There are three stages to my Action Plan
In many businesses, internal communication can sometimes be overlooked as a random collection of communication activities. There are some overly detailed videos here, some emails there and at times a memo to all employees. However the most entertaining of course, is the ever popular employee survey. While these activities are attempts at internal communication, the anticipated results might not be received. I’ve realized though that I could achieve better results if I could somehow stage some of these events according to this simple, three-step plan.
STEP 1: A STATE OF AWARENESS
In any company, the absence of communication will cripple the workforce environment. When information is not specified, employees
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I will not allow my communication to drift. I will speak and act as one. Employees need to know that I represent management. Giving off signs that can easily be interpreted by employees as a lack of commitment or understanding of the actual message Im conveyeing. If Im not certain of an answer to a question, I will try not to make an attempt at guessing. Any divergence in the conveyed message can be taken as untrustworthy and confusing. I need to make the workforce understand that change is acceptable. We don’t want employees wondering about the competency of management when we are asking them for change. We need to keep in mind that communication is paramount in both word and deed. Employees are watching and taking their cues from …show more content…
How his or her biases, fears, concerns, and experiences may affect what is heard. People care about what affects them personally, in terms of job stability, pay, respect, etc. Furthermore employees filter what they hear based on their own experiences. If they perceive that management has always been forthright and truthful, odds are they’ll receive these strategies as such. If not, your interactions will be more significant, and you need to plan accordingly. While a consistent, programmatic, well-executed approach to internal communication should help improve behavioral changes in most of the workforce. For some employees, change is somehow threatening or unpleasant. They cant seem to comprehend that the organization’s failure as their failure. For these employees, sometimes the best answer is a public confrontation, as harsh as that may sound. Everyone will quickly get the
Lashinger et al highlights the need for communication within leadership as effective communication is essential to influence change and motivate others. Emphasising the need for communicating effectively towards all staff members, whilst undergoing change to ensure all staff feel supported and understand the process, allowing implementation to be more successful.
Change affects more than just a program or a process within an organization, change affects employees, collecting data on employee’s readiness and willingness to accept a change will help leaders know if the organization is socially ready for change (Cole, Harris, and Bernerth, 2006). A change might be positive for an organization but if the employees who will be affect by the change are lost in the process then it could create a greater issue than not making the change. Leadership needs to communicate and inspire the employees to be positive toward the change, seeking to enhance their job satisfaction not make changes that will increase their desire to leave. This data is best collected early in the change initiative allowing leadership to properly cast the vision while addressing concerns. This requires leadership to create platforms for employees to engage in the change initiative freely (Ford, 2006). Employee attitudes can be measured through these dialogues providing leadership with necessary measureable data (Hughes, 2007).
Being an effective communicator is the key to success for a leader. Communication is defined by the authors in the text Organizations: Behavior, Structure, and Processes as transmitting information and understanding, usi...
Prevention of resistance is most effective when implementing change. Preventing the weight of inertia in a workplace allows the change to happen in a timely manner with minimal problems. As Lee (2004) emphasizes, leaders have the ability to effect change and performance. If someone is accountable for outcomes and poor habits, outcomes will improve. The manager must show a caring attitude over the process of change and welcome any positive innovation. This caring attitude will become contagious to the employees working under him and become a priority to them as well. Approaching the change in an accepting, open-minded manner can decrease the vulnerability and frustration associated with change. How the change is presented can make the biggest difference in the outcome of the change. The manager must show that blaming will be avoided at all costs. One will only ask why, not who, to avoid the feeling of belittlement. This can allow employees to become comfortable with voicing their opinions and mistakes, which can allow an even greater range of improvement. The manager must also encourage...
Change should be seen as a challenge and embraced with enthusiasm (Marquis & Huston, 2012). In my professional and personal life, I view and respond to change as a way to make improvements to existing regulations and circumstances. I embark upon the quest with determination to succeed at whatever task is presented to me. Life without change can become unchallenging and stagnant (Marquis & Huston, 2012). As society and technology advance, you must incorporate the necessary transformations that arise with it.
While working at Borders, I experienced quite a bit of upward communication. Employees liked taking their messages to me, I was seen as one of the managers that listened. I would also try to meet their needs by communicating these messages to my ge...
Change usually comes with resistance in any workplace because change disrupts the employees’ sense of safety and control (Lewis, 2012). Kurt Lewin (1951) created a three step process for assisting employees with organizational Change (Lewis, 2012). The three stages are Unfreeze, Change and Refreeze. These are the steps to a smooth transition for change within organizations. Further, these steps are not possible without good communication from upper Management through line staff. Communication was consistently listed as an issue in surveys conducted by the department.
Change in an organization occurs when an organization identifies an area of where necessary change must be undertaken, examines it thoroughly and adapts to it. This may lead to gaps where employees may not adapt to a certain change and therefore it is important that an organization takes into considerati...
It is this capability of the management to cultivate communication that is important towards effective engagement with the employee (Albrech, 2011). It is not just a one-sided affair of a company engaging employee, but also mutual loop where the employee is also engaging the company. After all, it takes two hands to clap. “Voice must be approached in a genuine and authentic way, and treated as more than just a cosmetic exercise. An authentic use of voice means that when the employee is invited to speak up, the company in return will both listen and will respond to what the employee says, even if just to explain why they cannot carry out a request for change. Feedback is vital and action must be seen to follow.” (Dromey et al, 2012, p.17).
Unfortunately, most change managers may feel reluctant in sharing information with employees as they fear the unexpected events that may occur and threaten outcomes. Change managers are also apprehensive in communicating as they are scared their competitions be on alert or employees may leave due to fear. Hayes (2014), advises change managers to develop a communication strategy in order to better communication with employees. He identifies steps to take in order to create a communication
Let employees at all levels of your organization know that their voices will always be heard, and respond promptly and reasonably to employees’ issues. This can prevent bad feelings from festering and growing into resentment and bitterness. Conflict is best handled quickly and openly. (Ingram, n.d.)
This success builds a culture in an organization where employees feel they add value within the company which will then drive the overall performance and motivation that will have a great impact on the company’s overall business results. The article is not very lengthy but still provides value added data to support the paper. The author brings an extensive experience in managing a business as well as providing consultation in the marketing industry which relies on extensive effective communication both internally and externally. DuFrene, D. D., & Lehman, C. M. (2014). Navigating Change: Employee Communication in Times of Instability.
Within the last decade, society has seen an alarming transformation in the efforts of effective communication. These changes have been both positive as well as negative. Influential leaders in the civilian sector, as well as the military, have found themselves dealing with either internal or external issues on a daily basis. Value-based leadership, self-reflections, and communication: these three terms are the guiding principles that can successfully rebuild today’s labor force. Wrongful communication tactics can leave behind an echo effect, damaging a company 's status permanently as information nowadays is persistent, retrievable and ubiquitous (Zamani, Giaglis, & Kasimati, 2015).
Communication is a very important aspect in leadership. It involves the ability of managers and other leaders in an organization to engage employees through effective listening and understanding of any issues that may be making it difficult for them to realize their full potential. The need for good communication capabilities in the workplace is to make sure that leaders give employees enough time to air their opinions before any binding directions are made. It is always necessary for leaders to remain mindful of the manner in wh...
The employee reflects change in an organization as a shift of role, responsibilities and skill. However, in an organizational level its refers change as a framework structure around the changing needs and capability of an organization to perform. Both employee and organization’s perception of change are needed to ensure the change is successful. Brown (2011) reported that “the role of change as a corrective action often affect patterns of work or values, and in consequence meet with resistance” (p. 144). Once an organization and its member decide to conduct a change program, they intensify the forces that driving the change. The life cycle of employee’s resistance is necessary in accomplishing change in an organization. There are five important phases in a life cycle of employee resistance to change in an organization, namely introduce the change, forces of change emerge, direct conflict happens in an organization, residual resistance appear in an organization and lastly, establish the change. (refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).