Communication Strategies

Communication runs rampant in policy development from the empathizing and defining stages through implementation in the policy process and then continues for the full life of the policy as noted below:

• Empathize: the developer engages the employees to define any potential opportunities for policy intervention

• Define: the developer will need to paraphrase and summarize stated concerns ensuring all points of view are accounted for

• Implementation: communicating the right message thoroughly and effectively

• Throughout the continued life of the policy: continued engagement to ensure the policy is adapted to and becomes part of the organizational norm

Tactical Empathy

Tactical empathy is a tool used in conversation to dig deeper into what the speaker is trying to convey. As explained by Chris Voss, tactical empathy is understanding someone without necessarily agreeing with them. In his TEDx Talk, Voss describes it as "...describing, demonstrating, and understanding the needs, interests, and perspectives of your counterpart, without necessarily agreeing." He emphasizes that it is not liking or sympathizing...but understanding.

Six techniques useful in engaging the speaker:

Effective Pauses

• Utilize open-ended questions, then pause, allowing the other to respond

• Avoid filling the silence; allow the other person to speak

Minimal Encouragers

• Use sounds/words to validate to the other person that you are listening (such as "I see", "Yes", "Ah-huh")

Mirroring

• Repeating the speaker's words back to them exactly as they said them to you

Labeling

• Telling people how they are feeling as a means of them knowing you are listening ("You are really angry about that")

• It is ok if you are wrong; this gives the person an opportunity to continue speaking and correct you

Paraphrasing

• Like mirroring but rather than repeating their words back, you rephrase what was said

Summarizing

• Restating what the counterpart has told you as an overview of the conversation

Inflection

Inflection is another tool useful in strategic communication. It is the act of utilizing your voice to convey what you are saying. This is typically used with mirroring. Inflecting your voice up conveys you are asking a question; inflecting down conveys a statement. Both are useful as they encourage the speaker to go on with further details (when inflecting up) or it can provide confirmation to the speaker that you are paying attention (when inflecting down).

Tactical empathy and inflection would be great tools to utilize in the policy process, especially in the “Empathize” stage. This is when developers are meeting with employees and being curious about the issues facing the organization.

Tactical Empathy & Inflection

Mode of Communication

The way the policy is communicated will vary dependent on organizational norms and the details or situation of the new policy. No matter which communication path is chosen, the message must identify the policy and give a summary. Also, all employees must receive a copy of the policy. There are three modes of communicating the policy—in writing, in person, or via email.

In Writing

Providing a new policy to employees in writing is the most common mode of communication. There are advantages and disadvantages to this:

Advantages

· Sends a uniform message to all

· Can be distributed in mass to employees in all locations

· Can serve as legal documentation

· Formalizes and reinforces the message

Disadvantages

· Employees in remote locations or later shifts get notice after others/feel slighted

· Can sound rigid

· Eliminates personal contact and opportunity to ask questions/voice concerns

In Person

Having an opportunity to announce a new policy in person is valuable; however, it can be difficult depending on the size of the organization and the operations.

Advantages

· Gives direct contact with issuer of the policy

· Increases cooperation and decreases resistance

· Opens the opportunity for clarifying questions

Disadvantages

· Meetings can be difficult to coordinate

Via Email

Communicating a new policy via email is becoming a more popular mode of organizational communication. This is a hybrid approach that does allow the receiver to reply with any questions or concerns; yet takes away from the personal contact.