Leadership and Effective Adaptation to Change

The characteristics and processes that predict effective adaptation to change have been defined and described by many leaders, researchers, writers, and educators. At its most basic, effective management of change requires leaders to be very clear about the purpose and the process; seek input and information from those involved and affected; position sufficient resources to manage the transition without losing focus on day-to-day business processes; and maintain an effective multi-directional flow of communication and information. These attributes are direct, readily implemented, and maybe even considered self-evident. Most people manage change continually: at home and at work. They have an intuitive understanding of what needs to happen if change is to move forward.
One of the pitfalls to effective change, however, is limited and one-directional communication. Leaders usually expect to persuade and inform by one-way communication. Audiences have limited opportunity to ask questions, offer ideas, or engage in discussion about the changes. This causes problems during times of change. To be successful, leaders must facilitate an effective two-way flow of information. They should be aware of issues and questions, and provide timely responses.
An important aspect of communication is clarity. One way to accomplish this would be to develop and distribute a summary document to drive clarity and serve as a reference source on the purpose and process of change. It could then be used as a platform on which to build all communication (internal and external) related to the change. The next step would be to create a brief pitch for managers— what's changing and how the transition will be accomplished and then provide managers with talking points and suggested responses to key questions.
There are many other strategies for successful organizational change communications.   It is known that message redundancy is related to message retention, so leaders should be sure to relay... [continues]

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