TEACHERES QUESTION: Explain how successful communication is used throughout a change process to convey vision and strategies to stakeholders. What may be occurring with the communication process if the change process begins to fail?
STUDENTS RESPONSE:
Successful communication is at the core of managing the change process as it demands coordination and understanding between parties. Kotter’s model of change management, which is a recognized tool for navigating this process, includes the steps of creating vision for change and then communicating it to others during other eight stages (Aziz, 2017). Yet, effective communication is necessary throughout the entire process of the change process as it helps participants of the process coordinate activities and further steps. A specific strategy that change-makers can use to convey their plan is the use of visual aids elaborating details and providing clarity to stakeholders. Another factor that makes communication particularly effective is a two-way interaction as the parties should gain feedback and carefully listen to others’ ideas. To make communication more effective, it is important to engage stakeholders. Kotter’s model also supports this strategy via its steps of making coalition and empowering action. Empowerment makes the change process more interactive, and Nilsen et al. (2020) suggest that it is helpful to ask stakeholders what changes they consider relevant. Thus, they can properly understand the vision and realize how strategies work. Kotter’s model can empower communication in the change process.
Failures in the change process can be associated with disruptions in communication. If this process begins to fail, it can mean that the parties have not communicated their vision properly. As a model of a successful change process suggests, developing a vision is part of the solution, while properly communicating is no less significant. The failure of the change process might mean that parties did not clarify all the details beforehand. Another reason might be lack of sufficient feedback collected from stakeholders or failure to incorporate it. The lack of clarity and reciprocity in communication can also be factors making the change process fail.
References
Aziz A. M. (2017). A change management approach to improving safety and preventing needle stick injuries. Journal of Infection Prevention, 18(5), 257-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757177416687829
Nilsen, P., Seing, I., Ericsson, C., Birken, S. A., & Schildmeijer, K. (2020). Characteristics of successful changes in health care organizations: An interview study with physicians, registered nurses and assistant nurses. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 147. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-4999-8