I recently observed an executive team build and execute an internal communication plan that was possibly the most successful one I’ve seen in many years of team consulting.
I’ve reflected on this quite a bit because too often I see leadership teams botch communication efforts to their employees, resulting in damaged trust and rampant confusion.
So what went right?
→ First, this firm has a core value rooted in honoring their employees. This is a value that I’ve seen in action for years, in big and small ways. When this leadership team set out to launch a major strategic change to the organization, they began thinking about the employee reaction and involvement months prior. It never left their sights as they went through the process.
→ Second, the leadership team put emphasis on not just telling their people, but involving them in this decision. This meant intentionally figuring out when, how, and where to communicate pieces of the process to folks along the way. The motto was to bring people along. This was done with meticulous attention - which levels, groups, individuals; how and when; what mediums and formats. One of the executives made it his personal mission to get to every field office and be available to talk to anyone and everyone about this transition. At first, only a few employees would show up in his office - until he realized that he needed to set himself up in common areas so people felt safe and welcomed. It often ballooned into hours-long conversations where transparency and trust were in full action.
→ Third, the content they shared was probably more than most executive teams would be comfortable with. By choice, the leadership team wanted their employees to understand the ins and outs, pros and cons, and risks/benefits of this tremendously impactful decision. As much transparency as was both possible and smart was their goal, and even when confronted with uncomfortable questions, the team stuck to this approach.
→ Lastly, and maybe most importantly - they listened. Executives and senior level leaders were empowered to have conversations with people, to help them understand financial implications, business reasons, future strategic perspectives, and everything in between. And they listened and learned. Carved out time for one-on-one and group discussions. Left enough space for folks to air questions and concerns. And showed appreciation for when employees raised their voices to be heard.