What to include in an executive change statement
The tips and tactics behind talking from the top.
In our modern world of work, the only major constant is change. When organizations experience big, defining moments, employees expect leaders to step up, say something and ease their minds.
But there’s a careful art to crafting effective leadership statements that resonate with audiences and display leaders as figures capable of guiding their organizations through any sort of tribulation.
The best leadership change statements give audiences the takeaways and guide what’s to come.
A forum guided by transparency
Let’s say your company is undergoing a reorganization. A lot of things could shift during that process, including team structures, headcount, and even the tactics behind recruiting new employees into the fold. But whatever the reason is, executives and communicators should be in lockstep on how to handle the rollout of a change statement.
Steph Lund, CEO of M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment, told Ragan that effective change statements start with a collaborative ideation process between comms and leadership.
“A private forum needs to take place in which comms and leaders discuss the issues at hand, the outcome, the potential consequences surrounding the outcome and troubleshooting what that might then yield,” Lund said. “From there, they need to align on the communications plan regarding timing, the medium of the message, and any necessary follow-ups.”
Clear, transparent statements provide key context on why changes are happening, giving employees clarity on the path forward. Leadership statements should cut right to the details rather than hedging in flowery language.
“State up front what action has taken place, whether it’s a layoff, leadership change, or reorganization,” said Lund. “Determine what context is needed to divulge to staff to support clear communication and transparency and deliver it thoughtfully.”
She added that change statements need to ride the line of balancing empathy and outlining a clear narrative of what’s to come. Every change statement should follow these steps:
- Define the issue at hand up top.
- Address the employee base with empathy.
- Discuss the way forward.
“It’s also important to not lean in too much emotionally,” said Lund. “These are about stating the facts, addressing it with compassion, and then focusing in on the forward-motion plan.”
How executive listening attunes change statements
A well-crafted change statement begins with executives who know their organization and employees inside and out. These are rooted in mission and values, then focused on how they connect to outcomes that will drive the business in a positive direction.
But they’re also sensitive to the needs of employees, and that’s where comms can provide a window into the experience of employees to craft the right words.
Trish Nicolas, vice president of corporate communications at Verint, said that any change statement that’s worth its weight needs language that ties back to the organization’s purpose.
“For executive change statements, it’s all about finding the mission and values and filtering it through the leader’s voice,” she said. “If a healthcare system is changing its structure, it needs to include a piece in the statement about maintaining a focus on providing the best quality care for its patients. The change message needs to be run through the filter of an organization’s mission.”
Hilary Sparrow, employee engagement leader at Amazon, recalled leading comms for a senior gaming executive during the beginning of the #MeToo movement, and how comms helped the executive listen to craft more effective messaging.
“The movement was a reckoning in so many ways, and it was important for this executive to lead with empathy,” Sparrow said.
Her team gathered a group of about 20 senior leaders and held a meeting that went on for hours, discussing the challenges that these women had faced in the industry and how leaders could address the issues.
“The senior executive’s primary role in this situation was to listen,” continued Sparrow, “and his ability to listen and then synthesize what he heard made an incredible difference in how he handled an extremely difficult time.”
It’s critical to have a community vetting the well-considered and strategized executive change statement before it goes out to the employees and the world.
“When writing change statements, I typically lean on a group of executives from varying backgrounds and perspectives to read and edit them,” Sparrow added.
“It’s important to have multiple points of view to reduce ambiguity and misinterpretation. The best executives communicate effectively through transparency and clarity and that carries over to their statements.”
Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.
