Research has shown that poor communication regarding changes in organizations actually results from good intentions (DiFonzo and Bordia, 1998). That is, managers are often silent about changes only because they do not want to mislead employees by giving out (incomplete) information that may be subject to change. In other words, because we know change is stressful, we tend to avoid saying anything that might increase stress until we are sure about what will take place. But doing so actually has the opposite effect: It increases stress because it promotes greater uncertainty.
To curb the tendency to remain quiet, managers should, “Tell employees what is known. Answer questions that can be answered and explain why others cannot be answered” during system implementation. To minimize users’ negative reaction when information changes (which it inevitably will in a complex project), managers should acknowledge that certainty or uncertainty underlies the information. Giving your best estimate of what you think will happen today, and acknowledging when/why you think it might change will satisfy the short-term need for information, while creating the expectation that things are subject to change.
Authors: Deborah Compeau, Phoebe Tsai
Source: Ivey Business Journal
Subjects: Change Management, Communication, Organizational Behavior
Click to Add the First »