This document outlines four steps to effectively communicate organizational change: 1) Reveal key change champions from all parts of the organization to share information with employees, 2) Set the context for change by explaining why it is occurring and how it relates to goals and strategy, 3) Communicate just in time by providing timely updates on what employees need to do and when, and 4) Celebrate progress and success to acknowledge employee contributions and inspire continued support for the change. The steps are analogous to solving a murder mystery where clues are gradually revealed and success is ultimately recognized.

1. 1 © Davis & Company
Solve the mystery of change communication
How to “kill it” during
your next big change

2. 2 © Davis & Company
Did you ever attend
a murder mystery
dinner where you
had to solve a
fictional murder?
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3. 3 © Davis & Company
Well, like change
communication,
murder mystery dinners
are full of emotions:
excitement (both to eat and
to solve a mystery), confusion
(seriously, who killed who?)
and relief (mystery solved!).
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4. 4 © Davis & Company
And the steps you
take to solve a murder
mystery can also help
you communicate with
employees during a
big change.
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5. 5 © Davis & Company
Communicate
just in time
Here are four steps you can use
to solve the challenges of change
communication:
Reveal the key
change champions
Set the context Celebrate progress
and success

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Reveal the key
change champions
At a murder mystery dinner,
participants are chosen
to play a character. In
change communication, the
characters are change
champions.
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Choose your change champions from
all parts of the organization to learn
about what’s happening and share
key information with employees.
Reveal the key change champions

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Set the context
Just as participants need
a bit of a backstory to solve
the mystery, employees
need to know why change
is occurring.
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Put messages into context and
align them with other strategic
messages by:
• Referencing previous change and/or
the past. Is this something that was done
before, or is it a completely new direction?
• Linking the message to what’s important—
your organization’s goals, values, strategy, etc.
• Explaining what it means for each employee.
Set the context

10. 10 © Davis Company
Communicate just
in time
At a murder mystery dinner,
clues are spread throughout
the night. In change
communication, decisions
are made based on
developments along
the way.
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11. 11 © Davis Company
Provide timely and transparent
communication that focuses on
what employees need to do—and
when they need to do it.
Communicate just in time

12. 12 © Davis Company
Celebrate progress
and success
Once the mystery is solved,
the winners are recognized.
In change communication,
employees also need to be
acknowledged for their
hard work.
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Inspire employees by celebrating
progress as it occurs, paying tribute
to the company’s overall success
and spotlighting employees who
have embraced the change.
Celebrate progress and success

14. To solve your communication challenge,
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