This was a presentation given by Ann Pilkington to the APM Wessex branch membership at their AGM event on 13th May 2014. Ann's presentation is about communication in project management - a topic she's recently spoken about at APM's annual conference. Ann Pilkington is a project communication consultant, trainer and author. Her consultancy experience includes major IT enabled change programmes within UK government particularly around the implementation of shared services and ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems. Ann is the author of “Communicating Projects” published by Gower as well as a chapter author in “Exploring Internal Communication” published by Pearson. She also leads on communications for the APM People SIG. As a founding director of PR Academy she has designed a new training programme specifically for project communicators and also teaches across a range of communication qualifications. She blogs at pracademy.co.uk and at communicatingprojects.co.uk

1. Communicating change
Managing communication on change projects
Ann Pilkington

2. Believing in the
power of good
communication to
help projects
succeed
PR and PM: lots to
learn from
eachother……

3. But first, what is communication….?
…the response you get back

4. Passengers must
carry dogs on
escalators
Customer information

6. Is it really this simple?
Shannon and Weaver ‘s linear model of communication from the 1940s

7. MASS MEDIA MASS MEDIA
Isolated individuals
constituting a mass
Opinion
leaders
Individuals in social
contact with an
opinion leader
Hypodermic model Two-step flow model
Smith (2008: 38)

8. “The greatest
problem with
communication is
the assumption
that it has been
accomplished”
George Bernard
Shaw

9. Soft skill?

10. What can we learn from the world of
employee engagement?

11. COMMUNICATION
Engagement
ENGAGING
MANAGERS
Facilitate and
empower.
VOICE views are
sought out;
people see that
opinions count.
INTEGRITY
Behaviour is
consistent with
stated values.
MacLeod and Clarke
(2009)
Engaging for Success
LEADERSHIP
Provides a
strong strategic
narrative.

12. Professional
Timely, clear, accurate,
pertinent, consistent,
sincere, concise,
business-like.
Reinforces believable
values and narrative.
Propaganda
Content is biased
and does not
reflect reality.
Reinforced by
managers who
show commitment
to the project
Informed employee voice
Informed stakeholder voice

13. Advanced
Based on people
feeling well informed in
the first place, face to
face, actions taken as a
result or reasons why
action not taken
provided.
Basic
Surveys,
suggestion
schemes, email
boxes.
Be open to
critical
feedback.
Informed employee voice
Informed stakeholder voice

16. It’s got to be a loop

17. Its not all sell, sell, sell

20. Right stakeholder, right message, right time

21. Right stakeholder, right time

22. Key question number 1: What does that
stakeholder want from the project?
Key question number 2: What does the
project want from the stakeholder?

23. Stakeholders by role
Sponsors
Shapers
Schedulers
Users

24. Messages: keep it stakeholder centred
There may be a number of parts to your project or lots
of projects within your programme, but what matters to
your stakeholder? Build your approach around them
and their role. Ask what it means for a line manager,
HR colleagues and operatives on the shop floor, then
design your communication accordingly.
Top tip: there is no such audience as ‘all employees’
or the ‘general public’.

25. You need a channel strategy

27. Channel objectives
Awareness
Newsletter
Intranet
Understanding
Roadshows
Video conferencing
Support
Training
Involvement
Team meetings
Feedback forums
Commitment
Further team meetings
Problem solving
sessions
Ongoing feedback
Degree of involvement
Degreeofchange
(Quirke )

28. Dealing with ambiguity

29. Adapted from
Harkins, P. 1999
Powerful
Conversations:
How high impact
leaders
communicate.
McGraw Hill
The say-do matrix

31. Tell a joined up story

33. Tell a joined up story
It is likely that your project is just one of a number of change
initiatives happening across your organisation. How are
employees meant to make sense of it all?
Set your project in the context of what else is happening – tell
one joined-up story rather than leave stakeholders to work
out how it all fits together.
For your project team it may be the most important thing in
their world, but employees might have much bigger
concerns.

34. Communication and change:
final thoughts
•Sign post
•‘What does it mean to me’ – NOT what is in it for me
•Tell a joined up story – think story, not messages and bring in the
external environment
•Support managers
•Always do what you say you will do – and if you can’t, explain
why
•Communicate in the right order; plan, plan, plan, by the hour if
necessary

35. Lets put more resource into
professional communication.
It’s a false economy not to!

36. ann.pilkington@pracademy.co.uk
Twitter: @AcademyAnn
@PRAcademy