Communication Plan Earl K. Darby CUR/560 Professor Charity Jennings August 17, 2015

Launching Communication Plan Define the change Convince stakeholders of need Explain the impact Communicate structure/job changes Keep information flowing The first primary of the communication plan is defining the change. Convincing upper management to go along with an organizational change is a hurdle that change leaders must undertake. The change leader must be convincing in the sell of change processes to stakeholders as well. That includes, explaining the impact that change will have on the organization and communicating structural and job changes are an effective approach to dispelling rumors among stakeholder. In addition, it is important that throughout the change process that information is continuously flowing (Spector, 2013) .

Launching Communication Plan (Cont’d) “Timing is Everything” Preapproval Explain the need Middle/ongoing changes confirmation changes Cawsey, Deszca, and Ingols (2010) outline four phases of the communication plan: 1) prespproval, 2) the explanation of the developing need, 3) ensuring that adjustments and changes are ongoing throughout the process, and 4) the confirmation of the changes impact. Launching Communication Plan (Cont’d)

Technology Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Computer w/peripherals Desktop Laptop iPad/Tablet Smartphone Media/Social media Facebook Twitter Pinntrest Website, etc. Transportation An ICT platform is crucial for keeping in touch with change agents, stakeholders, and those effected. Computer technology is essential for 21st century communications with all the peripherals attached, such as printers, monitors, and appropriate applications downloaded. Other ICT includes cellular telephones, televisions, beepers, and three-way communication. One cannot refer to the 21st century without referring to social media. Popular trends are brought to light through facebook, Twitter, Pinntrest, and the Internet with its websites. Of course, no organizational change is complete without the vehicles to move around.

Evaluation of Effectives/Impact Overall predisposition to change Regular scheduled meetings Rumors under control Adoption continuum After determining the overall predisposition to change, change leader can schedule regular meetings to find out where in the change process are the departments affected. ‘Are they meeting the goals?’ is a concern of change leaders and stakeholders alike. A measurable data in the change processes is determining how well rumors are dealt with. For example when rumors are replaced with truth, change leader know how well changes are doing. In addition, the use of the adoption continuum will inform change leaders where individuals stand with regard to their predisposition to change. Evaluation of Effectives/Impact

Evaluation of Effectives/Impact (Cont’d) Feedback from staff & employees Standard reports/general information Face-to-face communications Very few ealuations are successful without the intervention of personal feedback from individual employees and staff members. Standard an general reports usually contain the raw benchmark data to illustrate the performance of the organization and how well they are receptive to organizational change. Traditional education taught that face to face communications are the best method of evaluating how well the change is receptive. Evaluation of Effectives/Impact (Cont’d)

Feedback for Continuous Improvement Set benchmark data Communicate future changes Remain enthused & excited Celebrate progress Effective communications campaign Benchmark data helps to determine where competitors standard and, consequently, where the organization stands with the change entrusted with them. Keeping future changes in the forefront helps the energize the base and keeps change leaders enthusiastic and excited. This attitude posture is essential for change leaders. In addition, feedback that lends itself to celebratory events for the process is not a new thing. It is an essential thing for organizations to celebrate the success of the change. When communication campaigns are effective it eliminates the kinds of rumors that are destructive. Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Responding to the Negative Recognize rumors are part of the process Eliminate credibility declines & ambiguity Be an effective middleman Remain enthusiastic & encouraging Message & media redundancy Rumors are an inevitable part of change. Unfortunately, many rumors are misconceptions or misinterpretations of the change proposals. Rumors and cause fear, resentment, animosity, stress, pressure, and tension between employees, stakeholder, management, and staff. Change leader respond to negativity by being credible, clear, and concise about changes processes. Essentially, change leader are the middlemen between management and employees. They must reamins enthusiastic and encouraging while rumors may still persist. Cawsey, Deszzca, and Ingols (2012) explain that message and media redundancy are important for helping to bring clarity and understanding for organizational change. Responding to the Negative

Affecting Organizational Change Celebrate successes Reinforce commitment Dispels rumors Provide detailed information An effective communication plan celebrate change successes and reinforces commitment to the organization. Rumors are dispelled when plenty of detailed information is disseminated at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the change process. In addition, an effective communication will provide stakeholders with more than enough details about the change and how change will look in the future. Affecting Organizational Change

Affecting Organizational Change (Cont’d) Eliminate ambiguity Make personally relevant Enriches communications Well executed communications strategies Change leader cannot be two-faced or wavering about change instructions posted. In other words, change leader supposed to be consistent about the change and encouraging to people who might feel irrelevant. An effective communication plan enriches communication and reduces the urge to be resistant to organizational change. Finally, an effective communication plan is practice in well executed communication strategies. Affecting Organizational Change (Cont’d)

References Cawsey, T. F., Deszca, G., & Ingols, C. (2012). Organizational Change: An Action –Oriented Toolkit (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. ClipArt ; Courtesy of MsWord 2007 Application. Spector, B. (2013). Implementing Organizational Change (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.