5 Communication Tools for Implementing Change That Makes a Difference
If you want your communication to truly support your ambitions, whether it’s implementing a strategy, leading change, driving a project, or sparking a mindset shift, then the way you communicate matters just as much as the plan itself. Maybe even more…
Here are five practical communication tools from my practice that consistently make a difference:
1. Plant a Seed
Instead of dropping a fully formed decision on people (even if that’s where you are), plant a seed: let them know that “something in this direction is coming.” This gives people time to digest the idea, surface objections, and process emotions.
By the time you return with the formal message, the ground is already prepared, and both you and your audience are better positioned for a constructive conversation (Kotter, 1996).
2. Repetition Is Not Just a Buzzword
Repetition isn’t nagging – it’s making a difference.
People adjust and understand at different speeds. Just when you’re getting tired of repeating yourself, someone else may finally be getting on board.
Research on change communication shows that sustained, consistent messaging is one of the strongest predictors of successful implementation (Armenakis & Harris, 2009). True change requires leaders to keep reinforcing the message long after they feel they’ve said it “enough.”
3. Make It Theirs Through Feedback
Change feels easier when people see themselves in it.
That’s why involving others in feedback sessions isn’t just “nice to have” – it creates ownership. Objections surface, improvements get built in, and the result is a stronger, more widely accepted and understood direction.
Social psychology research has long shown that people are more likely to commit to what they’ve helped shape (Lewin, 1947).
4. Keep the Focus Steady
When leaders shift their message too often, it creates noise and erodes trust.
Consistency of focus is critical. Adjustments are natural, but the underlying direction should remain clear, so people know what to align with – and what “good” looks like.
5. Integrate the Message into Everyday Life
Change won’t stick if it’s only mentioned in big speeches.
Integrate the important message into daily routines - team meetings, one-to-one conversations, job descriptions, marketing materials, even recruitment interviews. When the message becomes part of everyday life, it stops being an initiative and starts being “the way we do things” (Rogers, 2003).
Communication is not a side activity to strategy or change – it is the work. These five practices can help you steer change conversations with more clarity, resilience, and impact.
References to resources used in this post
Armenakis, A. A., & Harris, S. G. (2009). Reflections: Our journey in organizational change research and practice. Journal of Change Management, 9(2), 127–142. DOI/link: https://doi.org/10.1080/14697010902879079
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Harvard Business School Press. Also see the article “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail” (Kotter, 1995).
Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in Group Dynamics. Human Relations, 1(1), 5-41.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
