We live in a noisy world. Distractions abound. In the workplace, your initiative can be easily drowned out amongst everything else going on that keeps the place running. Not to mention the non-work-related stuff that people fill their attention with the rest of the time.
Give people the opportunity to hear what they actually need to hear, so they can do what needs to be done. To influence change, eliminate noise.
First, eliminate noise in the environment where the change occurs. During meetings or training when you want to keep the focus on the task at hand, close the door. Put up a “Do not disturb” sign. Turn off the office phone ringer. Put the mobile on vibrate. Turn off e-mail notifications. Put away any other workplace distractions that add to the noise.
Then, look at the noise produced by the initiative itself. There is so much information whizzing by, and everything that people don’t need to read, watch or hear is noise. Target your message so the people who need it to hear do, and those who don’t need to hear it aren’t bothered by it. Monitor the other competing messages that are produced by the organization. Can some be put on hold so there is more focus on the initiative? Eliminate all the extra stuff that, bit by bit, hogs the attention span of your audience.
How might you eliminate noise?
Read more of the 99 Ways to Influence Change.
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