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Welcome to Changemaker stories from LOCAL - an ongoing series of personal interviews with leaders driving change across every industry and discipline. Because change shouldn’t mean going it alone.
This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Willson Overend, a dynamic professional whose career spans marketing, consulting, communications, change management, transformation, and talent development. Willson shared her insights on the importance of showing up, the evolving landscape of internal communications, and even gave us a glimpse of her favorite Atlanta café.
I didn't start out with a formal “change” title. Even though I’ve focused a good deal on change across my career, I don't think I've ever had “change” in my title. I grew up in marketing and communications but transitioned to HR officially only a few years ago as I’ve always prioritized and been focused on employees.
Big business transformations can’t succeed without cultures that support them. Even if your business transformation isn’t about employees, you have to focus on people and bring them through the change intentionally.
Managing change is a daily task. It’s certainly daily - and at times can be hourly! It’s about staying attuned to employees’ changing needs and being ready to pivot quickly using tools like Slack.
Remember the golden rule. Bringing people along doesn’t have to be complicated or perfect. At the end of the day it’s about treating people the way you want to be treated, especially during times of change. If you’re genuine and honest, people recognize that and trust what you’re telling them.
Communicate often and show up, even if your message isn’t perfect. During times of significant change there can be a temptation to hold off on communicating until you have every detail locked down. And in many situations that can take a while. I’ve learned that simply being responsive can go a long way even if you don’t have the answer. Share what you know and what you don’t. Take questions, and if you don’t have an answer, say so. If you wait for everything to be perfect, you can risk losing your people’s trust.
Don’t be afraid to stand up and say, “I don't know that yet, but trust me, we're working on it.”
At the beginning of a change, you need a clear and simple “why”. If you can’t quickly explain why you’re doing something and what’s in it for each key audience (especially employees), the change is unlikely to succeed.
It’s worth investing the time to get your “why” right. Ensure all leaders are aligned and are communicating the same message. Without consistency, people will either make up their own answers or turn to speculation.
Internal Communication has evolved to nearly an ‘always on’ environment. Companies on Slack, Yammer and similar platforms are engaged in constant conversation on a myriad of topics. While this may seem daunting, it’s actually a great way to listen and understand the pulse of the organization, especially during a big change. And it’s vital for comms and HR teams to stay engaged and responsive.
A sign that change communication is working is when your people acknowledge what you’re putting out. They may say, “Well, that wasn't an easy message, but I appreciate that they showed up and shared it.”
Senior leaders don’t always need to be the primary voices driving change. Managers often have remarkable instincts and influence. I’ve seen great examples of manager communities in Slack, for example, where they can self-serve, share insights, and support each other without always needing senior leadership or HR’s involvement.
Modern tools make it easier to measure the impact of communications. I like getting a pulse on the audience before and after change announcements or events. Things like short pulse surveys can help get a great read on pain points and whether or not the communications are working. Seeing a measurable increase in understanding of a change validates our efforts.
In an always-on environment, agility in communications is essential. For example, if someone posts something in Slack that sparks questions and comments, it may be best to quickly pull together an FAQ for leaders or even hold a Q&A session to provide clarity. It’s all about being ready to adjust in real time.
A Changemaker I admire is Shane Parrish. Shane heads up Farnam Street and he puts out a weekly newsletter and the Knowledge Project podcast, where he shares how “history’s greatest thinkers and today’s most accomplished leaders make decisions, solve problems, and achieve extraordinary results.” He’s a brilliant changemaker!
In Atlanta, one of my favorite spots is Star Provisions. I love its sense of community. The food is amazing, the coffee is great, and I always end up talking with people that I don't think I would have ever met otherwise.
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