Tips for getting feedback and how to communicate a reorganization How can you tell if you are sending the right message? Actions are subject to mistranslation. How can a CIO get feedback to correct a wrong impression?HAVE A LEADERSHIP QUESTION? See more reader questions and answers from Executive Coach Susan Cramm Symbolic action is about doing things to reinforce your verbal messages and eliminating actions that conflict with what you intend to communicate. It starts with a strong point of view of your strategic opportunities and how you want others to behave. For some leaders, the opportunity is to eliminate conflicting behaviors. In other cases, it’s leading by example. Confidential feedback can identify behaviors that aren’t working, although it’s tough to interpret and identify substitute behaviors without some help. Since you can’t ask those you intend to influence (it sounds feeble to ask, “How should I behave so I get others to do what I want?”), it makes sense to ask a trusted advisor, perhaps someone in human resources, a colleague/friend, or a coach. I will be reorganizing my IT department. What actions can I take to convey the need for this decision? You need to communicate both logically and emotionally. Logic (“Why are we doing this?”) is easier. It can be expressed in traditional forums by sharing the enterprise and IT challenges, alternatives and implications. Emotion (“What about me? “) is trickier. It must address the fundamentals of motivation: equity, achievement, and connection. Equity requires treating others fairly and respectfully. Achievement entails supporting the goals and motivators of others. Connection means making others feel part of a community. For your reorganization, powerful symbolic actions include: communicating individually or in small groups to discuss the reasons for change, ensuring that reductions impact all levels, asking where people want to be in the new organization, providing transition support where needed, and being on the frontlines to listen, empathize, and inspire. Susan Cramm is founder and president of Valuedance, an executive coaching firm in San Clemente, Calif. You can e-mail feedback to mailto:susan@valuedance.com. Related content brandpost ChatGPT and Your Organisation: How to Monitor Usage and Be More Aware of Security Risks By Hayley Salyer Jun 05, 2023 7 mins Chatbots Artificial Intelligence brandpost Who’s paying your data integration tax? Reducing your data integration tax will get you one step closer to value—let’s start today. By Sandrine Ghosh Jun 05, 2023 4 mins Data Management feature 13 essential skills for accelerating digital transformation IT leaders too often find themselves behind on business-critical transformation efforts due to gaps in the technical, leadership, and business skills necessary to execute and drive change. By Stephanie Overby Jun 05, 2023 12 mins Digital Transformation IT Skills tip 3 things CIOs must do now to accurately hit net-zero targets More than a third of the world’s largest companies are making their net-zero targets public, yet nearly all will fail to hit them if they don’t double the pace of emissions reduction by 2030. This puts leading executives, CIOs in particul By Diana Bersohn and Mauricio Bermudez-Neubauer Jun 05, 2023 5 mins CIO Accenture Emerging Technology Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe