Developing an Organizational Change Communications Plan

Part 1 Directions:

Fill out the company’s name below and then, using the updated question prompts starting in page 2 of this template, address each of the following 11 sections. Notice how these various sections relate to your three-part plan: summary, findings, and recommendations, as well as the connection to the ADKAR model you first learned about in Topic 2. In total, your responses will range between 750-1,000 words (i.e., approximately 70-90 words each).

Company Name:

Summary should address:  Think “Awareness” and “Desire” in creating the summary.

• Key Stakeholders
• Key Activities
• Communications Team
• Communication Goals

Findings should address:  Think “Knowledge” and “Ability” when collecting and summarizing observations and findings.

• Key Messages and Stories
• Target Personas
• Communication Channels and Techniques
• Communications Budget

Recommendations should address: Think “Reinforcement” when identifying next steps and success measurements.

• Tracking/Measuring Results
• Two Proactive Steps or Sacrifices
• Identify the Techniques, Channels, and Technologies for Both Internal and External Communication

Communications Plan

Adapted from Business Model Canvas, Strategyzer, and the Business Model Generation

KEY STAKEHOLDERS Who will help you? Of the three stakeholders identified in your Topic 3 research, identify the most impacted stakeholder and the importance/impact of change to this stakeholder. Describe ideal forms of communication for this stakeholder communication and reports that can be utilized. Describe establishment of feedback mechanisms for this stakeholder.

KEY ACTIVITIES How do you do it? Describe impending change, necessity of change, and sacrifices necessary. Indicate reports/metrics supporting impending change.

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM Who do you need? Identify role management will play during the change process, means to achieve collaboration, how servant leadership can be utilized by management, and the role of technology in communications.

COMMUNICATION GOALS What do you need to accomplish? Identify current vision, mission, values statement, manifestos, promises (etc.) for the organization, and what revisions should be made to these to align with the change?

TARGET PERSONAS How do you describe your recipients? Describe in detail the organization’s primary personas of interest. Are there groups currently being served that are not a fit for the organization or groups not being served that should be considered?

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS AND TECHNIQUES How do you reach them? Summarize what communication channels are currently being used to reach the target personas. Provide examples of communication techniques applied. Identify untapped avenues that may be worth consideration as well as challenges related to technologically mediated communications when conveying important information.

KEY MESSAGES AND STORIES What will you communicate? Provide examples of key messages or relevant stories that currently exist and identify messaging issues or gaps.

COMMUNICATIONS BUDGET What will it cost? In addition to budget considerations, identify and explain significant obstacles that could be encountered by each of the following: management, employees, change agents, and two other significant stakeholders. Include essential resources the organization needs to sustain the required changes.

TRACKING AND MEASURING RESULTS How will you know the message was successfully deployed and received? What outcomes can be expected upon completion of the change; how will outcome progress be measured? What metrics will be utilized to measure change process.

TWO PROACTIVE STEPS OR SACRIFICES What Needs to Change? Identify two proactive steps or sacrifices that the organization might need to make to accomplish the goals/objectives of this organization or avert potential change-related problems.

TECHNIQUES, CHANNELS, AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION What Needs to Be Leveraged? Identify the techniques, channels, and technologies for both internal and external communication to be leveraged to effectively communicate with the most-impacted stakeholder identified at the onset of change, during the change, and after the change is complete. What differentiations exist between the approach for internal versus external communications?

References:

Part 2 Directions:

Review the three-step writing process model detailed in Figure 4.1 (below) from the Business Communications Today textbook.  In the spaces provided on the following pages, complete each of the steps in the three-step writing process to ultimately create a brief statement for external stakeholders on the change to take place and the desired end state. 

Step 1: Plan

Using bulleted phrases, identify the key elements to be addressed. Remember that you will likely include information in this section that does not make it into your draft section in Part 2.

Step 2: Write

Create the first rough draft of the statement. Remember that you are demonstrating a process, so do not worry about editing this yet.

Step 3: Complete

In 150-200 words, finalize the statement, indicating in the provided space who in the organization would have reviewed the rough draft and who in the organization will need to approve the final language.

State who would have reviewed the rough draft:

State who will need to approve the final language: