COMM 703-899
Case Study #1
2/19/2023
Unfortunately, the news that our company has decided to undergo an organizational
restructuring has gotten out to our employees. Now that this information is public knowledge, it
is important that we determine a communication plan to handle this situation as effectively as
possible. Seeing as I am only one month into the job and was told during my onboarding process
that the executive team was still finalizing the details of the restructuring, I don’t yet know what
exactly I will be communicating to my directors. Therefore, I will need to communicate with my
CEO before I communicate with my team. Both conversations will have a specific purpose,
message and channel all while considering the context. Although this situation is not ideal, I
believe this is an opportunity to discuss the importance of networks with my CEO and an
opportunity to be authentic and build trust with my directors.
I plan to call my CEO and inform him of the email I received from one of my directors
stating that several of his employees came into his office and told them that they heard the
company plans to layoff employees. I have determined that a call is the best way to communicate
given the urgency of this situation. The purpose of this phone call is twofold: to learn the exact
details of the restructuring so that I may communicate with my department heads and to discuss
the idea of performing a network analysis so that we may prevent this from happening again. The
message is that I need to know what exactly to relay to my directors (who will be affected, when
this will take effect, etc.) and to suggest that we perform a network analysis following the
resolution of this event. I anticipate that the CEO will be less than thrilled to receive this news,
so I am prepared to manage my emotions should he be upset. Given that I am such a new
employee and that we are dealing with a crisis, I will communicate to him that I am aware that it
is bold of me to introduce the idea of a network analysis right now, but that I truly believe it will
help us to handle similar situations in the future. I plan to share with him that network analyses
have shown, “how managers can bring out the strengths in their networks, restructure their
formal organizations to complement the informal, and “rewire” faulty networks to work with
company goals” (Krackhardt and Hanson, 1993). My hope is that my CEO will appreciate my
open communication and leave the conversation with the impression that I care to handle this
situation effectively and efficiently and that I am proactive in proposing ideas to help the
company succeed in the future.
Once I have received the information I need from my CEO, I will first call the director
that informed me of this situation and then set a meeting with all six of my directors. I want to
call the director that informed me and apologize that he had to find out this way as well as thank
him for bringing this to my attention as quickly as he did. I will acknowledge his frustration and
reassure him that he has every right to be frustrated as this is not the way news like this should be
discovered. I will tell him of my plan to call a meeting with all the directors and ask if he has any
other concerns or considerations he would like to discuss before the meeting. I will then schedule
a meeting with all the directors, providing a zoom link for those that cannot attend in person. I
will be highly self aware during this meeting, because I know that, “for leaders who see
themselves as their employees do, their employees tend to have a better relationship with them,
feel more satisfied with them, and see them as more effective in general,” (Eurich, 2018). Given
that I have only worked with my directors for a month and have just started to cultivate my
networks with them, I am still building their trust and can use this as an opportunity to be as
authentic as possible. My directors will most likely be anxious, uncertain and frustrated with this
situation so I will need to be sensitive to the climate and dial down my dominant and open
communication, while dialing up my attentive communication. I will communicate that the
purpose of this meeting is to discuss the company’s decision to layoff employees, to discuss next
steps and to provide a safe place for them to express their questions, comments and concerns.
The message is that due to the changing business and operational environment after COVID-19,
the company has decided that a reduction in force was necessary to safeguard the organization’s
long-term viability. I know that employees value honesty and transparency, which is why I want
to make sure they understand why the company made this decision. I want to foster a high sense
of psychological safety for them by asking them if they are prepared to meet with their respective
departments to share this news and allow space for them to speak freely. My hope is that they
leave the meeting feeling valued, heard and supported.
While this situation was not ideal, it provided the company with valuable insights about
the importance of communication networks and allowed me the opportunity to build trust in my
new role by addressing the issue with self-awareness, self-regulation and self-expression. Before
any communication event, it is crucial to consider your goals, the values and climates of your
audience, what kind of impression you want to leave and how you want to present yourself.
Considering all of these factors will ensure that your message has the most impact. As Professor
Lagasse noted in her lesson two lecture, “authentic communication is the best communication”,
and you want to, “be yourself, but with more skill” (Lagasse, 2023). To be an effective
communicator, you must understand your own values and the values of those with whom you
communicate.
Works Cited
Krackhardt, D., & Hanson, J. (2014, August 1). Informal networks: The company behind the
Chart. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from
https://hbr.org/1993/07/informal-networks-the-company-behind-the-chart
Eurich, T. (2023, January 18). What self-awareness really is (and how to cultivate it). Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-selfawareness-really-is-and-how-to-cultivate-it
Lagasse, L. (2023). Self-Presentation and Impression Management[Powerpoint slides].
https://courses.missouri.edu