In times of change or uncertainty, organizations need leadership more than ever. That means the quality and amount of communications need to increase.

I used to work for a manager who said, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” Times of change are a litmus test for leadership, which means sharing with employees what we know and what we don’t know. This is the time for courageous conversations and straightforward communication. This is the time to talk about how our organizations are well positioned for the future and/or how we’re making changes to set ourselves up for future success. Most important, this is the time to share with employees what we need from them. 

Change of any kind in a company can bring uncertainty. And when things feel uncertain, it’s more important than ever to be proactive in communicating. Everyone will have lots of questions about the future, and it’s important not to ignore these questions or pretend no one’s asking them.

What’s the best way to talk about change? Here are four tips for addressing change successfully:

For many of us, the words “I don’t know” are like kryptonite: a sign of weakness. 

In reality, the ability to say “I don’t know” can be a hidden strength. Particularly during times of change, we need to be honest, straightforward and timely in sharing what we know – even when there are open issues and/or there’s much that’s still hasn’t been decided.

The Best Thing to Do When You Don't Have the Answer

It’s crucial to look at your communications as a process of repetition. Leaders who haven’t realized the benefits of communication done well, tend to think of communication as a “check-off-the-box activity. For example, they’ll think, “I sent an email. Therefore, I communicated.” By doing so, they confuse getting the message out with actually creating shared meaning and understanding.

In recent months, however, many leaders have seen the upsides to repeating important messages. When the pandemic hit, they quickly got crystal-clear on what needed to be said about workplace safety, COVID-19 protocols, work from home policies, among other critical topics, and they drove home the message.

Last week we conducted a series of webinars for communicators, focusing on a model we recommend to reboot internal communications through crisis for greater effectiveness long-term, called the 3Rs: Reflect, Reimagine, Reboot.

The sessions brought about fruitful discussion, sharing of best practices and challenges from attendees that allowed us all to engage in a dialogue about how best to approach what’s next.

With so many changes happening in a short time stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and social crises, employers face important decisions on how to go forward in managing their teams and adapting for today’s realities. It’s a good time to look at where your business is now and apply what you’ve learned over the past several months. It’s also important to look at ways you are listening to and connecting with employees, and opportunities for greater focus on diversity and inclusion.

“We were able to do in days what would have taken years.” I’ve heard this often lately.

I’m in awe of how employers and employees have stepped to the plate to do amazing things… shifting business plans in days, reinventing ways of working, and turning “we could never” into “we can and did."  In many ways, though, the hard work is just beginning. We’re entering a new stage of navigating through change when fatigue sets in and a company’s culture is tested.

Successfully integrating two companies is difficult and effective communication and change management are key. A study conducted by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Mercer asked CEOs after a merger what changes they would make if they had to do it again. Their top response: the way they communicated with employees.

Organizations going through change naturally focus on the project being implemented – what has to be done by when to complete the action plan. They often don’t give as much thought to what people need to do differently to achieve the desired results. Yet most organizational change won’t succeed without employees somehow adopting new ways of working.

What is Change Management Communication and Why is it Important?