Your Business Coach: Communication is crucial during change process

When: Sharing information too early can lead to revisions, whereas waiting to share information can lead to fear or resistance; therefore communication should be constant and integrated into daily interactions rather than spread out over a few large-scale presentations.

How: Communication can take on many forms; select the one that has the most meaning for your organization in order to achieve the greatest impact for your employees.

Proper planning, strategy and execution can help prevent a breakdown in communication during organizational change. When presented appropriately, to the right people, in the most effective medium, crafted in a manner that is meaningful to the recipient, and presented at the right time, communication can make or break a change initiative.

Your Business Coach is a regular column produced by The Persimmon Group, an Oklahoma-based consulting firm that offers practical, results-oriented advice for business professionals of all disciplines and business owners across industries. This week's column is by Sarah Stephens. She can be reached at sarahstephens@thepersimmongroup.com.