Communication is a two way process. Open channels upwards are just as important as open channels downwards and across the organisation during a period of change.

Groups and individuals need opportunities to give managers their reactions to what's going on; to know they will be listened to without defensiveness or fear; to feel their contribution is valued and respected; to believe that they are encouraged to 'think outside the box'.

Senior managers need to appreciate and take advantage of the reality that those closest to the customer - and the day to day work - may know how best to implement a change. They need to understand the practicalities of change, by listening to those views and obtaining feedback.

People who's jobs are changing need individual time with their managers (and in some circumstances counsellors) to discuss their personal agendas and the implications for them - and to explore their opportunities.

Open, honest, two way communication needs to be a regular feature of the change process from the beginning. Having started as the organisation intends to go on, effective communication becomes a habit throughout implementation of the change.

The best examples of major and radical transformation in the past 10 years - BP, BA and BT for example - had significant plans for communication and involvement. The plans covered the total workforce and a significant investment was made in them.

Our own research and experience suggests that not many organisations are making the same kind of investment. Few effective IT projects would be started without a project plan and yet organisations regularly embark on major change programmes - without any similar plan for managing change or communication.

So communication is not just about expensive and flashy launches or even the activities for the first 100 days. To be effective, it requires a sustained programme which keeps the message constantly in front of people - on the agenda of routine meetings; formal briefings; videos; newsletters; e-mail; noticeboards; senior executives walking about talking to people etc.

Effective programmes of change are supported by a rigorous Communications Plan which:

• identifies and addresses everyone internally and externally who has a stake in the change.
• includes milestones and plans for bite sized chunks of activity and early wins so that early successes and individuals who lead the way can be given maximum publicity.
• emphasises methods of achieving reliable feedback from information, ideas and reactions, offering involvement in decision making as well as direction.
• concentrates on face to face communication and on training line facilitators to do it well, supported by a variety of media and the professional skills necessary to design it well.
• models the new culture - that new way of doing things.
• takes account of different national cultures - and cultures within the countries too, recognising that different employees might hear a different message. Inevitably, people will make mistakes - so talk about them openly rather than pretending that they do not exist.
• is flexible enough to change as events unfold.

Larkin & Larkin - Harvard Business Review, May - June 1996
The Communicating Organisation - Blakstad & Cooper - 1995
Raymond Caldwell - Journal of Strategic Change - April 1993