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Presentation to the Project XXX TeamPrepared by:

Change & Communications Team

September 2001

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Change & Communications

What?Why?How?

When?

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Today...

Agree team standards Discuss documentation Discuss expectations

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Change“Change means

movement. Movement means friction.”

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The Communication Process

Organisational Change

Management Plan

Create/Modify Communication

Plan

Develop and publish

communications

Monitor/Assess effectiveness

Feedback modifications

Update risks and actions

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Target audiences...

Our target audiences will be clearly definedA communications strategy will be created for eachImportant to seek allies who will help counter critics and conservatives

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Channels of communication...

One-on-one meetingsSpecific briefingsPresentationsWorkshopsTeam meetingsSteering Group meetings

E mailDirect mailIntranet publishingProject newsletterOrganisation newslettersSurveys

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What is Project XXX going to deliver? - objectives Why is this change necessary? - benefits How will XXX affect my job? - impacts When will we start using XXX? - planning

Consistent messages...

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The Communications Hub

Steering Group

Project Champion

Project Manager

Project Team

Directors/Senior Management

Divisions Affected

Individuals Affected

The business indirectly affected

Use the communications

hub for key messages

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We are all Change Agents...

Ideas person

Attentive listener

Effective communicator

Realistic

Eager for improvement

Restless

Good collaborator

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Managing change...Anticipate negative reactions:Rational - misunderstanding of details; belief that change is unnecessary, disbelief in planned change’s effectiveness, expectation of negative consequencesPersonal - fear of job loss; anxiety about future; resentment at implied criticism of performance; fear of interference from above Emotional - active and/or passive resistance to change in general; lack of involvement; apathy towards initiatives; shock; mistrust of motives behind change

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Mitigation...Be sure to investigate silence thoroughly - it is rarely golden

Explain with greater clarity and detail - involve and build trust

Thank people for putting forward useful objections and criticisms - (feedback to communications hub)

Always be frank and open about any “downside”

Use your own commitment to change as an example for others

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Feedback...

How are we going to communicate within the

team?

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Team Standards...

If you don’t know - ask questions, find outNever promise something you or the project cannot deliverBe frank and open - project documents should be freely availableBe professional at all times - pay particular attention to the written word and your presentationUse quality controls available to critique work -comms hub

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Team Standards...

What does the word ‘professional’ mean for

our project team?

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Documentation...

Business Activity ScriptsVery important documents - the legacy of the project Used for on line documentation and training - long life!Use clear, plain English - familiar ordinary, common words and short sentences Write for the reader - keep it simpleIf you get stuck - ask for help

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Presentations & workshops...

Presentations need to be rehearsed and critiqued Workshops must have a defined outcomeKeep slides simple - handout detailed informationUse few words Use standard templatesKeep a record of who attended

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Written communications...E mailYour professional reputation is at stake when you do business by e mailE mail seems informal - but don’t be carelessLimit of one topic per e mailUse a clear, concise subject line and change with each e mailCheck with communications hub

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Written communications more...

Reports, proposals, memos, faxesSeries of standard project templates will be designedPlease use - creates a brand image for the project and helps achieve ‘cut through’ Standard Font - Arial 11 point

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Expectations...

Be concise when allocating tasks to people within the business: Decide exactly what you want the person or group to do Draw up specific tasks (for each person if necessary) Discuss these plans with each person Set a defined time for the completion of the task Check progress

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Expectations more...

What does the business expect from the project

team?

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Summary...

Looked at the what, why, how and when of the change and communications functionAgreed to team standardsDiscussed documentation standards and approval process (where necessary)Discussed expectations - ‘within’ and ‘without’

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Questions?

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Phases of a Project - be prepared!ExcitementEnthusiasmConfusionPanicBlame the innocent

Blueprint

Realisation

Final Preparation

Go-Live