Transcript
[00:00:05.490] - Imogen
Hello and welcome to Dear Comms, the coffee break podcast where we tackle your biggest corporate comms challenges. I'm Imogen.
[00:00:14.760] - Amanda
And I'm Amanda. We're here to give you practical, no-nonsense advice so you can focus on the things that will really drive influence, engagement, and impact.
[00:00:24.550] - Imogen
So we're now on to our third episode of our series on leading through change. In the first episode, you might remember, we explored some of the different emotions and reactions that people have to change programs.
[00:00:37.810] - Amanda
Today, we're gonna dive a bit deeper and look at how we communicate with our teams when they're all at different stages of their emotional journey. And this is the point where leaders can start to get frustrated because from their perspective, they've communicated But the reaction they're getting back either feels emotional or uncertain, and they can't quite work out why people aren't moving on. And what's getting missed is people are still processing. They haven't caught up emotionally yet, because communicating change is not one and done.
[00:01:15.130] - Imogen
No, I mean, most communications really isn't kind of one and done, or it shouldn't be, if you want to have any lasting impact. But when it comes to change, it's particularly important. You have to be able to tell a story in different ways and multiple times, but you also need to be able to make space and offer an ear to employees and actually listen and hear what they're telling you.
[00:01:41.500] - Amanda
What we hear quite often is, we've communicated it, we've explained it, we've sent slides round. And they don't get it. Well, do you know, yeah, we've all, how many times have we done a change deck or a case for change that is then used by leaders to cascade? What is missing, of course, is a conversation. You can't send a slide deck around a proper two-way conversation. You know, an email or a slide deck isn't gonna cut it. And people process things at different speeds in different ways. And people need time and space. Sometimes they need time to even know what questions they want to ask.
[00:02:24.260] - Imogen
The challenge comes when we start treating change comms like a marketing campaign or an internal comms campaign, maybe. You know, we do an announcement and we follow up with our emails and we have our town hall and we have the inevitable slide deck that no one reads, and then we think we're done. And that's just not how people process change. You know, if they're in denial, for example, they're not going to be listening. They can't hear what you're saying through anger, and they aren't able to process information if they're doubting. You know, they're trying to work through it, and you're just chucking information at them and hoping that it's gonna somehow stick.
[00:03:07.850] - Amanda
So, okay, what do we do? I think we need to look at those different emotions and break it down, because each requires a slightly nuanced approach. So if we start with when people first hear the news, whatever it is, there's an element of shock. Because even when a change expected, it's always the reality can be very, very different as a shock reaction. And people stop listening properly, they don't take things in, or they latch onto one particular sentence because they're scanning for the threat ahead. And I think that's where clarity matters so much in those early moments. Not polished corporate language, if I'm being kind, but clear, steady information people can actually hold on to, and not corporate bull speak.
[00:04:08.560] - Imogen
You can say the word bullshit, we're allowed to say that.
[00:04:10.970] - Amanda
All right, I'm No fudging around the edges, no bullshit, please.
[00:04:15.010] - Imogen
No, I think that's right. And I think above that, you know, language aside, the way in which it's framed aside, actually what people need when they're in shock and they are starting to process the loss that we talked about is that they need honesty. You know, what's happening? What's happening to them? What do we know? What don't we know? You'd be surprised, or maybe you wouldn't be surprised, but people can handle uncertainty much better than they can handle feeling that they've been lied to, or that you are withholding information.
[00:04:54.830] - Amanda
Yeah, you're fudging it. And I think that's where the prep we talked about in the last episode really comes in. Even if the answer is, we don't know yet, especially if, well, especially if the answer is, we don't know yet. People trust honesty far more than a false certainty. And I think it's a bit like in media training, if you genuinely don't know something, you don't know and say it. But explain when you're gonna find out and when they can expect another update. That's what gives people a sense of stability, not pretending to have every answer immediately.
[00:05:32.370] - Imogen
Yeah, and if you do, say that you're going to come back to them and find out the answer, then make sure you do get back to them. There's nothing worse than people saying, "Oh, we'll get back to you," and then you never hear anything again. If you ghost them, people's imaginations are going to run wild. And don't underestimate how innovative and creative people can be when they're making up stories. It's nearly always worse than the actual truth.
[00:06:02.350] - Amanda
Yeah, they're going to fill that gap, aren't they?
[00:06:04.360] - Imogen
And it's a gap of your own making because you've promised something and you haven't followed up on it. So, having heard the news, suddenly your team feels angry. So, how do we deal with that?
[00:06:20.570] - Amanda
Well, when people are angry, the worst thing you can do is lecture them or try and educate them, throw information at them. Angry people don't want a polished presentation. Most of the time they just want to be heard, and heard properly. So those one-on-one conversations matter a lot. Just sitting down with somebody and saying, look, I know this is difficult, I know that you're angry, tell me about what you're worried about, is going to be so much more impactful than sending out an email or doing a video clip.
[00:07:00.310] - Imogen
Yeah, and I think it's really important to acknowledge the anger, even if you don't agree with it, even if you feel that they're being unreasonable. Just acknowledge that that anger is there. And, you know, once you have talked to them and you have heard them articulate what they're angry about, try and answer the issue with what you're doing. So, you know, this is what we were thinking about with regards to X. And again, if you don't have an answer, then it's time to go and find out.
[00:07:36.200] - Amanda
We had the airport analogy in the last episode, I think, didn't we, when we talked about the fact that you can't be or sustain anger for very long, particularly if somebody's being calm with you and is not stoking the answer. And I think the key thing here is listening. Sounds simple, but it's harder than most people think. And when you're listening, I think it's really important to use open questions for clarity. I think you need to shut up and let people talk, because people need space to properly explain what's sitting beneath that reaction.
[00:08:14.020] - Imogen
And it's super tempting, and I know this because I do it the whole time. When people come to you with anger or with issues, you want to jump straight in and you try and solve it. You just go straight to solutions, like, okay, I've heard it, now here, here's how we're going to solve it. When you're dealing with angry people, don't try and fix anything. Just let them rant, let them be heard.
[00:08:37.460] - Amanda
I think it's a consultant thing.
[00:08:38.500] - Imogen
I don't think it's anything— I don't know.
[00:08:40.250] - Amanda
We, we, I think naturally we try and problem solve and are quite—
[00:08:45.540] - Imogen
Just ask my friends, ask my friends, they know that I always go straight into, right, I'm gonna sort this out for you. And all they wanted was a rant.
[00:08:55.450] - Amanda
My daughter says that, she says sometimes, just let me rant, Amanda. That's all I want to do. So yes, I shall bear that in mind. I think a good thing here that's a pointer or a red flag is that if you're getting the same concern or anger from multiple people, then it's a really valuable insight, and it's time to adjust the wider communication instead of just repeating the same message but louder and more frequently. And then you get that phrase where people start looking for ways around the change, for exemptions or delays. Bargaining, yeah. Yep, we try and negotiate our way round it, and it's completely normal bargaining. It means that people are starting to engage with the reality of the situation. Rather than pretending it isn't happening. So listen to it. You might find out some good information on new approaches. And you know what, sometimes you just need to tell someone, and it can be done calmly and gently, that the change is happening, and it is what it is, and this is how we're going to support you through it.
[00:10:04.140] - Imogen
Tough.
[00:10:05.100] - Amanda
Um, I came over all— yeah, you could be empathic, I think, but it's don't create false hope. That doesn't work either.
[00:10:16.400] - Imogen
When it comes to the doubt, the doubters in your employee group, and there will be some, those, you know, those people who've seen it all before, seen it all go around in circles, there's some really good theory around how you deal with doubt. And I think, um, Kotter and his Eight Steps of Change is the king at this. And so, I'll link it in the show notes because it really should be something that anyone who's dealing with change should read and understand because it's fantastic. But he brings up this idea of generating short-term wins. So if you've got doubters, it's good to recognize, collect, and communicate early short-term wins because it shows the change is working. That it's real, it's not going backwards, and it is sticking, this change is sticking.
[00:11:09.070] - Amanda
So it's a shift, isn't it, in communicating? It's not, here's why the change is good, but actually it's, here's where we're seeing it work, here's what's improving, here's what's got easier, here's what's different, this is what we're learning.
[00:11:25.020] - Imogen
Yeah.
[00:11:25.370] - Amanda
I think during change, people, watch behavior much more than they closely listen to our messages. So if they can see it, they can feel it.
[00:11:36.170] - Imogen
Yeah, I think so. And because with these kind of short-term wins and this communication, you're going to be using people to tell that story, it's much more impactful if they see someone like them who has taken this change on and has seen a positive benefit. From it. It's like, I don't know, it's like seeing someone tries a new way of eating and suddenly their, their skin is looking wonderful and their hair is shinier, etc. You know, you see the impact on someone from someone else and therefore you're more likely to try it yourself.
[00:12:13.290] - Amanda
Yeah, you follow. Influencers are all about imaging.
[00:12:17.650] - Imogen
Oh yeah, well, there you go. Well, that would have been a better analogy than some shiny hair, but yes, influencers, I mean, that's basically what they're trying to do, isn't it? Sometimes you'll get people who look like they're actively resisting change, and it's really easy to feel like that's a failure, but it's not. In most cases, it's not. Because when people start to question change, they're trying to figure out what it means for them. And so therefore, it goes back to the listening. You know, what are these people actually worried about? What is the question they have behind the question?
[00:12:58.520] - Amanda
Yeah, I love that phrase time and time again. I think it's important that you don't pretend that the worry doesn't exist. Treat people like grown-ups. You know, this isn't about—
[00:13:08.210] - Imogen
but they are, hopefully.
[00:13:09.350] - Amanda
Well, they are, yeah. But, you know, we're not trying to manipulate them or convince them. I think, you know, honesty is really important about what what is happening, what it means. I think people can normally tell when they're being managed rather than spoken to honestly. I think in most cases, they don't expect perfect answers, but they do expect honesty.
[00:13:33.660] - Imogen
Yeah, I think so. And that transparency, vulnerability, and humanity is what really helps build up your trust bank, I think.
[00:13:41.790] - Amanda
Yeah, yeah.
[00:13:44.040] - Imogen
When it comes to sort of wider communications, and by that, I mean, you know, to the whole organization, it's really important to understand which channels to use for what kind of communication, because not all channels are going to work for everything you want to do. So, you're kind of, your big channels, I'm going to start calling them that, my big channels, sort of my town halls, my broadcast emails, my, I don't know, video from the CEO. These big channels are all there for the big picture. So this is about—
[00:14:16.950] - Amanda
The big go channels, isn't it?
[00:14:19.420] - Imogen
Yeah, but it's about that umbrella picture. It's about purpose of the change. It's about the vision, the why we're doing it, the kind of timeline, the big milestones. And it's slightly more formal, I guess, but still human. And the point of communications through the big channels is to paint a picture, like broad brushstrokes. It's not about solving individual concerns.
[00:14:48.000] - Amanda
Yeah, I mean, you're setting the scene, but then you've got your one-on-one channels, like your team meetings, and that's where the change translates into reality. Because as a team leader, you are the one that's making that change real and connecting the dots. For them. So it should be a conversation, you're not lecturing. You should also use it as another listening exercise. You know, don't assume because the big announcement's been made, all the questions have been answered. The real questions come much later, I think.
[00:15:21.420] - Imogen
Yeah, and I think that's where the one-on-one channels come in as well. And this is about individual support to individual people. You know, this is are quiet meetings with just the two of you. And you use these to hear and understand what the team is worried about specifically, if they're worried at all. And it's about listening more than talking. It's not about convincing, it's not about minimizing concerns, it's not about pretending everything's okay, but it's about trying to bring your team all up to the same level emotionally. So they've heard the big announcement, they have had some wider questions answered, you've listened to them in your team meetings, but now, and these one-on-ones, this is the chance to really dig down and say, okay, what does this mean for you specifically sitting here?
[00:16:16.970] - Amanda
Yeah, I think, you know, people rarely hear something once and then immediately move forward confidently. Yep, let's go. They need space to process, you know, they're going to question, they're going to want to hear things again, they want to see some evidence. I think you need to meet people emotionally, uh, where they are, and that's likely to be a very different place to where you are.
[00:16:42.570] - Imogen
So I think if I was to summarize, change isn't a campaign, change communications isn't a campaign, it's conversation. Conversation. You need to meet people where they are emotionally, and it's, it's fine if that's in a different place to you. Listen as much as you talk, if not more listening than talking. And, and that real work, the hard work, is going to happen in those, those one-on-ones. So if you would like some support on how that might look in your organization, um, do get in touch. But until next time, See you later.
[00:17:17.640] - Amanda
See ya.
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