DON'T rely solely on top-down messaging 6. DO acknowledge concerns and resistance openly DON'T dismiss or minimize people's fears 7. DO use visual communication tools DON'T depend only on verbal or written messages 8. DO prepare leaders at all levels to communicate effectively DON'T expect executives alone to carry the message 9. DO celebrate early wins and progress DON'T wait until the end to recognize achievements 10. DO communicate honestly about challenges DON'T sugarcoat difficulties or overpromise results Communication isn't just part of change strategy — It IS your change strategy. Which do you find most challenging to implement in your organization?

This posts brings together three of my #AI soapboxes: 1) that effective integration of #GenAI mean doing work at higher quality, in less time, with less mental strain, and with more enjoyment; 2) Prosci's research on how change practitioners were using AI in their own work (communication support, content creation, strategy & planning, automation & efficiency, and data analysis); and 3) #Kaiya - Prosci's AI Change Assistant giving you access to our corpus of knowledge, body of research, and immediately-actionable tools - all via a chat pane and plain language. So here are specific ways to use Kaiya to complete common #ChangeManagement tasks at higher quality, in less time, with less mental strain, and with more enjoyment - all while freeing up time to do the real #PeopleSideOfChange work. 1. Communication Support: Utilizing AI to assist in brainstorming, refining, and drafting communications. Use Kaiya to: - draft initial communication plans for stakeholders, ensuring key messages are included. - refine and clarify change messages, enhancing their coherence and impact. - generate tailored communication content for different audiences, making it more relatable and engaging. 2. Content Creation: Leveraging AI to rewrite, rephrase, and generate content for various communication materials. Use Kaiya to: - create templates for training materials or presentations, saving time on formatting and structure. - quickly draft change-related content, breaking down complex topics into simpler, digestible pieces. - assist in generating fictional case studies that illustrate the change impact, making training more relatable. 3. Strategy and Planning: Employing AI to review approaches, generate reminders, and develop plans. Use Kaiya to: - brainstorm tactics for engaging stakeholders during the change process, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered. - suggest improvements to existing change management strategies based on best practices. - help develop a timeline for change initiatives, ensuring all critical milestones are accounted for. 4. Automation and Efficiency: Utilizing AI to automate repetitive tasks and streamline content organization. Use Kaiya to: - automate the collection of feedback from stakeholders, making it easier to gauge sentiment during the change. - organize and prioritize tasks within the change management plan, reducing mental strain on practitioners. - create user personas based on stakeholder data, enhancing the targeting of communications and training efforts. 5. Data Analysis: Using AI to aggregate and analyze data related to change initiatives, providing insights that inform decision-making. Use Kaiya to: - analyze survey results from impacted employees, identifying trends and areas of concern. - generate reports summarizing change impacts and stakeholder feedback, aiding in performance tracking. - segment data based on employee preferences and behaviors, allowing for more personalized communication strategies.

Most change initiatives don't fail because of the change that's happening, they fail because of how the change is communicated. I've watched brilliant restructurings collapse and transformative acquisitions unravel… Not because the plan was flawed, but because leaders were more focused on explaining the "what" and "why" than on how they were addressing the fears and concerns of the people on their team. People don't resist change because they don't understand it. They resist because they haven't been given a compelling story about their role in it. This is where the Venture Scape framework becomes invaluable. The framework maps your team's journey through five distinct stages of change: The Dream - When you envision something better and need to spark belief The Leap - When you commit to action and need to build confidence The Fight - When you face resistance and need to inspire bravery The Climb - When progress feels slow and you need to fuel endurance The Arrival - When you achieve success and need to honor the journey The key is knowing exactly where your team is in this journey and tailoring your communication accordingly. If you're announcing a merger during the Leap stage, don't deliver a message about endurance. Your team needs a moment of commitment–stories and symbols that anchor them in the decision and clarify the values that remain unchanged. You can’t know where your team is on this spectrum without talking to them. Don’t just guess. Have real conversations. Listen to their specific concerns. Then craft messages that speak directly to those fears while calling on their courage. Your job isn't just to announce change, but to walk beside your team and help your team understand what role they play in the story at each stage. #LeadershipCommunication #Illuminate

Change doesn’t happen because you said so. Or because you hit ,Send'. One of the biggest traps leaders fall into is thinking that flooding inboxes with updates and memos will magically remove resistance. It doesn’t. Instead, teams disengage, leaders get blamed for “poor change management,” and transformation stalls before it even begins. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If you don’t build emotional milestones alongside project milestones, even the best plan will fail. 🔴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 “𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻” 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. Resistance isn’t caused by a lack of bullet points. It’s driven by fear, loss of control, and distrust. 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙧. When communication feels transactional, people quietly check out. Gallup found only 13% of employees think leaders communicate well during change. That’s how resistance goes underground and derails progress. 🔴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 You can’t email your way through resistance. You shift it by having real conversations that acknowledge emotions and invite people to help shape the path forward. 🔴 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝙁𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙮 trigger stress and shut down good decision-making. You can defuse it: 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁. - “This shift is hard, and it’s okay to feel uneasy. Let’s talk about it.” 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹. - Answer, “What’s in this for me?” 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲. - Run “Why?” sessions where teams can question and influence the plan. - Equip managers to handle tough conversations with empathy. Use peer influence. Trusted colleagues are often the most credible messengers. 🟢 Mindsets Over Metrics 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀. 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵. ✅ 𝗖𝗼-𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. Bring employees into defining why the change matters. ✅ 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Use surveys and Q&As to create real conversations. ✅ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀. When teams adopt new ways without pressure, spotlight it. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. Because people don’t resist change. They resist being changed. 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯? ----- 👋 I’m Lars – delivering transformation that sticks. 🔔 Follow me for more on fractional leadership and change management.