Once the leadership team is aligned, the next challenge is scale:
How do you bring the rest of the organization—and your stakeholders—into the transformation?
Step 5 in our model is to communicate the change and engage stakeholders. That means making the transformation real, relevant, and credible beyond the executive team.
Here’s how we approached it in three different companies.
1. Large Manufacturing Company
We didn’t launch a big campaign. Instead, we went personal.
- Finance leaders talked directly with their business partners about what would change and why
- We shared early wins through controller conferences and informal conversations
- Leaders modeled new behaviors instead of just describing them
It was a “show, don’t tell” approach. Over time, the credibility of our people doing the work carried more weight than any formal message.
2. Mid-Size Electronics Manufacturing Services Company
Here, we needed a structured and sustained communication effort:
- We launched with an all-hands meeting tied to our new vision and values
- Updates were shared weekly through brief, clear notes from me as CEO
- We created forums for feedback and questions—especially during tough changes
The tone mattered as much as the content: always honest, hopeful, and two-way. Communication wasn’t a side activity—it was a leadership priority.
3. Global Internet Payments Company
We focused on:
- Consistent communications on vision, values, operating guidelines and performance
- Clear linkage between strategic goals and functional roles
- A cadence of communication that reinforced direction and celebrated progress
In a siloed company, clarity, consistency, and repetition in communications and actions were essential. People wanted to know: What does this mean for me? We made sure they understood the direction of the company, how they fit in and what they could do to help.
Lessons Learned
- People don’t resist change—they resist confusion.
- You need multiple voices saying the same thing in their own words.
- Trust builds when communication is consistent, transparent, and grounded in action.
Reflection Questions
- Are your messages about the transformation clear, credible, compelling, and consistent?
- Have you created opportunities for dialogue—not just announcements?
- What story is being told by your actions, not just your words?
In At C-Level #16, we’ll dive into Step 6: aligning systems and structures to support the change—so your organization doesn’t snap back to old habits.