When Change Becomes Evolution by Laura Mosby
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Transcript of When Change Becomes Evolution by Laura Mosby
Oh Lord, Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.Leading Evolution through Effective Communication
Laura Mosby, LCSW
Setting Our Intention
To proactively and successfully lead the organization through dynamic times using effective
communication styles
Change and Evolution• If we do not grow, adapt, and evolve in response to our environment….we die, we become extinct.
• Change is many things to many people:– Uncomfortable– Scary– Exciting– Challenging
Leadership has as its corner stone, the ability to communicate.
Outcome of Effective Communication
Employees feel respected and engaged
Information is accurate and complete
Increased understanding of the Why
Instills a sense of shared ownership
Decreased resistance to change
Minimal to no negative impact to moral.
What is Your Style ? Hands On
Thinker
Explorer
Free Thinker
Hands On: Loves Doing
Concrete and Task Oriented
Discuss and show practical applications
Use concrete terms and explanations (not abstract)
Remain organized and structured
Pay very close attention to deadlines
Do things in sequential and orderly steps
Demonstrate to illustrate an idea or point
Try to do things in an exact and precise way
Use brief and "to-the-point" comments (don't ramble)
Great at "hands-on" project-type tasks.
Thinker: Loves Ideas
Focus on main ideas and logical conclusions.
Pay very close attention to deadlines
Do not procrastinate or make excuses
Use outlines, charts, graphs, and spatial mapping
Open to the use of abstract explanations
Support information with facts (proof)
Support views and opinions with logic and evidence
Open to topics that allow for debate
Allow for research-type tasks.
Explorer: Loves Innovation
Open to new ideas
Open to change
Allow room for creative innovation
Open-minded to opinions and views
Relate ideas to the real world (use real world examples)
Focus on processes and applications rather than facts
Willing to take a risk or investigate
Patient with disorganization
Jumps from one idea to another
Allow for innovative and creative tasks
Free Thinker: Loves to DreamShare personal experiences
Apply personal meaning to ideas
Participate in discussions and activities
Use gestures and positive body language
Be sincere and show interest and concern
Use images, pictures, and color
Show how ideas and details apply to life
Open to use of metaphoric language and expression
Don't force structure - allow room for flexibility
What is Communication?Words
Actions
Body Language
Voice Tone
This constitutes precisely one-half of the communication process.
The Other Half: Message Received
Verifying that the message you intended to send was actually received and interpreted the way
you intended.
The only way that you can be sure you have created understanding is to listen to the people
with whom you are communicating.
. Receivers Listen Selectively
They hear, filter and process some things and not other things.
That means that while you may have explained the "whole picture", is it likely that the whole thing wasn't received.
Retention
Studies indicate we remember only 25 – 50% of what we hear.
So for a 10 minute conversation you are only really hearing 2.5 – 5 minutes.
What does that mean for the speaker/listener?How can we impact that percentage?
Communicating Difficult Messages
orMessages about Evolution
(Change)
Think About:What kind of messages you wish to send: the facts and your attitude
What you want people to take away from your communication
Convey
A sense of purpose and commitment
You have confidence in your "team”
That you want and need input
That you recognize any negative impact
That you are open to discussion
Your expectations regarding behaviors
But what about you?Sometimes you won't be committed to the change, or you won't be very confident that you and your staff can pull it off, particularly when the change is imposed.
What do you do?
What do we need to do as an organization?
Who, What, When, How ?As a Leader you need to make decisions about:
With whom you must communicate
What needs to be communicated
When you will communicate and
How you will do it.
What ?
As much factual information as is available to you.
Information that will reduce uncertainty and ambiguity
Pre-empt the grapevine.
Provide forums for employees to communicate their reactions and concerns to you.
A small amount of information about a negative change may increase anxiety.
If you have preliminary information about a change, that others do also, and that it is likely that your employees will hear rumors.
You are communicating the facts of the change, and also your own reactions to it.
As a leader, your staff will watch you carefully.
When it is Bad NewsDescribe the news in clear and straight forward mannerExplain WhyExplain how the decision is fairInvolve a high-status messengerDeliver in a timely mannerIdentify who made the decision and the process they usedOutline what alternatives were consideredShow that the organization cares and how is it helping employees?Describe how the problem will be avoided in the future
Tips from the Gale Group/ International Association of Business Communicators
When?
As soon as possible about change. In anticipation of change, during the implementation, and after the change.
The longer you wait to communicate details of change, the more likely you are to extend the period of adjustment.
The sooner you communicate the less information will come through the grapevine.
Grapevine information tends to create a high degree of anxiety, and also a high degree of mistrust of management.
Who? Communicating on a
“need to know basis”
What are the Pitfalls?
Who ?
Group or Individual Meetings
Groups Ensures that each person present is hearing the
same information at the same time.
Group communication allows interaction about the changes and can help develop a sense of team.
Disadvantages to Group
There will be some people who will not feel comfortable talking in a group context.
The more "personal" the effects of the change, the more likely people will withdraw from the group process.
One or two particularly vocal and negative people can set the tone for the group.
There are some issues that cannot be discussed within a group.
IndividualAdvantage of privacy.
Allows more in-depth exploration of feelings, ideas and reactions to the change.
A disadvantage is that it may fragment your team.
There is a possibility of inconsistent messages
Group or Individual ?Use group communications if:
You need to ensure everybody hears the news at the same time.
You want to encourage group discussion to generate ideas for problem solving.
You want to increase the sense of team.
You wish to set the stage for individual meetings.
Use individual meetings if:
The changes are likely to cause a high degree of emotionalism that is better dealt with in private.
You want to ensure that shyer people have a chance to express themselves.
The changes involve elements that should remain confidential.
You need to have detailed discussion with specific people.
HOW: Oral or Written
Oral communication is better when:
Receiver is not very interested in getting the message.
Emotions are high.
You need feedback. You need to convince or persuade.
The details and issues are complicated.
Written communication is better:
You require a record of the communication for
future reference.
Your staff will be referring to details of the change later.
Generally, it is wise to use both written and oral communication.
The more emotional the issues, the more important it is to stress oral communication first. Written
communication can be used as backup
SupportFor those sharing the messages
What do managers need?
How do we provide it?
For those handling the responses
Could be different then the messenger
How do we support?
Closing Thoughts
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.