What are the common mistakes when communicating changes during a BPI project?

Lack of clarity in communication during a BPI project can lead to confusion and resistance. When stakeholders don't understand the reasons for change or the expected outcomes, they may be hesitant to support the initiative. This can result in delays, frustration, and ultimately, the failure of the project. To avoid this, it's essential to ensure that all communication is clear, concise, and transparent, addressing any questions or concerns that may arise along the way.

Insufficient frequency of communication can hinder the success of a BPI project. When updates and progress reports are infrequent, stakeholders may feel disconnected from the process and lose interest or engagement. This lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings, delays in decision-making, and missed opportunities for feedback or course correction. To address this, establish regular communication schedules, such as weekly or bi-weekly updates, to keep stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle.

Use less terminology like BPI and use common language that all levels of an organisation will easily understand 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️

Good points. One additional thought is that when we communicate we need to proactively share the “why’ behind the change instead of waiting for others to ask. We should predict what questions are most likely going to be asked and how to prepare for thoughtful responses. Often we get caught up on the “what is changing”, but not why the company has invested in making the change in the first place or how it connects to the longer strategic goals of the company. If you can’t sell the “why”, it will be harder for people to adopt to the change. I also think having someone with excellent communication skills is vital, which is another reason why we hear so much about the importance of leaders having a soft skill like this.

Every communication process requires using appropriate mechanisms for the organization, however, clarifying the objectives, advantages and importance is vital in a BPI project. The messages must reach all areas and the clarity of the message must be verified through spontaneous conversations for example; creating a positive germ in the organization focused on communication and reception, creating healthy behaviors in the organization.

One other thing often ignored is the enterprise maturity level of the organization! While this is often associated with BPR, it also applies to BPI projects. According to Michael Hammer PEMM framework, enterprise maturity measures how well an organization’s leadership, culture, governance, infrastructure, and competencies support its processes. Processes are always about change and your organizational maturity has everything to do with it!