Front Line Change Agents

Ground Rules
• E-Free, P-Free, B-Free
• Collaborate as a team
• Everyone contributes
• Invest + Apply = Results
• Applying the learning from this
session is the best thing you can do
for your team and for yourself
Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved (214) 493-8506

With What We Don’t Talk About
• Gossip
• Spreading rumors
• Never criticizing direct reports
publicly
• Using email as a weapon
• Whining and complaining to direct
reports
• “Bad mouthing” your people, your
peers, your boss or executive
management
• Never communicate out of anger


How Trusted Leaders Communicate
Trusted leaders communicate from their people’s
perspective…

• You are the company’s Ambassadors. Every Leader speaks
for the company
• Your behavior communicates more than anything you will
ever say
• Trusted leaders listen before being heard…..80/20
• If you are a leader, It’s not about you!
• A seat at the table is the right of every leader
• A decision is a decision and is supported 100% as the
team’s decision. Passive disagreements, public criticisms or
attempting to reopen past decisions damage trust.


W3’s – Communicating Effectively

• You are AMBASSADORS of the company to your people

• From your employee’s perspective, you ARE the company

• You are an ambassador…
- Act like it, Talk like it, Think like it, Believe it, Live it

• As an ambassador, what three things will you do differently
to communicate more effectively?
- In Behavior
- With Your Time
- In What You Don’t Talk About


Today’s Objectives
• A process for getting and keeping everyone
on the same page during “Big Change”
• Equip you to consistently implement any
“Big Change” effectively as a First Choice
Ambassador
• Clarify your roles and responsibilities in
implementing “Big Change”
• Accelerate our execution of any “Big
Change”

Common Mistakes Leading Big Change
Big Change happens 2 or 3 times a year, not weekly
• No seat at the table
• No sense of urgency
• Relying on “one and done” announcement
• Failure of leaders to model the change they want
• Resistors are created when “Big Change” is
poorly implemented
• Front line managers are last to know
• Leaders behave as if “Big Change” is something
“others” implement


How People Want to Find Out
About Big Change
• 8% of people want to learn from their
union steward
• 15% want to learn from senior
management
• 77% want to learn from their immediate
supervisor
• The rumor mill will always fill the void if
front line managers don’t lead change


Ambassadors are Influencers
• 20% of employees embrace change
• 30% of employees resist change
• 50% can be influenced for or against
• Target the 80% who resist or can be
influenced
• Each ambassador must win this battle
• Look in the mirror – are we creating resistors

What We Know About Big Change

• “Big Change” is emotional
• Most “Big Change” efforts produce
resentment, confusion and fear
• “Big Change” accelerates the rumor mill
• No involvement equals no commitment
• Following a process is NOT communication
• “Big Change” needs to be communicated
face-to-face

What We Know About Big Change
• People want to hear about “Big Change” from
the leader they trust the most….their boss
• Implementing “Big Change” is never trouble free
• One way communication alone is no way to lead
“Big Change”
• There will always be resistors
• Speed is just as important as message
• Expecting “Big Change” to filter down through
the chain of command NEVER works


How People Process Big Change
• Shock
• Denial
• Frustration
• Acceptance
• Try it the new way
• Now I get it!!
• New Normal


How Ambassadors Lead Big Change

• With confidentiality…..no leaks!
• It doesn’t matter what rank you are, all
ambassadors work together to lead “Big
Change”…..there is NO they
• Front line ambassadors are the “point of
the spear” for leading “Big Change”
• Today is about putting a process in place
to lead any “Big Change” as ambassadors


Process for Leading Big Change

• Phase I Big Change Readiness

• Phase II Ambassador Readiness

• Phase III Front Line Communication Plan

• Phase IV Remaining Communication Plan


Phase I: Big Change Readiness

• Executive team identifies a “Big Change” that
must be made
• Project team is selected and given their
objectives and W3s
• Project team executes Seat at the Table process
• Project team makes final recommendation on
the “Big Change” to executive team
• Executive team approves the “Big Change”


Seat at the Table Process
Project Team representative(s) hold
meetings with all ambassadors to…
• Communicate the what and why behind
the change
• Solicit ideas and input
• Solicit potential obstacles
• Identify how this change advances our
mission
• Report this input back to executive team

Phase II: Ambassador Readiness
Top Executive meets with all
ambassadors to equip them with “Big
Change” Communication Plan to
communicate to their direct reports
Big Change Communication Plan
• What • How
• Why • When
• Who • FAQ’s


Phase III: Front Line
Communication Plan Execution
Front line ambassadors are the first to share
their Big Change Communication
Plan…..why?
- It’s the fastest way to outrun the rumor mill
- The majority of our co-workers will quickly
understand how “Big Change” will effect them
- They want to hear how they will be effected
from their immediate supervisor first
- Front Line Ambassadors modeling our core
values makes unions irrelevant

Phase IV: Remaining Ambassadors
Execute Big Change Communication Plan
Remaining ambassadors will communicate
with their direct reports and…
• Proactively follow-up to “sell” the change
• Answer questions
• Be proactive in your availability
• Coach
• W3s
• Monitor effects
• Communicate any problems, issues or adjustments
needed to be made

W-3’s For Leading Change
• Given what I’ve learned today, what are three
things I could have done or not done personally
that would have resulted in a better outcome
regarding recent Big Changes?
• The next time the company makes a “Big
Change” describe your specific role and
responsibilities to ensure execution excellence
• The next time “Big Change” occurs, what
behavioral changes will I make to ensure
enthusiastic buy-in from my people

Front Line Change Agents

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