The 9-Step Change Cycle | Step 4
You can have all the tools, time and the best laid plans but communication can make or break a change initiative.
All organisations need change to adapt, sustain and thrive in a constantly evolving and competitive environment. Communication functions as the bridge that connects individuals, teams and organisations — providing a platform for collaboration and development of relationships that facilitate fluid change.
With over 30 years of expertise across CCS, The 9-Step Change Cycle, is our hybrid approach to Business Improvement and Transformation merging Kotter’s Change Principles and Lean Six Sigma methodology. Through this series of articles, our aim is to provide you with valuable insights and pragmatic guidance to encourage you to initiate change and — perhaps more importantly — ensure change is successfully implemented across your organisation!
‘Communicate, communicate, communicate’ is fifth in the series. In this article, we cover the 7 rules of effective communication as applied to change management and bring this to life through the case study of one of the world’s biggest change events to date: comparing the communications strategy of the government in India during Covid-19, compared with the SARS outbreak. Expect to have a neat collection of our top tips by the time you are done with this article!
DISCLAIMER: while this article includes reference to political leaders and governmental actions, it is not intended as a political opinion piece and does not reflect political support or critique by any member of Change Consulting Scotland. Such references are used only to provide examples of relevant methodology and behaviours in relation to Communication in Change Management.
7 C’s of Communication
First, let’s establish the basic principles of clear communication. The 7C’s of Communication were first introduced in 1952 by professors Scott M. Cutlio and Allen H. Center of the University of Wisconsin — they have since been applied to drive change and cooperation for business, communications, marketing and public relations objectives across the world.
- Clear
Your audience shouldn’t have to read between the lines. Ensure you understand the purpose of your message — if you don’t know what the reason is for your message, the reader is unlikely to either!
Top Tip| Before communicating anything, make time to get clear on the objective of your message. Literally, spell out the purpose of your message so you can refer to this as you build your communication strategy.
2. Concise
Keep it as brief as possible and stick to the point! Concise communication means the message is passed on in its most simple form, so there is no unnecessary information that dilutes the main context of the message. Definitely omit filler words and repetition.
Top Tip| Start with a clear main point. This is a powerful way to ensure that your communication is concise and impactful.
3. Concrete
You want your audience to have a strong understanding of your message. This is about not only what you say, but also how you say it.
What is the tone of your language? Who is delivering the message? Choosing people with relevant authority, expertise and leadership standing to communicate and ensuring the right people have the right information have major impacts on making sure that the audience has clarity over the credibility, validity, importance and urgency of what you are telling them. Additionally, the content of your message must be relatable to the audience’s context — when you provide specific details, examples, and tangible information, your message is easier to grasp and action.
Top Tip| Take stock of your stakeholders — who are they? Where are they? How do they think? What are their knowledge gaps? What is their lived reality? Then, to support your points, provide specific examples that are relevant to your message and to which your audience can relate.
4. Correct
Check the information you are sharing is accurate and correct! Consider whether or not the content is aligned to your audience’s level of knowledge — do they already have an understanding of what you are talking about? Or would certain omissions mislead them?
Top Tip — As far as possible, ensure you have a proof-reader/ listener or, even better, an expert in the type of communication you have chosen before release.
5. Coherent
Check your logic! When communicating in a coherent manner, everything is related to the main topic. Ensure any piece of information included is relevant, and that your points are presented in a consistent tone. In which order does the information need to be shared? Which points must be emphasised?
Top Tip — Take time to consider the structure of your communications. This makes it easy for your audience to follow your message and understand any rationale behind instructions.
6. Complete
Don’t leave your audience with unanswered questions! Include specific details when informing your audience. A complete message ensures the recipient has a full understanding of the context and all the information they require to take action if needed — does your message include a “call to action”? Is there a way in which unanticipated questions can be addressed?
Top Tip| focus on the objective of your message and ensure the information you provide facilitates pragmatic action: what should be done? Where? When? For how long? By who? What are the consequences if not done? What are the advantages of having it done?
7. Courteous
Remain polite, friendly, open and honest! Your audience are human, and so are you so communicate to them in such a way that you would appreciate being communicated with.
Top Tip — Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. If your message is going to an audience that comes from another cultural or linguistic background, make sure to engage someone with experience in that background to check it (before you wreck it!)
So those are the 7C’s! But how does this look in real life? Below, we walk you through two comparable communications examples: how the Indian government communicated during the SARS outbreak, compared with its communications (or lack thereof) in Covid-19.
The following case study compares the differences in communication in the Indian government’s response to the SARS outbreak in 2002, to that of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Along the way we highlight the use (or lack of) of the 7 C’s, helping you paint a picture of what effective communication looks like.
Case Study| Containing Covid-19 vs SARS in India
A lot changed in the 17 year gap between the SARS outbreak, 2002, and the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The way in which governments communicated during these times is also very different. Interestingly, the resources of communication available in 2020 were far greater, and more developed than they were in 2002 and so, you would be forgiven if you assumed that this would mean messages were shared in a more efficient way. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Both SARS and Covid-19 originated in China, during the month of November. However, SARS was first recognised in February of 2003, 3 months later. On the other hand, while the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in November 2020, it was already confirmed as capable of transmission between humans by January 2021. So, as well as improved technology, the government in 2020 technically also had a headstart on communications when it came to timing.
SARS 2003
During the SARS outbreak, the Indian government considered the real possibility of community spread of SARS and responded by ensuring the virus did not enter the country. Strict screening and isolation rules at the border were mandated, which ensured minimal movement within the border. Additionally, the message to the public was clear; everyone should stay put in order to contain the virus — there were no exceptions to this rule. As a result of the combination of clear border rules and a non-negotiable message, a total of 3 cases were confirmed and only a further 10 suspected. India’s SARS fatality rate remained at 0%.
The 7C’s are clearly demonstrated, with no obviously jarring contradictions: the government was Clear on its purpose (contain and prevent community spread of the virus), the message at the border and at home was Concise, the information simple and Concrete, the consequences and information about SARS was Correct, while the dual communication approaches at the border and at home were Coherent and Complete. The messages were delivered with clarity and confidence, leaving everyone clear about what was required — the government had been Courteous in the context of its audience’s needs.
Covid-19 2020
Surprisingly, during the Covid19 pandemic India saw more than 44 million confirmed cases and over 500,000 deaths — a fatality rate of 1.2%. A devastating contrast. SARS was a more deadly virus, while Covid-19 more contagious. What else was different?
The initial recognition of Covid-19 from the government was quicker than SARS, plus more communications tools and channels were available in 2020 than 2003 yet, in India, Covid-19 has killed more people than SARS ever infected.
Despite the advancements in technologies and social media, no clear messages from the country’s Prime Minister regarding containment of the virus were issued until March 2020. The message conveyed on 19th March was neither clear nor concise; the Prime Minister called for a 14h self-imposed ‘Janata’ or “people’s curfew”. The Indian public were asked to stay at home but there was no clear explanation as to what was to happen after this one-day curfew passed. No policies, impact on health, or practical updates about the consequences of action or inaction around the curfew were communicated.
On the day of the curfew, India’s Prime Minister had asked people to come out onto their balconies and clap loudly with whatever objects were at hand. People began pouring out of their homes onto the roads and joined enthusiastic gatherings of clapping and cheering. Adding more confusion to the mix, circulating widely on social media was a theory that the real reason for clapping at 5pm was to release sound energy that would destroy the virus — this uncontrolled form of communication caused harm by misinformation.
Meanwhile, a 9 day religious fair in Uttar Pradesh — Ram Navami Mela — known for attracting millions of devotees every year and includes performing ablutions in the river together — was allowed to continue, despite health authority warnings to the chief minister there. Governmental communication had also failed to address this important aspect of his audience’s reality.
This one-day curfew was followed up three days later on 24 March, with a televised address, announcing a 21-day nationwide lockdown that was to commence at midnight, four hours later. The announcement lacked empathy, transparency and timeliness. People rushed out of their homes for a round of panicked buying, daily wage labourers made plans to flee to their home districts and villages and suddenly a large part of the Indian population began to use public transport and mingle in densely populated areas.
Compared with the SARS outbreak in 2003, in 2020, India had a headstart in time plus more resources to communicate in an effective way to control the spread of Covid-19. Unfortunately, compared with the effective use of the 7C’s during SARS. Modi’s government bypassed nearly all 7C’s in their communication: in the first place, not communicating at all until March followed by mixed messages, incomplete information and a lack of regard for the realities of the audience.
This case study serves to highlight that given even the best tools, similar change initiatives can yield drastically different results based on (in)effective communication alone (depending on your perspective). The 7C’s are only one basic framework of communications guidelines that can inform your communications strategy for making change happen.
Communication Strategy
Yes, we recommend you develop a communication strategy. This will act as a structured framework designed to ensure your organisation achieves its specific communication goals and objectives. This strategy will serve as the blueprints for connecting with the public, stakeholders, or even colleagues.
Some key elements of a strong communication strategy include; clear objectives, identification of target audiences, communication channels, feedback mechanisms and stakeholder engagement. Importantly, the connection between these elements and continuous adherence and review of the strategy as events unfold will ensure your communications stay relevant and supportive of the change you want to see happen (in other words, your Change Vision)
During a change process, keeping stakeholders informed and engaged is a must! Identifying the decision makers is crucial and it is just as important that they are aware of what is going on at all stages in the change process.
A word of warning: not every stakeholder likes to be communicated with in the same way. Make sure to identify the best method of communication, personal to each stakeholder — this ensures they have a clear understanding of the message being presented.
What Next?
Hopefully this article has provided you with an understanding of Communication and the important role it plays in the process of Change.
The next stage in this series is ‘Assemble the Agents of Change’. Step 5 will take a closer look at how to identify experts that can help drive your change initiative. Your ‘Agents of change’ will have the responsibility of implementing strategy, engaging all relevant individuals and addressing any challenges as and when they arise.
If you need help making change happen in your organisation and wouldn’t mind the support of the experienced, feel free to book a free 30 minute chat with us, send us a message or visit our website for downloadable resources!