Neil Varma of New York has worked in financial management, served in the military and within the federal government. Currently, Neil Varma works as an IT Project Manager consultant in the private sector. In the following article, Neil Varma discusses change management communication strategies companies should adopt for growth and progress in business.
Business experts advise leaders to remember that successful organizations know how to adapt alongside an ever-changing world. Unfortunately, not all stakeholders and employees embrace change readily. Neil Varma of New York says that successful change management requires effective communication.
The best communication strategies employ two-way communication between all parties involved, although learning to accomplish this takes some effort. Successful communicators seek to achieve balance, never saying too much nor too little. When done right, managers will learn to deliver a convincing message with clarity and consistency.
While these clear goals make for a relatively simple communication strategy in theory, Neil Varma of New York says that the application is another matter. Adopting the most effective communication strategies for change management requires an understanding of why these strategies work in the first place.
Neil Varma on Communication Strategies in Business
According to Neil Varma of New York, successful communicators mix any of five communication strategies depending on the situation. These include:
- Withhold and Uphold - Remaining largely tight-lipped and leaving employees in the dark
- Identify and Reply - A reactive strategy addressing resistance to change without revealing too much
- Underscore and Explore - Two-way communication allowing others to pose questions and suggest solutions
- Tell and Sell - Using focused communication to explain the most vital selling points of change
- Spray and Pray - Providing more information than necessary in the hopes that more is better
Effective communication strategies focus on Underscore and Explore. Not only do leaders gain the ability to sell employees and stakeholders on the necessity of change, but these other parties are able to feel more involved in the change itself. Neil Varma of New York says that this strategy sparks passion among investors and colleagues, yet takes work to perfect.
Other strategies may still prove useful in some cases. As the name implies, Tell and Sell pitches stakeholders on the necessity of change, making it the best strategy when seeking investments. Identify and Reply helps ease tensions among employees or top management who demonstrate resistance to taking a business in new directions with a
communications channel.
Strategies to Avoid in Change Management
Of the above five strategies, Neil Varma of New York says that those on the polar ends should be avoided. For instance, managers sometimes take a Spray and Pray approach in the hope that delivering more information will get others in board. While great for keeping colleagues informed, this strategy fails to highlight the key benefits of change among the onslaught of information communicated.
Neil Varma of New York says that effective managers would instead use Identify and Reply. Not only does it address resistance, but it looks at the specific causes of that resistance and tackles only those which need addressing. As noted by Harvard Business Review
as far back as the 1970s, resistance cannot be properly addressed without first being diagnosed. Spray and Pray ignores this basic principle.
On the other end of the spectrum, Withhold and Uphold fails to inform employees and stakeholders at all. Employees may continue resisting while stakeholders refuse their blessings or investments. By contrast, Tell and Sell gives them at least enough information to potentially bring them on board while still allowing leaders some control over the conversation.
Benefits of Adopting the Right Strategies
Neil Varma of New York says that whether adopting change for the sake of gearing a business toward environmental friendliness or simply to drum up extra stakeholders, employing the right communication strategy poses numerous advantages. Just a few benefits of effective communication may include:
- Encouraging employee involvement while minimizing resistance
- Demonstrating the importance of communication to all parties involved
- Opportunities to hear other parties' concerns and suggestions
- Subtly informing others of personal communication preferences
- Stronger working relationships with stakeholders and employees
Leaders who apply communication strategies effectively also practice the age-old concept of leading by example. Observant colleagues essentially receive training on which communication strategies work by observing their application toward effective change management.
Furthermore, Neil Varma of New York explains that as managers learn through trial and error which strategies work best with which employees or stakeholders, they demonstrate their respect for those individuals by adjusting their strategy accordingly. This allows all involved parties to feel valued within the company, creating allies who will help support any proposed changes.
Conclusion
Although many employees, stakeholders, and top brass may sometimes resistant change, the right communication strategy can convince them to change their tune. In a time when stagnation often leads to the death of a company, it's more important than ever for managers to embrace these communication strategies to achieve effective change management.
