Different levels of the organizational network go through the change curve at different paces. Leaders are the first to know and are excited about the change, so their messages are usually portrayed in a positive light. Middle managers find out next and also go through their change process. The rest of the employees are the last to find out and their reactions are varied. It's important to understand where people are in their change journey to appropriately tailor the messages and avoid alienating or turning them off.
This podcast is Part 3 of a conversation between Madison Lundquist, principal research lead for process and performance management at APQC, and Lynda Braksiek, principal research lead for knowledge management at APQC, about how to drive effective change in organizations. Part 3 covers how to effectively communicate change.