Delivering Results
Organizational Effectiveness: A Roadmap for West Coast Utility
Situation
Tom designed a comprehensive organizational development strategy (dubbed, The Roadmap) for the utility’s 15 member Internal & External Communications Department. The plan was framed around three essential organizational components: purpose, people and process. The intent of the plan was to facilitate the creation of a high-performing team and enhance team members’ job satisfaction — engendering their commitment to the department and the company — as well as establish an environment to attract and retain strong performers. This would increase the efficacy of the department, as well as its value to the company.
Action
Following is a brief outline of Tom’s methodological approach, based on his 3P framework:
- Goal 1 (purpose): Develop an internal communications charter for the company and galvanize the group’s members in support of that charter.
- With input from the entire group, articulate clear departmental vision and mission statements to focus the team on shared goals.
- Define appropriate work for the department, establish corresponding parameters and reframe expectations accordingly — internally for the department, and externally for the client groups served by the department.
- Regularly assess departmental employees and client groups to assure the ongoing delivery of meaningful communication services.
- Goal 2 (people): By having the right people matched to the right work, ensure the consistent provision of strategic communications consulting to client groups. The credibility of the department is then bolstered and its value to the organization is enhanced.
- Through evaluative measures, assess team interactivity and gauge how well the group works together — as team performance is a key driver of employee motivation.
- Use data from evaluative instruments to discern developmental needs that ensure every staff member has a clear role in (and accountability for) department success.
- Gain the understanding and buy-in of department members to focus the team on appropriate work.
- Goal 3 (process): Effect the clear communication of organizational goals and initiatives to drive Company success through the efficient use of research-based processes.
- Retool the departmental structure to maximize team member capabilities and deliver effective communication services to internal clients.
- Use benchmarked best-practices data to create templates and reliable processes that facilitate the consistent delivery of superior communications.
- Develop a strategic plan that purposefully guides the department in optimal resource utilization.
Strategies
Strategies
Strategies
Result
The heightened morale of department members consequential of the Roadmap program was testament to the efficacy of this undertaking. In addition, the department’s increased value rating by company executives subsequent to the Roadmap offered quantitative proof of its success.
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Strategic Communications: Reinventing a Regional Retailer
Situation
A major California retail organization in the midst of a business transformation hired Tom to direct its internal communications. There was a need to inform the company’s 24,000 employees of the details of the transformation, introduce new company leadership and help drive the culture to be more high-performing and accountability based. The transformation included an organizational restructure and the implementation of new IT systems.
Action
Tom began strategic planning by first articulating the function of internal communications. With input from executive leadership, it was determined that the Internal Communications department’s mission was to leverage employee productivity and foster alignment that contributes to the company’s success. This would be achieved by:
- helping associates understand their roles and align their work with business objectives;
- delivering effective and timely communications to associates; and
- continually refining the internal communications infrastructure for cost-effective information delivery and feedback.
He then set about gathering data via focus groups, surveys, interviews, anecdotal feedback and observation, to inform the development of an internal communications strategy. Predicated on the research findings, a comprehensive strategy was developed and executed. Components of which included:
- redesigning the company’s associate magazine;
- a complete overhaul and re-launch of the intranet;
- the introduction of monthly employee gatherings with executives;
- new and enlivened employee recognition programs; and
- a comprehensive managerial communication program.
Result
After one year, longitudinal tracking of employee opinion revealed the following results:
- in response to the survey question of whether they felt “more or less informed about the company’s objectives, financial goals and business direction compared to a year ago,” 81% of associates said they were more informed;
- the majority of associates (61%) rated the usefulness of the information in the redesigned associate magazine 8 or better, on a scale of 1-10; and
- while 48% of associates considered their manager to be the most credible source of information about the company, the second most popular response (41% of associates) chose Internal Communications as most credible.
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Change Management: Transforming the Business of Oil & Gas
Situation
Tom was hired to lead the change management communications for an IT project that would transform the business operations of a global fuel additives company. The project was the consolidation of the company’s seven ERP systems into one SAP software solution. This would require employees to adapt to new processes and procedures, as well as adopt a more global mindset regarding the new singular system.
Action
Tom joined the project mid-course and promptly created a holistic communications strategy aligned with the project’s prevailing development methodology. After conducting a thorough stakeholder analysis and creating an effective message platform, he initiated several vehicles to disseminate the project’s key messages. The communication channels included:
- multiple newsletters targeting the project team, company leadership and all employees;
- a project-specific internal Web site;
- a video available to stream over the Web and provided to HR for new hire orientation;
- a road show presentation that would travel to the company’s nine major sites around the world; and
- PowerPoint presentations customized for various internal audiences.
As part of his global strategy, Tom convened a change network comprised of approximately 50 employees volunteered from all geographies and functional areas of the company. This provided communications with eyes, ears and tactical outreach all through the company. Via the change network and an e-mailbox designated as a receptacle for employee inquiries, the project team could stay abreast of any employee concerns about the project.
Result
A Change Readiness assessment reflected the effectiveness of communications in informing employees with appropriate information, and setting realistic expectations of the company’s post implementation landscape. Employees rated overall project communications as “good” to “very good” with regard to consistency, frequency and credibility of information.