Why is effective and frequent communication so critical to a successful change effort? Describe either a good or a bad example of this from your organization or one that you have studied. Describe how the communication affected the various stakeholders affected by the change effort.
Discussion 5-2
Communication yields meaningful results when enough effort is placed in doing it. It must not only be effective but it should also be done repeatedly until the desired goal is met. As Kotter and Cohen (2002) point out, communication should be done persistently during the change process. In this manner, stakeholders will be aware of every step that a particular change initiative undergoes from the start to the end. This discussion will explore the importance of effective and frequent communication during a change effort
Every successful change effort requires effective and frequent communication. Effective communication is that which is open, honest, and that which clearly gives information regarding what is happening at every stage of the change process (Hasanaj & Manxhari, 2017). When done frequently, effective communication leads to successful change because it allows the change team to address keep stakeholders’ focused on achieving a particular vision. Additionally, it is through effective and frequent communication that the change team can be able to address stakeholders’ concerns thereby increasing their commitment to the change. Generally, effective and frequent communication maximizes the productivity of people involved in task completion thereby leading to successful change (Kotter & Cohen, 2002).
I once worked for an organization that reaped great benefits from effective and frequent communication during the change process. The organization wanted to integrate barcode medication administration technology into its healthcare delivery process. The project team informed all the departmental heads why the proposed change was necessary, its anticipated benefits, and the resources that each department will be required to have for a successful change implementation to occur. The effective communication employed in this scenario helped the project team to obtain buy-in from the managers. This buy-in could not have occurred if the communication was ineffective.
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References
Hasanaj, R. & Manxhari, M. (2017). Importance of communication during change: A case of the municipality of Vlora. European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 2(1), 15-19. https://revistia.com/files/articles/ejms_v2_i1_17/Rezarta.pdf
Kotter, J. P. & Cohen, D. S. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change their organizations. Harvard Business Press, Harvard.