7 Communication Do’s and Don’ts

for Leaders Facing Rapid Organizational Change

 “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but
those who can best manage change.”
Charles Darwin

In an increasingly interconnected world, change and disruption are the new normal. Technology has
been the catalyst for great accomplishment and even greater change. With the faster pace of work,
organizations are forced to make a choice: adapt or get left behind.

From mergers and acquisitions to pivots and other corporate shifts, many of today’s businesses
are undergoing major transformations to stay competitive, and the effects are felt across the entire
organization.

Organizational Change By the Numbers

A McKinsey survey of 3,000 executives revealed that enterprise
transformation efforts succeed only 40% of the time.
A study from Harvard Business Review found that more than 70% of
business transformation efforts fail.
A recent Towers Watson survey found that only 25% of change
initiatives succeed long term.

So how can you navigate such massive change with better success and higher morale?

It starts with your leaders.

To survive, leaders must step up and steer their teams through uncertain times with authentic,
consistent, and strategic communication. They must paint a clear picture of success for their teams
and guide them to the end goal. With the right approach and mindset, organizations can succeed
through times of change.

In the next few pages we are going to review the top do’s and don’ts for leaders facing change, but
first, let’s take a quick look at why this is so important.

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The Effects of Change on Organizations

“Change is inevitable in organizations, and when it happens,

leadership often underestimates the impact those changes
have on employees.”
David. W Ballard
PsyD, MBA, head of APA’s Center for Organizational Excellence

The stakes of organizational change are high, and the uncertainty that comes with disruption can
have devastating effects on employee productivity, turnover, and engagement. According to APA’s
2017 Work and Well-Being Survey of employed U.S. adults, those who had experienced recent or
current change at work were

2x 3x 3x
more likely to more likely to distrust more likely to feel
report chronic stress their employer cynical about change

Particularly during cutbacks and restructuring, employees can become uncertain of the future of the
organization and their role within it, leading to anxiety, burnout, and disengagement.

Shifting the Perspective

Change is an inevitable aspect of life and business and it can sometimes be difficult to navigate.
Focusing on the possibility of failure can be toxic. Fortunately, it’s possible to break this negative,
self-fulfilling prophecy. It starts with acknowledging that change is inevitable and that success is not
only possible, but likely. One study from the University of Chicago found that simply shifting the
focus and communicating the probability of success eliminated negative bias and increased the
chances of success.

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Your Brain on Change

We are emotional beings.

According to neurologist Antonio Damasio, humans do not make decisions purely based on logic. This
is because the prefrontal cortex is so tightly wound to the amygdala, which is the part of the brain
responsible for human response and emotions. So even when you present an entirely logical idea, it may
not accomplish your goal. Humans need more than logical facts to buy into an idea.

We are creatures of habit.

Science shows that the more we do something, the more likely we are to do it in the future. Habit is in
fact one of the most powerful forces in a person’s life and takes place in the basal ganglia. (For a great
read, check out Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit.) For a new concept to truly stick and for change
to occur, our brains need to build new connections and neuronal circuits. This can only be completed
through habit or hearing the message more than once.

We seek answers and simplicity.

Uncertainty can trigger powerful human emotional and behavioral reactions. The prefrontal cortex
can only handle so much information at once before it starts to reject new intel. This is a defense
mechanism that your brain uses to protect you from information overload, which is why clear and
consistent communication is critical for successful change to take place.

We assume the worst.

It is human nature to assume that failure is a more likely outcome than success, thanks to our
ventromedial prefrontal cortex. According to a series of studies from the University of Chicago, “people
demand less evidence to diagnose lasting decline than lasting improvement, despite similar evidential
quality.” These negative biases can wreak havoc on organizational change initiatives.

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Change can be hard.
It can also be incredibly fulfilling.

So, how can leaders stay inspired and lead their teams
through times of change? Now that we understand how the
brain works and the biases steering human change behavior,
it’s time to dive into seven do’s and don’ts for leaders
looking to motivate and inspire their teams.
Do: Paint a Picture of What’s Possible
The most powerful thing a leader can do to shift negative bias toward change is to share a
compelling vision of what that success looks like. The best way to convey this message is through
storytelling.

Storytelling allows leaders to connect to listeners on an emotional level, and make incorporated
facts easier to remember. In fact, research done by Princeton neuroscientist Uri Hasson shows that
storytelling can actually synchronize patterns in the listener’s brain with the teller’s brain through
a process known as neural coupling. These qualities are especially important when trying to align
an organization around a change message by cascading it through several layers of management or
across functional lines.

Don’t: Forget to Walk the Talk

To maintain employee engagement during a shift, it’s more important than ever to lead by example.
The team will turn to leadership to set the tone through the unknown. Want an open, engaged team
who feels comfortable raising a red flag and works collaboratively to tackle issues? Get out of the
office and ask people how they’re feeling. Share what excites you about the road ahead. React to
challenges with patience and a problem-solving attitude. Ask others for advice and help—and accept
it.

According to Gallup’s 2015 State of the American Manager study of 2.5 million
manager-led teams:
“Employees who are supervised by highly engaged leadership
teams are 39% more likely to be engaged themselves.”

Anxiety and change fatigue are unavoidable but you can minimize them by establishing trust and
showing people how to react to change in a healthy way.

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Do: Tap Into Your Values
Navigating change requires transparent, authentic dialogue between your organization’s leaders
and employees. People are already suspicious and uneasy and any perceived feelings of evasion or
conspiracy can quickly snowball into mistrust.

Unfortunately, the disruptive nature of change ensures that despite best efforts, there will be times
that communication gets murky.

A shift in strategy could be the result of new information or changing environmental factors.
Needing to make a snap judgement with limited data might lead you to a conclusion that you later
have to retract. Confidentiality restrictions might prevent you from sharing pieces of information
crucial to a decision.

One way to maintain trust when struggling to communicate a consistent or fully transparent
message is to share how your values guide you. What do you believe in? How do these values
connect to your vision for the organization? How did they lead you to a conclusion?

Don’t: Forgo Your Empathy

According to John Kotter’s “8 Step Process to Successful Change” the first step is creating a sense of
urgency. But you need to understand the difference between urgency and anxiety. In order to lead
through change, you need to allow space for people’s emotions and humanity—and then find a way
to guide them back to the vision.

Before any communication, think through the impact on your audience and what questions and
reactions you may illicit. What would you think or feel if you were them? What do they need to hear
from you to feel safe and stay focused?

By strategically considering your actions or talking points in this way, you boost the impact of your
message and prepare yourself to respond to hard questions with empathy instead of defensiveness.

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Do: Consider Your Virtual Impact
Prior to a town hall, keynote, or board meeting, many of us spend hours practicing, preparing, and
being coached on our impact. Yet despite almost 80% of business being conducted virtually these
days, many leaders think nothing of firing off an important email or making an announcement on a
conference call without the same level of strategic preparation. Virtual communication should be as
strategic and intentional as face-to-face interactions.

Don’t: Forget to Check In 1-1

“Confronted by change, people go through a time of transition
that is rarely easy. They adapt at different paces and in various
ways, depending upon the circumstances and the individual.”
Michael Wakefield
Co-Author of Leading Authentically in Times of Transition

Your team members will adjust to change differently. Some may be on board immediately while
others may take a little more time. Meet regularly with your direct reports to gauge their emotional
state, answer questions, and listen for change fatigue. Taking the time to explain their individual role
in achieving the vision and helping them focus on what is most important can also go a long way
towards engagement and motivation.

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Do: Wear Your Coach Hat
Be prepared to coach people through their differing reactions and give managers the tools they need
to guide others through ambiguity.

One of the positive effects of the change process is that it can foster innovation and bring new
high potentials to light. Who is stepping up and rallying others? Who is reacting to roadblocks with
fantastic new ideas?

Identify, reward, and nurture these people through regular coaching. If they see the change
landscape as an opportunity for development, it will be a win-win for your organization.

On the flip side, coaching can also help those struggling through a change. Giving regular feedback
and direction will keep them from shutting down and tuning out.

So What Does It All Mean?

As organizations grow more complex and find themselves in
a perpetual state of change, many experience higher levels of
turnover and lower levels of productivity as employees grow
increasingly confused and fearful about the future. To combat this
problem, leaders must become super-communicators with the
ability to inform, inspire, and engage their people consistently and
compassionately across all channels.

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Do your leaders have the tools they need
to effectively communicate through
organizational change?

If you are not sure, Ariel can help.

Ariel’s blended solutions leverage experiential learning and

cutting-edge technology to ensure your people write, speak, and
sell with impact and emotional intelligence.

For more information visit ArielGroup.com or reach

out to info@arielgroup.com anytime.