Communicate Early: Pre-inform and Notify Team Members

As part 3 of my tips on how to roll-out a new Contract Template as an Expert, the following:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
* The top-down approach does not work
* Team members need to know the critical components for the use of the new Contract Templates: the Why, How, When and Benefits
* Create and follow a strategic communication and follow-up plan (the Communication Plan)
* Step 1 Communication Plan: ‘Identify Relevant Users and Teams’

Now, let’s continue to the next step of the Communication Plan:

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆: 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀

Does the team know that the new Contract Template is final and will be implemented soon?

Before actually sending and rolling out new Contract Templates, create groundwork and buy-in from senior management and each team member to make sure that they will actually use the new Contract Template now it is final.

It is important to provide opportunities to these team members to ask questions, express concerns and offer feedback. In this stage, ask these questions to yourself:
– Are the team members aware that the new Contract Template needs to be used at a certain date?
– Is the new Contract Template clear and does the team (in principle – not everyone will agree from the start) agree and appreciate the new Contract Template?
– Do they know the Why, How, When and Benefits?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀:
* Have honest and open conversations with people that will use the Contract Template every day and with Senior Managers that will lead the relevant teams.
* Send out a pre-announcement e-mail / Slack of the actual intended roll-out date
* Organize meetings to explain the Why, How, When and Benefits of the new Contract Template
* Conduct Training sessions
* Involve key stakeholders in the process like Senior Management and Team Members from all Relevant Departments
* Set expectations and hold people accountable

In summary, by notifying, briefing and pre-informing team members of the upcoming Contract Template, businesses can ensure that everyone is on the same page and that team members are prepared for the upcoming changes. This can help to minimize any confusion or disruptions and increase the likelihood of a successful rollout.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘱 (10) 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘴.