Positioning the Change

“One of our major initiative is investing in our people.” How many times have you heard this? A colleague and former client recently confided at an all-hands meeting the President stood up and proudly proclaimed this new organizational venture. I asked a logical question, “What does this mean?” She said, “I have no idea.”

Hmmm….

Organizations mean well and so do their top leaders. They want people to be valued and want to invest in their workforce, however the translation of it can leave people a little sour. Remember, “In the absence of information, people will make up their own.” And without being specific, a lot of interpretations can be made.

I wonder before the President got up and even made the statement, did he have the plans in place to back this all up? Were the people initiatives in place? What are they? What will be launched and when? Who were the people in the audience? Did he tailor his remarks? How will results of the initiatives be measured? Who will participate and when? And if he did have any of the information, why didn’t he share it in the moment? After all, he did have a captive audience!

Wonder what the President could have done differently? Let’s take a page from author William Bridges, a management transitions pr:
• You need to “sell” the issue that’s igniting the new initiative so employees can buy in and give you a big ol “yes.” It’s important for employees to buy in, when they do you’ll know it. Productivity, motivation, sales and innovation will increase. And if a change is communicated well, you’ll see dramatic increases. If not, then you know you have to go back to the drawing board.
• Write a positioning statement for the change. Preparation is key. Without taking the time to write something down, consider all ramifications, then you are setting yourself up for the “Scooby Doo” look. You know the one that I mean, it looks like you feel off a space ship and landed on a foreign planet and the only words out of your mouth sounds like “huh?”
• Before saying anything answer the following:
o What is the challenge? What is the situation that requires this change to solve it?
o Who says so and on what evidence?
o What would occur if no one acted to solve this?
o What would happen to us if that occurred?
o What is the upcoming change, exactly?
o What is ending and what is not (what is changing and what is not)
o Why is the change necessary?
o What is the purpose?
o When will more information about the change become available?
o How will this change be positive and provide continuity and longevity for the company?
• Use the information above about to write a first draft of a positioning statement and then a final draft.
Consider:
• When do you deliver the “positioning statement?”
• Where and to whom?
• How often is it delivered?
• In what format?

Once you have thought written a positioning statement and considered when and what format to deliver it, show the statement to other advocates and mentors and get their opinions. Buy in is critical.

Make sure the positioning statement is in alignment with the strategy created for the change. The one that puts your people first. After all, it’s the people who implement the changes and are the ones who make an initiative succeed or fail. And if you are reading this making a Scooby Doo-like face and the sound “huh” eeked out of your body, then it’s time to start again. Remember people +processes = profit/competitive edge/desired workplace. That’s a heck of a return on investment.