Running head: COMMUNICATION PLAN

Communication Plan
AET/560
August 22, 2016
Dr. Christine Nortz

COMMUNICATION PLAN

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Communication Plan

Any action plan for change needs to be rooted in a sophisticated understanding of how
the organization works and what needs to be achieved. (Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, 2012, Ch 9)
By using a communication plan it puts into perspective what the needs are of the company to
successfully complete the change process. Through the use of technology, assessment, and
communication, CBS will be able to successfully complete the changes process in order to move
forward toward a more social media based reporting style.
The four phases of the communication plan we plan to used are:
1. Pre-approval phase- this is where we pitch it and sell it to the top management
of the company.
2. Create the need for change- provide information about the change, the reason
for the change, and what the steps are of the change process.
3. Mid-stream changes- Progress and feedback from employees on how they are
feeling, their roles, any issues, misconceptions, and other items.
4. Confirmation of the change being complete- celebrate and inform of the
success of the company completing the change.
(Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, 2012, Ch 9)
Technology:
CBS will be using technology throughout the implementation of the change process. The
type of technology will be the use of laptops, and internet, as well as access to Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, and other social media sources in order to be successful and do their jobs. During the
change process managers and supervisors will need access to these items as well as the program
that we will be selecting to use for the feedback forms we are going to be sending out.

COMMUNICATION PLAN

Assessment:
We will be assessing the feedback responses we have obtained through our social media
postings by positive and negative response to online articles. We will also send out feedback
surveys that we can track customer needs and desires. Throughout the change process managers
and supervisors will work with writer to maintain honest and accurate reporting while the
changes are taking place. There needs to be a candid assessment from multiple perspectives of
the change process and the strengths and weakness of the various approaches used along the way.
It asks: (a) What were the intended results, (b) what were the actual results, (c) why did the
actual results happen, and (d) what can be done better, next time? (Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols,
2012, Ch 9)
Generating Feedback:
Feedback will come from reader feedback of articles and surveys we present to them on a
quarterly basis. Feedback from the social media posts will allow us to almost instantaneously
assess the quality of the posting as well as the reader interest pertaining to certain events or
subjects being discussed. In house surveys will be also given on a quarterly basis to assess the
opinions and desires of the employees in the roles. A powerful use of surveys is an approach
called survey feedback.26 It is an action research method developed by organizational
development (OD) practitioners as a way to stimulate and advance conversations and insights
concerning what is going on in the organization, how members are feeling, and how things could
be improved. (Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, 2012, Ch 9)
Negative Communication and Responses:
Throughout the change process there will be, on occasion, times where there will be
negative feedback and responses that are given. It is important that during the change process as

COMMUNICATION PLAN

a company we stay as transparent as possible to reduce these types of responses. There needs to
be a process in place in order to reduce the likeliness of negative responses.
Klein suggests six principles:
1. Message and media redundancy are key messages for retention
2. Face-to-face communication is most effective.
3. The immediate supervisor is key.
4. Line authority is effective in communications.
5. Opinion leaders need to be identified and used.
6. Employees pick up and retain personally relevant information more easily than other
types of information.
(Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, 2012, Ch 9)
Produce Organizational Change:
This plan if implemented and followed will help to transition the employees through the
organizational change process. The plan allows for a consistent and smooth transition from the
old way of news reporting to the new way of reporting using social media.

Reference:
Cawsey, T. F., Deszca, G., & Ingols, C. (2012). Organizational change: An action-oriented

COMMUNICATION PLAN

toolkit (2nd ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.