Effectively Sharing Leadership Changes

Change often brings with it some level of anxiety, and this is certainly the case for organizations confronting changes in leadership. This comes as no surprise. While leadership changes can create huge opportunities for organizations, nearly half of them fail. Such fumbles result in enormous missed opportunities.

The good news? A solidly executed plan can steer the odds more in your favor.

Communication needs to be a central part of that plan. Leaders who have made successful transitions know that. So, how did they do it? They used the approaches below to increase employee engagement, reduce attrition, and help their organizations achieve performance goals.

Be transparent

This is no time for smoke and mirrors. Stakeholders - employees, investors, and/or customers - will be looking for answers. And simply serving up “spin” can cause lasting damage of trust with your core constituencies.

To maintain stability and reduce unnecessary anxiety, it is critical that your organization be transparent about change. Did your CEO retire without a permanent replacement? Illustrate what the search process for a new leader will look like. Executive malfeasance? Acknowledge issues and commit to change. Bottom line: spell out what steps are being taken to ensure organizational continuity and, if possible, highlight the positive impact a new, named leader stands to usher in.

Need a better reason to talk through this change? 94% of consumers prefer brands that practice transparency. And when they don't get it, they look for it through third-party sources. Simply put: if you don't tell your own story, someone else will fill the void.

Articulate the “why” behind the leadership change

As much as possible, highlight the “why” behind the leadership change. In some cases, it might make sense to congratulate a leader on a new role. With more complicated or contentious departures, the focus could be placed on market trends or the organization’s core values. In either case, communicating why change is happening shows that the organization is under control and will alleviate undue stress.

Allow stakeholders insight into the decision-making process. Anticipate that stakeholders will have both logistical questions about the change, as well as emotional responses. As you help them understand the intended impact on the future of the company, meet them armed with both facts and empathy. This will assist them in digesting the new information and also begin building a critical foundation of trust.

Engage with employees

Let’s be honest: some employees are going to quit when the boss leaves. They might be fearful of the heir apparent, unwilling to accept coming changes or start thinking that the time is right for them to seek greener pastures as well. It’s critical to ensure that such departures don’t morph into a mass exodus that negatively impacts the business.

Create a plan of action to engage with employees in the days and weeks following a change announcement. Reinforce your core values, goals, and progress. Arm managers with talking points or discussion guides. Remember: each touchpoint with the members of your organization is an important building block for success.

Keeping employees engaged and informed will ensure your business or organization stays on track. According to Gartner, informed employees outperform peers by 77%.

Look toward the future

Communications should focus on opportunities in the future and the company’s positive outlook in the long term. Employees will be more apt to stay engaged and connected when they feel they are on a winning team. Celebrate the successes as they occur and shine a light when you see employees or activities that are aligned with the new vision for the company.

Regardless of your particular lot, remember this: silence speaks volumes. When there is a dearth of communication or direction coming from leadership, stakeholders will create their own narratives, which can pose a plethora of problems. That’s bad news for bettering the odds of your organization’s leadership change.

We know successful leaders have a plan. When they’re new to their roles, we just need to make sure that plan includes communications too.