Set the stage for success

Before designing a communication plan you will want to review key project documents and plan to apply cognitive neuroscience in project communications.

 

1. Review key project documents

Key internal project documents will guide your communication planning – both timing and content.  Be sure to review guiding principles, project milestones, success metrics / Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and stakeholder analyses.  Project milestones are particularly important as they are often used to guide key communication timing (McLean, 2018).

 

 

2. A change project

The implementation of a new social collaboration tool calls for communication that generates buy-in and enthusiasm, motivates adoption, and drives user engagement long after the project has concluded.  To accomplish this, you must present a straightforward, unified change message throughout the project.

 

Here are a few helpful change communication resources with templates to aid you in constructing a communication plan:

 

• How to Create and Implement an Internal Communications Plan (Rea, 2019)

• Communications Planning: A Template for Organizational Change (Newman, 2016)

• Organizational Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communications (Lewis, 2011)

 

 

You may also find the following change branding resource helpful:

 

 

3. Using Branding to Communicate Internal Change (Becker, n.d.)

 

If you are interested in resources that offer communication advice in the context of the full change project, these are robust full project cycle resources that also include communication tools and templates:

 

• Change Management Leadership Guide (Ryerson University, 2011)

  • See pages 12-13, 15-17, and 25-27 for communication-focused content.

• Change Management Toolkit (Berkeley, n.d.)

  • See pages 19-20, 37-39, and 40-45 for communication-focused content.

 

Once you have developed a thoughtful, robust communication plan draft, be sure to approach key stakeholders for feedback.  This will ensure your plan is well conceived, as well as drive early buy-in from this important group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

Al-Haddad, S., & Kotnour, T. (2015). Integrating the organizational change literature: a model for successful change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(2), 234-262.  

Unique references:

 

Becker, Mik (n.d.). Using branding to communicate internal change. Retrieved from https://www.changefactory.com.au/our-thinking/articles/using-branding-to-communicate-internal-change/  

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Berkeley University of California (n.d.). Change management toolkit. Retrieved from https://hr.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/change_management_toolkit.pdf

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Lewis, L (2011). Organizational change: creating change through strategic communication. (Foundations of communication theory, 2). Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell. (2011). Retrieved from https://library-books24x7-com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/toc.aspx?bookid=41650

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McLean & Company (2018). Navigate Change.  Available from: https://hr.mcleanco.com/research/ss/navigate-change

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Newman, Amy (2016). Communications planning: A template of organizational change. Cornell Hospitality Report, 16(3), 3-6. Retrieved from: https://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=chrreports

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Rea, Regan.  2019. How to Create and Implement an Internal Communication Strategy. Connecteam. Retrieved from: https://connecteam.com/create-implement-internal-communication-strategy/.

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Ryerson University (2011). Change management leadership guide. Retrieved from https://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/hr/manager-resources/docs/change-management-leadership-guide.pdf