Communicating From The HR Department NNHRA January 16, 2014

NeuroSense Consulting Putting Brains to Business Business Coaching Training Design And Delivery Performance Management Executive Development Susan Strating Bradley Harris

Share Your Experiences What communication job do you dread the most? What is the most difficult message you have had to communicate to your organization?

Communication is a Project Build the Project Charter Draft the Project Plan Craft the Message Decide on the Channels Flesh Out the Project Plan Execute Follow Up

Big Communication Jobs Should Be Managed Like Projects… …Because That’s What They Are. Project Charter Project Manager Project Sponsor Project Team Project Goals Project Plan and Timeline “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

Hermagoras of Temnos 1st Century BCE Greek Teacher of Rhetoric ‘Elements of Circumstance’ The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. Who, what, when, where, why, in what way, by what means.

Also know as the journalist’s outline. W ho What Where W he n Why Ho w Also know as the journalist’s outline.

The Communicator’s Outline The order of the questions is as important as the questions! Why, What, Who, Where, How, When You don’t know what to communicate until you know why you are communicating. You don’t know who will do the communication until you know what and why. You don’t know where or how (channels) until you know why, what and who. You don’t know when you can get it done until you know everything else.

Questions for the Project Why are we doing this? Goals What are the three or four key points? Who is the audience(s)? Who will deliver it? Who will approve the communication plan? Who is on the project team? Where and How will it be delivered? Channels When will it be delivered? Timeline Why: are you communicating? (Goal) Why is “this” happening? What do you need to communicate? (key bullet points) Who needs to hear it? (one audience, or multiples?) Who should you partner with in planning and delivering? Are your supervisors/managers responsible for follow on implementation? Are there some employees who can help you plan, anticipate problems? How do you do it, and how do you want them to respond? And not respond? (insert example…increasing premiums, a layoff…) What is at stake for YOU? (tease out…credibility) How do you need to communicate it? (ask about demographics, geography, shifts, languages, i.e. organizational complexity)

Project Plan Kick Off Meeting with the Team Major Tasks in Order Dependencies Owners Reviewers Timeline Work Backwards from Deadline Approvals, Travel Schedules, Vacations, Other Priorities Don’t Let Deadlines Drive Sloppy Communication

Crafting the Message Journalist’s Outline Who What Where When Why How Build the message off your goals and the key points. Who is affected? Who isn’t? Who made this decision? What do affected people need to know? What do they need to do? What is changing? What’s this going to cost/save? Where can affected people get more information? When will decisions be made? When is this change effective? When will more information be available? When will this all be over? Why is this being communicated? Why is this happening? Why now? Why are the affect people affected? Why should employees care? How will it work? How will they know the final outcome?

CHANNELS: Where and How Hard Channels Soft Channels Formal Meetings Email Press Releases Staff Meetings Bulletin Boards One-on-ones “MBWA” “HRBWA” Gossip and Grapevine MEDIA: What PowerPoint Audio Video Paper Electronic Text Speech

Channel Considerations Use Multiple Channels Is There A Need For An External Release Of Information? Customer, Vendors, Investors, News Media? If You Don’t Do It, Will Employees Do It For You? How Complex Is Your Organization? Shifts, Geography, Languages, Occupations? Consider The Grapevine and the Gossip Mill a Fact Of Life. How Do You “Invite It In”?

Communication Project Planning Template A Tool For You Communication Project Planning Template

EXECUTE THE PLAN 

Plan the Follow Up Formal and Informal Feedback Restate the Key Points Decide on Channels for Responding to Feedback Filter Restate the Key Points Reminders

Tips Impact matters more than intent. Consider your company’s culture. How does this impact your message? Your channels? Is it news or change? Do you need to manage the change along with communicating the news? Use others in the planning process to increase buy-in and effectiveness. Include some tough critics. How do YOU feel about presenting?

Final Thoughts Remember the radio station we all listen to: WIIFM. Communication = Leadership. Your credibility is enhanced when you do this well. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of intelligence.

Give Us Your Business Card… …And We’ll Send You The Communication Project Planning Tool.

W ho? What? Where ? W he n? Why? Ho w ? Questions?

Thank You NeuroSense Consulting Susan Strating Bradley Harris Putting Brains to Business Thank You Susan Strating Bradley Harris