Interviews

Communication and change management: a winning formula

Assertive communication and change management in business, the winning formula
This week we interviewed Ana María Cardona from Colombia. She is a social communicator, journalist and is also specialised in Human Talent Management and certified in Change Management.

With her we will talk about the importance of applying assertive communication in business management to empower human talent and promote a sustainable transformation of the internal culture.

Welcome, Ana. First of all, we would like you to tell us a bit more about yourself and how you define yourself.

I am passionate about communication and have confirmed that the receiver is becoming more and more relevant to the form. Therefore, I am convinced of the power of two-way communication that allows active listening, promotes interaction, is made with and for people and, in addition, needs to be dynamic and empathetic to have an impact. As a consultant and speaker, I find this triad to be the winning formula: communication, human talent and change management.

How would you define communication?

Communication is the most powerful tool for mobilising people. A message that is close, simple and timely, allows the other person to feel identified, inspires, leads to action.

When is communication assertive?

I would define assertive communication as one that is empathetic, respectful and direct. It is certainly a skill, which is necessary in the workplace. To co-create, the basis is to communicate, interact, connect and that can only be achieved through conversation.

Communicating for what?

It is necessary to communicate to declare a purpose and an aspiration, which we could also call the mission and vision of the company. It also helps us to bring all employees to resonate with that purpose and commit to that goal. This will allow us to align expectations and define objectives to transform the culture. In this way, we will be able to relate better, manage uncertainty, be inclusive and thus manage change.

Speaking of change, what role does communication play in the process of change?

It is a non-negotiable point. Communication is transversal in change management and is present in each of the stages: awareness-raising, support, training and recognition. It is the messages and enabling attitudes that awaken people's desire to change. It is empathetic conversations that calibrate emotions and manage resistance. It is communication that helps us anchor change with strategy.

How could we start with this strategy for change?

We need voices we can trust, for example, in the face of the uncertainty that change can bring. To do this, we must apply active, clear, multi-format and inclusive communication, which captures the attention of those who are impacted by change and keeps them informed, updated, which is reflected in a state of calm..  

For example, we can start by communicating early wins, because this will keep employees motivated, in love with change. To start with a disruptive change process, it is necessary to influence their attitude, their desire to create, to innovate, to surprise, to transform. 

How can we apply disruption in change management?

Today, disruption is a strategic move for companies and this is being understood very well by small and medium-sized companies, because they are rethinking and betting on changes that generate solutions..  

For all this to happen, communication is our main ally, because as we said before, communication is the most powerful tool to mobilise people, to inspire behaviour and to move quickly along the change curve. It may start with denial and resistance to change, but it manages to transform into expectation and excitement, which we could define as openness.

We talked with Ana María Cardona about Communication and Change Management in an interview that you can watch through our channel at YouTube or live at LinkedIn.

 

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