SMART ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNICATION
Ensure the at the right time right message is delivered by the right people and using the most appropriate method.
Smart Engagement & Communication
Communication, as a central part of change management, has almost become something of a cliche.
Strip it all down to the bones, though, and we see identifying, communicating and ‘managing’ the commitment of key project stakeholders is a critical component to the success of any project.
The processes here aim to ensure the right message is delivered by the right people at the right time and using the most appropriate method.
Smart stakeholder engagement and communication makes clear what is happening, what is expected, how to get involved and can removes otherwise many unavoidable obstacles to change.
Key Change Question:
Which individuals or groups have the ability to help or hinder the change programme and what is the best way to identify, track and manage these relationships?
STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
- Identify and segment change sponsors, advocates, agents and targets of the change
- Understand stakeholder wants and needs as well as where they are on the change commitment curve and where they need to be for change to happen
BENEFIT IF USED
- Map varying levels of stakeholder commitment and willingness to change
- Focus effort and energy on ‘mission critical’ stakeholders
- Guide stakeholder groups and individuals towards the desired commitment for change necessary for the success of the program
RISK IF IGNORED
- No basis upon which to develop change strategy
- No basis for understanding where and how to target change management interventions
- Resistance to change unchecked, costs increase, change program aborted
TOOLS
BUILD CHANGE AGENT NETWORK
- Establish a network of motivated and competent change sponsors, agents, advocates, targets
- Support, evaluate and fine-tune performance of change network throughout program
- Provides linkage between change program leadership and impacted stakeholders
BENEFIT IF USED
- Increased stakeholder engagement and communication effectiveness
- Smarter, better and faster implementation through close knitting of senior leadership, change team and impacted stakeholders
RISK IF IGNORED
- Loss of key communication and control mechanism
- Reduces effectiveness of change leadership investment and activity
- Increased risk of project failure
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION
- Develop and implement a change-specific communication strategy and plan
- Create engaging communication and dialogue to move stakeholders along the change commitment curve
BENEFIT IF USED
- Fosters understanding, acceptance and ownership of the change within organization
- Increases accuracy of transmitted information, reinforces organization’s vision and positively sustain morale
- Enable people to understand what they need to do differently in the new organizational model
RISK IF IGNORED
- Need for change never fully recognized or embraced
- Little or no behavior change, business readiness activities frustrated, delayed go-live or project shut-down
