\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen people think about change communication, they often think about telling. About sharing a vision, crafting a change story, choosing the right channels. But in practice, something else turns out to be just as decisive: listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my book Change Communication(in Dutch only)<\/em>, I show that listening isn\u2019t a side activity \u2014 it\u2019s the thread running through every phase of change. It helps you understand what\u2019s really going on, give meaning to stories, and build trust. And that, more than anything, determines whether change will truly take root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nTL;DR in short<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nListening is a core skill in change communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Listening plays a role on three levels<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n1. Listening in the change story \u2013 Meaning emerges through Dialogue<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA strong change story doesn\u2019t start with writing \u2014 it starts with listening. Listening to the stories already living inside the organization: what people say about their work, what makes them proud, what worries them. When you know what drives or holds people back, you can communicate more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These existing stories form the soil from which the shared story of change can grow. As a communication professional or leader, you can help connect these stories to the organization\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I write in my book:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA good change story isn\u2019t an endpoint, but a starting point for dialogue. The organization\u2019s story meets the stories of its people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Listening makes the story credible \u2014 not because you tell people what they want to hear, but because you show that the official message is rooted in what already lives among them. In \u201cchange caf\u00e9s,\u201d workshops, or personal conversations, you can collect, mirror, and connect these stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn short: meaning doesn\u2019t come from PowerPoint \u2014 it emerges in the meeting between stories.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Listening in the analysis phase \u2013 Understanding what\u2019s really going on<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nChange starts with understanding. Without listening, you only see the visible layer \u2014 the plans, structures, and charts \u2014 and miss the undercurrent of emotions, motivations, and interests. In the second column of the Change Communication Canvas<\/em>, listening plays the role of diagnostic tool. You listen to discover what meaning people attach to the change, what tensions exist, and where the energy lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat can happen through interviews, dialogue sessions, or channel analysis \u2014 but also through sentiment tracking or comments on intranet posts. Anything that helps you build a realistic picture of how employees experience the change. It\u2019s also useful to explore how things became the way they are<\/em> and what patterns are at play. Context maps and causal diagrams can support this listening process.<\/p>\n\n\n\nListening helps you sketch out the possibilities and constraints of the change. This sketch becomes the foundation for a strategy with clear communication implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cListening builds trust. People can tell when you\u2019re genuinely interested in what moves them.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Listening as an intervention \u2013 Influencing behavior through recognition<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nListening isn\u2019t only preparation \u2014 it is<\/em> an intervention. Models such as CASI and McKinsey\u2019s Influence Model show that behavior doesn\u2019t change by persuasion alone, but through recognition. People need to feel that their voice matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA leader who listens visibly creates psychological safety \u2014 the basis for learning and experimentation. And communication professionals can reinforce that by not only asking for input but also showing what was done it hit. Listening builds trust, and trust makes change possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cListening influences \u2014 not by pushing, but by giving space.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Methods for listening in change communication<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTo gather meaningful insights, it\u2019s best to start with listening sessions<\/em>: open meetings where employees can share how they experience the change and what improvements they see. These sessions create space to explore wishes, expectations, and the language people use. Do they talk about \u201cimproving ROI\u201d or about \u201ccreating shared meaning\u201d? Such conversations reveal both the pain points and the seeds of the change ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\nListening as a connecting skill<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn Change Communication<\/em>, I describe communication as a strategic instrument for setting direction, creating meaning, and influencing behavior. Listening connects those three. It helps you understand direction instead of just broadcasting it.As I often say in my workshops:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cCommunication isn\u2019t what you say \u2014 it\u2019s what the other person hears, and what you do with what you\u2019ve heard.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In closing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Listening isn\u2019t a soft skill \u2014 it\u2019s the quiet power behind successful change. Those who listen hear more than words; they hear what people need to move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Huib Koeleman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Luisteren is een kernvaardigheid in verandercommunicatie.
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