At some point in your leadership career, you’re going to have to deliver a message that change is on the way. Even if that feels like positive change to you – like growth or moving to new premises – it won’t feel the same for everyone.
Announcing change can feel daunting. I’ve worked with leaders where they either over or under plan the delivery of difficult messages, as it can be such an uncomfortable feeling for many of them.
Here are four reasons why it helps to plan – but not over plan – to deliver difficult messages
Image: Unsplash, Steve Johnson
1.It isn’t just about saying the words
I’ve worked with leaders who haven’t prepared properly – they’re too busy to join planning meetings and wait to be told what to say, often the day or hours before. They definitely don’t want to stick around to answer questions or follow-up. As a result, it’s clear to those people receiving the message that the leader’s heart’s not in it and, more often than not, their audience switches off.
It may be that leaders feel so uncomfortable with delivering a difficult message that they just don’t want to engage in the process. But remembering that it’s not about you and having respect for your audience matters. So, taking time to prepare and getting involved in the planning yourself, is likely to lead to wider engagement in the change in the long run.
2. Planning helps to prepare for the unexpected
Any change is messy. Although we think we can plan for change or manage it, the emotional aspects of it can create unpredictability. If you can create a plan that helps you carefully consider and test out the words you’re going to use, when you’re going to deliver your messages and get comfortable with the whole thing yourself, then you’re more likely to be prepared to deal with any curve balls that crop up.
3. It’s not just you delivering the message
By making time to plan, you can support the other folk in your organisation who may have to deliver the same message either at the same time or later down the line. You can give them time to work through it themselves too and ask for support if they need it. There is nothing worse than a mis-timed or misplaced word that will scupper your change efforts. They are the things people will remember more than the message you really wanted to share.
4. Getting your structure right
From the minute that people feel they are being unexpectedly asked to make time for an announcement or a discussion, they will be on alert. Their focus will go onto the first thing you say, so that must be your most important message. So, it’s key that you spend time planning the structure of your communications.
Even though communicating difficult messages might feel hard for you as a leader, imagine how it feels for the person who is receiving it.
If you want to help your message land well, engaging in the planning of how you are going to share it will make a positive difference for everyone involved – including you.
If you’re wrangling with the discomfort that change is bringing for you or your team, get in touch.