Q and A LC9 Establishing Leadership through Strategic Internal Communications

Chapter 9 Establishing Leadership through Strategic Internal Communications

1. What elements should you consider when “scoring” the effectiveness of a company’s internal communication plan?

Ans:
a. Does the communication plan align with the company’s strategic goals?
b. Is communication planning integrated into the annual business planning process?
c. Does management accept major responsibility for the communication processes?
d. Are the messages targeted, consistent and strategic?
e. Are the messages delivered through multiple channels, which are appropriate to the culture?
f. Are communication ambassadors strategically placed across the functional areas?
g. Are communication results measured frequently and included in performance appraisals?


2. Why are the following factors important to effective internal communication?
a. Supportive management
b. Targeted messages
c. Effective media/forum
d. Well-positioned staff
e. Ongoing assessment

Ans:
a. Management needs to set the example of effective communications by their actions and indicate their support by exemplifying good communication practices themselves.
b. By targeting the messages to the specific audience, your message will be clear, relevant, and strategically aligned to provide the greatest effect on your audience.
c. It is important to select the most effective media and/or forum for your audience so that your audience receives and accepts your intended message.
d. Well-positioned staff will ensure communication receives the strategic emphasis it needs and that the right people are in place to deliver the corporate messages to all employees.
e. Ongoing assessment is necessary to understand whether the message is being delivered and received as originally envisioned. Also communication effectiveness needs to be part of all performance reviews.


3. What is the difference between a mission and a vision?

Ans: One way to differentiate a vision statement from a mission statement is to think of the mission as the “here and now” and to think of the vision as the future. What is most important, however, is that a company has a clear definition of its reason for being (mission) and of where it wants to go (vision); whether they call one a mission and the other a vision matters less than that they have them both and that the organization knows what they are.


4. What characteristics should you look for in a mission and vision?

Ans:
Is the mission…
a. Inspirational and suggestive of excellence?
b. Clear?
c. Stable, but flexible enough to last with incremental changes?
d. A guiding light to direct during chaotic times?
e. Aimed at empowering employees first and customers second?
Does the vision…
a. Suggest goals and provide direction?
b. Inspire the future?
c. Prepare for the future, but maintain an honest about the past?
d. Apply specifically to the organization?
e. Provide actionable details?


5. What are the steps to creating a powerful and effective mission and vision?

Ans:
a. Create an initial draft. Ask specific questions about who you are, the service/product you provide, and its importance, while considering who you want to be. Use the answers to these probing, soul-searching questions to derive this first draft.
b. Clarify the meaning of each word used in this first draft. Does the meaning of each word match your intentions?
c. Limit your vision and mission to tell the world in 25 words or less what you are or who you want to become.
d. Develop the strategic objectives to align the mission with the vision. These objectives should guide you from where you are to where you want to go.
e. Hold cascading meetings (beginning with upper management and working down) with employees to test the mission and vision.


6. What are the three major phases of a change communication program?

Ans:
a. Design change communication strategy and plan
b. Launch communication plan and ensure employee understanding
c. Monitor results and make adjustments


7. What are the potential pitfalls in the three phases for a change communication program?

Ans:
Design change communication strategy and plan
a. Rushing to change the organizations without first considering the implementation and developing an action plan
b. Not gauging one of the communication elements correctly (audience, media, message, spokesperson, timing)
c. Not understanding the current employee communication situation
d. Not including the right team members, who are knowledgeable, representative of levels and functions of the organization, respected, open and honest, and skilled at interacting with others.
Launch communication plan and ensure employee understanding
a. Not aligning with the vision, which may need to be adapted
b. Forgetting to involve employees during and after plan is finalized
c. Not allowing enough time for employees to become aware of and comfortable with changes
d. Not applying changes to specific job functions so that employees understand the new direction but are unable to apply it to their work
Monitor results and make adjustments
a. Forgetting to check frequently for employee understanding and interpretation of new direction
b. Ignoring or misinterpreting survey results
c. Not having a cross section of employee feedback
d. Not communicating successes of new plan along the way