• Active Business Change
  • The Ascot Barclay Change Management Assessment and Benchmarking Tool
  • Change Leader certification - PITOC
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  • Staff Engagement
  • Communication Strategies
  • Active business change Framework
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Communication Strategies

Communication strategies for success

"It is not the strongest of species that survive, or the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
Charles Darwin, Scientist & Naturalist (1809 - 1882)

Project and programme managers are always under pressure to deliver the business benefits fast. A clear communications plan is not a “nice to have” – it’s vital to keeping everyone focussed on success.

Communications Changing Behaviour

Any seasoned change practitioner or programme director knows the impact of effective communications. Poor communications are often a key element behind failed or ‘stressed’ projects and can be the source of stress and anxiety for all involved. Effective communications on the other hand without doubt is at the heart of a good change and transformation initiative and is core to ensuring improved performance and successful outcomes.

Good communications are both interesting and informative. It is delivered in a manner and style that gets the attention and concentration of the receiver. When team members absorb and accept the information as a credible and workable message they are empowered in their tasks and take positive action. Communications must be consistent, open and honest, give facts and where necessary inspire. In respect to any change programme the need to ensure instructions, risks & issues and progress are delivered in a clear and unambiguous way.

Our Business Change Model

Ascot Barclays ABC Framework is unique in as much as we consider the blendingof strategy, communications, processes, technology, people & leadership as an end-to-end capability. Changing components in isolation is one key reason behind the high rate of failed change programmes across industry- our approach is holistic and designed to work collaboratively across all departments and functions impacted by the required change.

Good communications is, in itself, a significant tool in risk mitigation

Wherever possible communications that support Change initiatives should be made with a blend of verbal and non-verbal media. Critically, internal programme and external client facing communications need to be aligned to ensure consistency and congruency. Communications only work when they are received, understood, accepted and actioned appropriately. Here we are not talking about small insignificant grammatical errors, spelling mistakes or typos we are talking about a level of communication that delivers sometimes profound change in the way an organisation performs, the way that teams interact and the dynamics that mean the difference between success and failure.

Programme Communications must connect with the philosophical and ethical values of the project as well as business deliverables.

Typically in our experience there are four groups of people involved:

1. Programme Directors and Project Leaders – responsible for delivering the messages.

2. Project members – understand what is expected of them and the part they play in the project.

3. Stakeholders – those sponsoring the project need to be kept informed with the right volume and speed of information to meet their needs.

4. Users/Customers/Clients – i.e. those in receipt of the project output and the business, operational or commercial benefits.

"Ascot Barclay take a refreshing approach to delivering profesional consultancy services, one that is based on showing and doing as oppossed to telling and leaving."
T Parker, Britannia

Developing a Communications Strategy for Projects

Ascot Barclay provides a comprehensive service comprising communications consultancy, design and implemenation
of a bespoke communications strategy for your project.

Call NOW to find out how.

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Reducing Bureaucracy In Policing

A report by the former Police Federation chairperson, Jan Berry, on 'Reducing Bureaucracy in Policing' recommends that 'All forces implement a "Systems thinking" sustainable business improvement model'.

Policing has never faced tougher challenges. The level of reform and transformation has driven the need to approach today’s challenges from a new and fresh perspective- try Ascot Barclay’s systems thinking as your solution.

Quality of Service Integrated with Performance Management

Things have changed and continue to change the old traditions that have formed the foundations of operational practice across the service are fast becoming redundant. Silo systems, disjointed departments, ineffective and inefficient processes and technologies all need reviewing from a ‘systems thinking’ holistic organisational wide perspective.

It’s time to turn things on their head and find new ways to deliver more, or at least the same, for less. Maintaining public confidence by pushing more of your budget out to where it matters- on the streets.

Without truly joined-up systems, processes, teams and the skills to deliver transformational change within the confines of a command & control organisational structure it feels like you are running hard to stand still.

We can help, by learning from our change and transformation business experience, our customers have been able to eliminate wasted effort, align expenditure with clearer organisational needs, improve the efficiency of organisational processes and the supporting technologies. They get more IT for less money. They focus their people on shared objectives and enjoy remarkable increases in productivity as they deliver continuous improvements in efficiency and quality.

More Policing With a Reduced Budget

Improve back office efficiency and you can put more police on the streets. As the need to support ineffective and outdated processes and systems diminishes officers are freed up to do what they do best where they are most needed. Sharing services between Forces and agencies is a proven way to save money, but it can be difficult to implement , not least is the challenge of aligning all parties to a single unified strategy that all support. As systems thinkers we know how to do this and we will train, coach & mentor your team to manage the change and the ongoing transformation to ensure success and local level ownership.

Our holistic framework approach

“We engaged a Change Programme Leader from theAscot Barclay Group on a 12 month assignment to manage the transformation and user engagement aspects of an enterprise wide strategic Systems Integration programme. The fresh approach they offered made a significant contribution to the success of the entire programme.”

RB - PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, Metropolitan Police Service

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