Page 382 - CEO Orientation

6. Technological communication: Given the multi-site realty, leaders will require additional tools
and potentially new technology to communicate remotely (e.g., video conferencing, Skype,
Adobe Connect, etc.) in order to stay connected and address emerging issues in a quick and
effective manner.

Domain #5: Communication: The exchange and flow of information within the
organization that affect the culture and methodologies that are critical during integration

Communication is the one common thread throughout each of the domain categories.

The first casualty of change is often information: As noted earlier, not communicating is communicating
something to employees. Keep in mind that in the absence of communication, employees will fill the
void. This puts the change initiative into a deficit in terms of productive integration change as each
organization will first be forced to dig out of a hole of misinformation, and then re-establish messaging.
As a rule of thumb, a one-week delay in communication during a time of change will cost an
organization a month of weak employee engagement.

Change is about energy, and energy is emotion: A unique characteristic of effective change
communication is that it must reach employees at an emotional rather than an intellectual level.
Consider opportunities to shape the experience of the change, ensuring that the form and content of
communications appeal positively on an emotional plane.

Trust is the currency of change: As in any major organizational change, employees are naturally
suspicious. Trust, as an essential asset, should not be overlooked. To date, trust has been slightly eroded
with employees watching carefully as to what will happen next and how. Leaders must nurture trust
through authentic, honest and transparent communication. Should gaps in trust emerge as a result of
misinformation, immediate corrective steps should be taken. This may mean accepting the vulnerability
of acknowledging an error and committing to restoring confidence.

Recommendations:

1. Start with the “Why:” The biggest pitfall in change communication is a failure to establish the
“why” behind the change. Throughout the assessment, it was clear that most employees did not
understand the rationale for this integration nor the cost benefit.

Communicating the “why” in simple, direct terms is the first essential building block in nurturing
the trust and confidence that this move will benefit both staff and patients. This is critical to
establishing the foundation necessary for building up the resiliency required for employees to
withstand the inevitable road bumps that come with integration change.

2. Conversation through relationships: It was clear that staff-leadership working relationships are
foundational to each hospital’s culture with the organizational change process happening
through conversations, most of which take place informally at all three sites. A change
communications initiative should focus on maximizing opportunities for conversations. This can

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