Stop Talking and Start Communicating

The Toddler and the Illusionist

One of my favorite quotes comes from playwright George Bernard Shaw. He pontificated, “the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”.

Here’s an example:

“I told my kid he needed to clean his room, but he didn’t.” The dad believes he communicated and thus his will should be done (yes, part of this article is literary therapy for this dad of two). Surprise, the room stayed messy.

But he was doing something else. But it didn’t sound enjoyable. But their relationship was strained from an earlier argument. But he wasn’t paying attention. But he didn’t think it was serious. But he thought he had more time. But he didn’t fully comprehend what he’d get to do afterward. But he just didn’t want to.

Now, what about, “I told [the SME] to [review the draft requirements], but he didn’t”. Or how about, “I told [the department leader] to [actively support her department through transition] but she didn’t.” Is the prior paragraph any less applicable?

The talking took place. The tree did make noise when it fell in the forest. But functionally, if it didn’t lead to the desired action, did it REALLY take place – did it matter that it occurred? Is it actually Communication?!

Manufacturing an example

I’ve done a lot of work implementing ERP (think SAP) and PLM systems (like PTC‘s industry-leading Windchill and FlexPLM), both heavily used by manufacturers. Those clients don’t fit neatly into the stereotypical white-collar workplace. Executives and some business employees (usually back office or shared service departments, like finance or HR) work at HQ at a desk with a computer and smartphone. A majority of the workforce is spread across multiple locations, usually including factory floors and usually encompassing at least some workers who have minimal computer/email time and no company-issued smart phone (and many are hourly).

Yes, you can just send a bunch of emails and share updates during existing leadership touchpoints. But exercises in futility won’t count towards your daily fitness goal. The challenges of communications for manufacturing clients usually require:

• A multi-media approach to collateral (including low-tech like flyers and posters)
• Ruthlessly wordsmithing to give the absolute minimum amount of content with a self-serve option for more details
• Seamlessly infiltrating existing communication cadences (like shift meetings)
• Coopting direct supervisors to deliver communication instead of executives or consultants
• Coordinating messages between locations to avoid rumors getting ahead of facts
• Carefully but actively incorporating appropriate messaging regarding how transformational improvements (usually around automation) will affect staffing/ assignments
• Keeping information narrow, especially the vision and business case, to relevant impacts for a personalized audience

From illusion to reality

Effective, worthwhile communication during transformation must successfully break through the noise of business as usual (yeah, sorry, corporate communications teams – your money is no good here) to reach the intended audience. That audience must internalize the message and take the intended action. Here’s how you can set your transformation’s communication program up for success:

Strategizing

Transformation is not a regular activity, so don’t approach its communication that way. Perform a focused stakeholder and communication needs assessment to understand what will make the most impactful communication program given the unique impacted stakeholder groups and the current conditions within the organization.

Planning

Ever see the “I Love Lucy” Chocolate Factory episode? In brief, even straightforward tasks can overwhelm you with shear frequency – just like a communication workplan (CWP). Program leaders tend to underestimate management of the detailed plan for all communication and engagement activities. Why? The idea of listing out what needs to be said and following dates is simple. Accordingly, they assign the wrong person. You need someone skilled and available to live and breathe the CWP daily, preparing far in advance, able to pivot frequently and at a moment’s notice, and willing to push back for the sake of the audience. Plus, experience with Outlook and speaking the language of the end user doesn’t mean they know how to effectively write for an audience.

Creating

• Consider all the people involved. Who is supposed to receive the communication and who would the best sender be to ensure they pay attention? Remember, you can always have a ghost writer.
• What’s in it for them? Most people are there to do a job and receive compensation with minimal discomfort. Why should they consume your whole communication when they already have a full plate?
• What action do you desire from them? If there is nothing the audience needs to know or do differently, don’t waste their time (I’m looking at you, newsletter someone insists goes out no matter what on a frequent basis). If there is, be concise and clear.

Root vegetables

In his biopic, Shrek famously said, “Ogres are like onions”. So is OCM. Not for the same reason. Onions are root vegetables. While the work is being done to create the food, the average person only sees the above-ground stem; the vegetable is underground.

Like onions, most impacted stakeholders never see the bulk of the work put into properly managing organizational change. Instead, they only experience training (more on that here) and communication execution. All the work to understand and address organizational risks, impacts, and anchoring paradigms comes down to training and communication collateral and events. So, your communications must be top-notch.

Do you have an expert gardener leading your Communication Program and the work that sets it up for success? If not, let’s chat on how to keep your transformation on track to achieve the intended ROI with minimal pain and cost.