The inevitability of change doesn’t make it easy. Changes in ownership or leadership. Mergers and acquisitions. Expansions. Facility and asset rationalization. Reductions in force. Organizations have one chance to get it right. Yet, according to Gartner, only one-third accomplish that, and a comprehensive transition communication plan is a key determinant of success.

The transition communication plan is a holistic strategy that supports a smooth transition and a successful reset when organizations are going through a change that transforms the organization from a current state to a future state, including its:

  • Structure or composition
  • Executive leadership
  • Ownership
  • Operating or business model.

Transformational change versus change management: a difference in scale
Where change management communication typically supports behavioral change within the organization, the transition communication strategy is both internal and external and:

  • Establishes a consistent message for all audiences.
  • Creates alignment across the organization’s leadership and shared understanding among employees.
  • Protects relationships with key audiences, including customers, backers or supporters, business partners, employees and community.
  • Guards against reputational harm.

Change communication is often part of the transition communication strategy, and a successful change management communication plan shares many of the attributes of a successful transition communication plan. However, because transformational change ripples across all of an organization’s stakeholders, the transition communication plan is typically broader in scope and scale, especially with complex or highly matrixed organizations. Internal and external corporate communications, public relations, media relations, and community affairs all come into play, and often marketing and branding. Crisis communications becomes a critical component in unplanned changes, and should be at the ready because of the inherent reputational risk.

The transition communication: bringing order to it all
It takes a well-crafted, intentional plan to wrangle the diverse stakeholder expectations and multiple communication practices into a smooth execution. Integrating communication planning at the beginning of the process allows your communication team to identify and proactively address communication needs and reputational risks. If the change is unplanned, an effective crisis communication plan will get you from a reactive to a proactive mode, even if the event doesn’t rise to crisis level.

Transition communication exemplifies the maxim, all internal communication is external communication. How effectively you communicate internally will be reflected externally, in words and action. Any disconnect between internal and external messaging will undercut trust within your organization, and that will also reflect outwards.

Transition communications, step-by-step

  1. Have a clear image of success. How do you want your internal and external stakeholders to view you after the change? What are the factors that determine a successful transition?
  2. Conduct a communications SWOT analysis. What are the strengths in the existing communication process? What are its strengths? What opportunities (see #1 above) does the transition present that you can incorporate into your messaging? What are the internal and external threats that could derail the messaging or disrupt communication?
  3. Start with a concise message that captures the what of the change, the why behind it, and the planned outcome. The message is more than the facts; it captures the rationale for the change, as well as the vision for the future, in a way that protects and enhances trust and engagement. Take the time to distill this down to a consistent message for all audiences; it’s the linch pin of your communication plan.
  4. Map that message to each of your audiences and the communication vehicles that reach them. Bring empathy to this step. Ask, what does each audience need to hear to trust you? How do I get that message to them and how do I reinforce it?
  5. Develop the detailed plan. Transition communication plans break into three phases.
    • Pre-announcement. Messaging starts with the very first people brought into the process; how they talk, and think, about the upcoming transition will shape the way it is communicated and perceived going forward.
      • Who needs to be brought into the process early?
      • Who should know in advance, including high-value customers, employees, supporters, and community leaders. Implement NDAs or confidentiality agreements if appropriate.
      • Develop a plan for rumor control.
      • Train and empower your communicators. Communication should cascade down through the organization, and that starts with properly equipped leaders.
    • Announcement stage. Have your core messaging statement refined and approved and know who’s communicating to whom
      • Execute the tiered communication plan.
      • Launch the public announcement.
      • Keep the message concise. The greater the effect the change has on an audience, the more narrow their bandwidth; don’ttry to say too much at once.
      • Monitor, respond, and adjust.
    • Dénouement stage. In classical plot structure, the dénouement is the resolution, where the loose ends are tied up. Most transformative changes have several loose ends, so this stage can run a matter of days to months. A perfectly executed announcement can come unraveled, and a less-than-perfect one can be salvaged, making this perhaps the most important phase.
      • The dénouement establishes the new normal. Carefully think through all the implications of the change and the communications support for those changes. Be ready to address issues you didn’t anticipate.
      • Reinforce your message with repetition and consistency. Psychology and marketing research suggests you need to repeat the message five to seven times over an extended period for it to sink into long-term memory and affect perception and behavior. A complex idea can require twice as many exposures.

In the end, it’s not the change people fear so much as it is the uncertainty.