Five little words

Consistency of communication is essential to a successful transformation. That’s not to say the transformation leader says exactly the same thing to everyone - that couldn’t be further from the truth! I mean that consistency in the leader’s approach and messaging are essential. To this end, I’ve developed five key words that are my vocabulary in every programme:

Why

Key Word One is “why”. Not the four-year-old's persistent question, the statement. Explaining why we are doing this, and what the outcome will be, can never be repeated often enough in transformation. It can be used on a macro level (why the whole organisation needs to do this); and locally, to explain why this will benefit an individual, team or department.

It probably won't literally be the word “why”. I suggest substituting the concept “why” with the key word from your programme objective – e.g. growth, simplification, modernisation, merging, whatever. That’s why we’re undertaking this transformation.

You simply need to select your core concept and repeat it all the time. And yes, that means repeating yourself over and over again, long after you become bored with it all. Remember that you’ve heard yourself say it a thousand times, but it may be the first time for each listener. So you need to be as steadfast and enthusiastic today as you were 17 months ago. And your own private views should never, never show…

You

Next up is the Most Important Word in Advertising: “You”. As in, “What’s in it for you?”   Because after all, most of the people you talk to in your programme, whatever their level of involvement, will believe their personal benefit is the most interesting thing about the project.

Those benefits will vary wildly between audiences and interest groups – what the CFO wants to hear about long-term cost efficiencies bears no resemblance to what the Warehouse Supervisor wants to hear about improved picking-and-packing processes. Yet both benefits are genuine and tangible – and each is extremely attractive to its audience. So tailor your message specifically to fit your audience and always lead with what’s the most valuable programme content for that particular audience member.

Insight

It is essential to listen to everyone within the Programme: and everyone affected by it who wants to make a contribution. The more you listen, the better your offer will fit their needs. And therefore, the more likely they will be to run with it.

However, listening isn’t terribly common in business, so people still tend to get a bit over-excited when they’re truly listened to. They can readily mix up careful listening with total agreement. So when Jane tells you she prefers the screen to be blue, and you nod, Jane is then expecting a blue screen, even if you’re going to make it white, like all the other screens.

People tend to fix this conundrum by not speaking to Jane. If you don’t listen, you can’t accidentally promise. But that misses the point – the point that Jane’s other ideas might be brilliant; and that having her say means Jane feels involved in the transformation.

Consequently, you need the skills for really listening, and showing the person they’ve been heard: but not promising. I struggled for some years to find the right language to express this balance, rejecting the word “feedback” as too trite or corporate; “ideas” as too promise-ish; and “thoughts” as too under-impressed.

I’m currently using the word “insight” to do the job. Telling someone you’re grateful for their insights tells them you have seen their perspective, empathetically. It tells them they were heard and important. It involves them - but doesn’t sound like a promise.

And?

This is the key word for people who come forward with ideas. I use it when they’ve told me their brainwave – specifically, when they tell me “what” but not “why”. If the idea is high quality, they can always give me a good answer to “And?”.

With this question, I’m looking for the idea-generator’s understanding of how their suggestion meets the programme’s objectives. If they can demonstrate that, it stands a strong chance of going further. But if the idea is … just an idea, with no consequences or impact, then “And?” sorts it out nicely.

“…….”

Cheating, this one. It’s not a word; not a sound at all – it’s saying nothing. I find this one immensely useful in all circumstances as a Programme Lead. Because “Lead” does NOT mean “person who talks the most” or “she who has all the ideas”.

Watching and listening, making no comment or judgement, allows people to: develop ideas; disclose their inner motivations; think for themselves; show their workings-out; take responsibility; show you alternative perspectives; be more honest…. And what Lead wouldn’t want all that?