Communication Management During Organizational Change
This paper examines the role of communication management in organizational change, drawing on key frameworks from Heathfield, Kotter, Flock, and others. It identifies four critical components of effective communication, outlines personality-based communication styles, and explores how credible, multi-channel messaging can drive successful change. Through a practical example involving NCR's 2005 CEO transition and a cautionary case study of a multinational banking conglomerate (CorpA), the paper illustrates both successful and problematic communication practices. The paper concludes by advocating for a strategic communication vision that prioritizes transparency, active listening, and trust-building throughout every phase of organizational change.
- Introduction: The Importance of Communication in Change: Why communication is critical during organizational change
- Theoretical Frameworks for Effective Communication: Four personality types and communication plan elements
- Communicative Practice in Organizational Change: Kotter, Flock, and credible communication strategies
- Communicative Problems and Failures: CorpA case study of secrecy and mistrust
- Suggested Praxis Changes for Better Communication: Strategic vision and trust as pillars of change communication
- Conclusion: Summary of communication lessons and recommended approach
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What makes this paper effective
- It integrates multiple scholarly frameworks (Heathfield, Kotter, Flock, Ni) to build a layered argument about effective communication during change.
- It balances theoretical content with concrete real-world examples — the NCR CEO transition and the CorpA secrecy case study — illustrating both successful and failed communication strategies.
- The paper is organized around a clear three-part structure (practice, problematic, praxis), which guides the reader logically from theory to failure to recommended improvement.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively uses contrast as an analytical device. By juxtaposing a positive example (NCR's stakeholder engagement during leadership change) with a negative example (CorpA's communication blackout during consolidation), it reinforces its central argument that transparency and trust are non-negotiable in organizational change communication. This comparative approach strengthens the paper's persuasive force without requiring the author to make unsupported claims.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a literature-backed introduction establishing why communication is critical during change. It then defines key theoretical constructs, including Ni's four personality types and Heathfield's communication components. The bulk of the argument is developed across three labeled sections: communicative practice (what works), communicative problematic (what fails), and suggested praxis change (what should be done). The bibliography supports all claims with a mix of books, journal articles, and practitioner sources.
Introduction: The Importance of Communication in Change
Communication management in organizations — and most specifically in the organizational change environment — is critically important. Heathfield's work entitled "Communication in Change Management" states that it is impossible to "over-communicate when you are asking your organization to change" (2011, p. 1). According to Heathfield, there are four critical components of effective communication:
(1) The person sending the message must ensure that the message is presented clearly and with great detail, that it be perceived as containing integrity, and that it be authentic.
(2) The individual receiving the message must make the decision to listen, ask questions to ensure clarity, and ultimately trust the message's sender.
(3) The method of delivery must be chosen as appropriate for the context and for the needs of both the sender and receiver.
(4) The message content must resonate and connect with the pre-formed beliefs of the individual receiving the message (Heathfield, 2011, p. 1).
A well-designed organizational change management communication plan should contain the following elements: (1) consistent and frequent communication through multiple channels; (2) complete and timely reporting; (3) time provided for questioning and clarifying information, with input allowed; and (4) clear communication of the vision, mission, and objectives of the organizational change (Heathfield, 2011, p. 1).
An example of positive communications in organizational change is the case of NCR and its 2005 change in CEOs. Six key lessons were learned during this leadership transition, including the critical need to communicate the vision with as many stakeholders as possible. Stakeholders are stated to include "employers, customers, analysts, investors, the community, and the media" (Huf, nd, p. 8). Engagement of employees is stated to keep those employees "focused on their work," which enables the ongoing execution of the plan, the provision of quality goods and services, and which serves to keep all shareholders satisfied throughout the process.
Theoretical Frameworks for Effective Communication
The work of Preston Ni (2007), entitled "Communication Success with Four Personality Types," reports that there are four personality types when it comes to communication: (1) Relater-Supporter; (2) Initiator-Cheerleader; (3) Analyzer-Investigator; and (4) Driver-Leader (Ni, 2007, p. 5). The dominant traits of each communication personality type are as follows:
(1) Relater-Supporters — tend to be nice, supportive, nurturing, and friendly.
(2) Initiator-Cheerleaders — tend to be energetic, motivating, persuasive, and fun.
(3) Analyzer-Investigators — tend to be detail-oriented, task-driven, analytical, and matter-of-fact.
(4) Driver-Leaders — tend to be powerful, achievement-conscious, control-oriented, and productive (Ni, 2007, p. 6).
Understanding these personality types is essential for crafting communication that reaches diverse audiences within an organization. Tailoring messages to account for these differences increases the likelihood that information will be received, trusted, and acted upon during periods of change.
Bibliography
Albrecht, Karl G. The Northbound Train. New York: AMACOM, 1994.
Blake, R. and Mouton, J. Corporate Excellence Through Grid Organizational Development. Houston: Gulf Publishing Co., 1968.
Cohen, Eli and Tichy, Noel. "How Leaders Develop Leaders." Training and Development, May 1997, pp. 58–73.
DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (1998). A tale of two corporations: Managing uncertainty during organizational change. Human Resources Management, 37, 295–303.
Flock, K. (2008). Communication in organizational change. Retrieved from
Heathfield, S. M. (2011). Communication in change management. Retrieved from
Huf, A. (nd). Organizational development and change — communication. Retrieved from http://hdunlimited.net/Paper%20PDFs/Organizational%20Development%20and%20Change%20-%20Communication.pdf
Kilman, Ralph. Managing Beyond the Quick Fix. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989.
Kotter, John P. Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1996.
Miller, Edward. "Shock Waves from the Communications Revolution." In The Organization of the Future, edited by Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M., and Beckhard, R. The Drucker Foundation.
Ni, P. (2007). Communication success with four personality types. Retrieved from http://www.nipreston.com/publications/excerpts/personalitytypes.pdf
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