Table of Contents
Situation 1
Goals 2
Information Gathering and Analysis 3
Research Findings 4
Conclusions 6
Swot Analysis 7
Audience Analysis 8
Communication Objectives, Strategies and Tactics 9
Appendix 13
SITUATION Fountainhead
Properties is a property
management company
located in Richmond, VA
with a focus on building
communities, both inside
and out.
Originally,
Fountainhead used Plus
Management, a third-party
management company,
to support its properties
at the ground level.
Recently, Fountainhead
formed a start-up
subsidiary, CoreRVA,
to manage properties
in the up-and-coming
Manchester Warehouse
District.
CoreRVA currently
has a total of 20 staff
members, many of
whom transferred over
from Plus Management
during the transition. Since
its formation, the company
has struggled with high
employee turnover and been
plagued by start-up pains,
leaving employees with an
impression of instability.
GOALSTh is internal communication plan was
created with the intention of helping
CoreRVA meet its primary goals of
stabilizing employee turnover, improving
organizational stability, and building a
solid foundation to become a premier
employer in the Richmond property
management industry.
Success!
2
INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS
METHODOLOGY
- Face-to-face question & answer session with Tara Carter, an independent
consultant responsible for CoreRVA’s operational strategy
- Employee survey designed to explore cultural traits
- Internal communication samples (emails and reports)
- Review of company websites
3
RESEARCH FINDINGS Tara Carter, a consultant from Luxe Properties, is responsible for management of the
operation and is the senior executive in the company. She previously worked full-time at Plus
Management, but now spends two days a week in the CoreRVA offi ce.
Tara mentions that CoreRVA is doing a lot right, such as onboarding and attempting to
acculturate employees through a focus on core values. However, she is not sure if the owners of
the business, who are primarily concerned with the bottom line, have yet bought into the core
values. Th e company appears to lack the guidance of a clear vision and does not operate under
a clear hierarchy for decision-making. Th e company’s owners (from Fountainhead) don’t have
defi ned management roles in the company and oft en sidestep the chain of command. Employees
are unsure whether to report to Tara (who is a consultant and not always on site), management,
or property owners. Tara concludes that these dynamics are one of the highest contributing
factors to employee turnover and job dissatisfaction.
Without the benefi t of a clear vision set by the owners, CoreRVA management set out to recreate
the “employees fi rst” culture that worked well at Plus Management, on the premise that when
the company puts employees fi rst, they will better serve residents and owners. Our employee
survey revealed a disconnect between management’s intent and the employee experience:
• When asked how accurately certain attributes describe the work environment of
CoreRVA, and while many responded positively, employees stated that the
organization could least accurately be described as “employees fi rst.” At the top of
the list were “goal-driven,” “creative,” and “process driven.”
• Employees, on the other hand, noted “teamwork,” “work-life balance,”
“employees fi rst,” and “open lines of communication with management”
as attributes that most contribute to their job satisfaction.
CoreRVA has battled high employee turnover, losing 60% of its employees since start-up.
Further statistical analysis of the employee survey supports our theory that Plus Management
employees have had a more diffi cult time acculturating to CoreRVA than those who did not
come from Plus Management (see Appendix F). In addition to the challenges of assimilating
into a new culture, CoreRVA employees also had to deal with offi ce relocation and the
introduction of new property management soft ware.
4
On the positive side, employees seem to like working at CoreRVA. Th ey like the people they
work with and value teamwork and open communication. Many of them mention feeling
supported by their managers. Good working relationships with teammates and the prospect
of growth characterize what employees like most about their jobs, with employees specifi cally
citing:
• trusting relationships with property managers
• closeness of the staff
• intimate, small business feel
• learning opportunities
• opportunities for advancement
Dislikes include oft en feeling stressed by disorganization, lack of direction, lack of training, low
work/life balance, and the high turnover rate.
Employees cite problems with micromanagement and what is perceived as a sole reliance on
numbers to assess their performance.
Some who are new to the company also mention there being no “push” to succeed or motivation
to move forward.
Employees understand the company’s goals as well as their personal daily priorities, but a need
for a clear hierarchy for decision-making is also noted.
Th e majority of employees prefer face-to-face and email communication, but they also enjoy
telephone and text messaging, and Facebook and memos to a lesser extent.
All three emails in the analysis displayed ineff ective uses of interactivity. Despite the fact that
the emails are facilitating conversations, overall they employ unidirectional communication —
pushing out information rather than facilitating eff ective two-way communication. For this and
the fact that there are disconnects taking place within the emails, in-person meetings may have
served the audiences and situations more eff ectively.
In the fi rst email, the “plan” that Tara is referring to is not clearly apparent. While Tara may be
alluding to an employee plan, the owners may think she is speaking of a marketing plan. Tara is
assertive and employees value her as an advocate. Owners may need to see her take on the role
as a mediator in these instances. When discussing something as signifi cant as a plan, face-to-
face communication may have been more eff ective. Including a dashboard, where the owners
could get quick, easily digestible stats, may also be eff ective.
5
Th e second email lines up monthly closing goals against actual outcomes. Th e Marketing
Manager does not use clear language to specify what she expects from her agents and what
they did wrong. Th e message includes instructions to “review notes and answer any of the
questions,” as well as a vague directive related to increasing appointments. Th ere appears to be a
disconnect between closing goals and outcomes, supported by the statement, “Five & Dime was
discussed with her prior to this week, correct?” Including the question just referenced, many of
the questions in the report read rhetorically and could even be described as passive-aggressive.
Adding to the vagueness, there aren’t any due dates included, though that may have been
established previously outside of email.
Th e fi nal email is a perfect example of “Big C” communication and includes general
information that is needed for the entire team. Th is type of communication helps bring
leaders down to the level of their employees and leaves everyone on the same wavelength.
It congratulates them on the hard work they put in, but could have had more eff ective
interactivity as it does not include any specifi cs where workers can “claim” their work.
Tara’s email signature reads, “Th e highest form of asset management is when we treat
people like an investment and redefi ne development to include human capital. Fuel passion.
Drive performance.” On a similar note, the regional manager’s signature reads, “Redefi ning
Richmond’s living experience through empowered employees, impeccable service, and
immaculate design.” Both signatures do a good job of emphasizing the importance of
passionate and empowered employees.
CONCLUSIONSCoreRVA is doing a lot right. Employees seem to enjoy their jobs and value their coworkers.
It is clear that while employees indicate an understanding of the company’s goals and seem to
have respect for its management and owners, an absence of vision and the lack of hierarchy
hinder productivity. What is not conclusive from our information gathering is exactly what is
creating this dynamic. In most cases, it indicates a lack of leadership or lack of consensus among
leaders of a company.
It appears the owners did not work with management to state a vision or defi ne roles. It is
critical that CoreRVA take eff orts to ensure that all involved parties—owners, management
and employees—are on the same page. If the company wants to truly foster an “employee-fi rst”
culture, it must provide direction and create processes that empower employees to that end.
Our analysis also concludes that the organization could benefi t from incorporating more
interactivity in communication with employees. Utilizing bi/multidirectional communications
can help employees feel valued and heard, feeding into the objective of boosting employee
morale. Giving employees a safe, public space where they can ask questions, get eff ective
feedback, and be praised for their good work is essential for increasing conversational intimacy
and inclusion. 6
• Opportunities for employee advancement
• Positive, intimate, trusting relationships
among staff
• Owners are perceived as caring and
passionate about the work
• Relaxed atmosphere puts employees at ease
• Demonstrated teamwork
• Respect for management
• Perceived opportunties for advancement
• Knowledgeable property managers
• Strong customer relationships
• Excellent sales staff
• Lack of clear vision• Impression that owners and management are not on the same page• Likelihood that Tara is viewed as an interim leader• Employees desire for more of a work/life balance• Lack of preparation for organizational transition• Understaffed• Disorganization • Lack of training• Lack of clear hierarchy in communication and decision-making• Miscommunication of values
• Unidirectional communication
• Lucrative business - Manchester Warehouse
District is up-and-coming
• Flexibility to infuse culture with new ideas and direction
• Products similar to yours in the market are
expensive or of poor quality
• Customers in the market are loyal
• Chance to get CoreRVA’s name out in the future with upcoming projects and
development
• Continuing to operate without a clear vision
and strong leadership• Lots of other property management
companies are developing in Manchester
• Other companies offer two to three times
more vacation days than CoreRVA
• New advertising campaign launched by competitors
• Benefits of other companies are attracting
CoreRVA’s employees
SWOT ANALYSISSWOT, which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Th reats is a planning
method that will enable CoreRVA to navigate and implement a sound strategy for their internal
communications.
Th e analysis below will allow CoreRVA to identify the key areas where the organization was
performing at a high level, as well as areas that need work. By assessing the pros and cons of the
organization, CoreRVA will be able to improve business operations and decision-making.
7
AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
Owners care about the bottom line and prefer easily-digestible
statistics. Unfortunately, their communication eff orts with CoreRVA are
oft en hindered due to an unclear hierarchy and lack of shared corporate
character and vision.
Managers see themselves as balancing employee
empowerment with the bottom line. Th e perception is that they are
mediators. Th ey need to come into alignment with the owners and
facilitate professional interactivity with employees.
Employees love the teamwork-based environment of CoreRVA
and generally feel supported by managers. However, some describe
feeling micromanaged and undervalued. New employees occassionally
feel unequipped and unmotivated, while employees who started at Plus
Management feel more confused than their peers about the hiearchy for
decision-making.
Based on survey results and “5 Leadership-Crippling Habits,” see appendices D, E and G**
8
COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, AND TACTICS
We want owners to...
Objectives
Strategies
Tactics
Achieve alignment on decision-making hierarchy.
Guide the development of CoreRVA’s vision.
Adopt more frequently-planned owner-
management interactions.
Develop a shared understanding of both
organizations’ corporate characters and goals.
Hold monthly meetings with managers.
Produce permanent documents, including an
organizational chart, which is made available to
the entire organization.
Plan a growth and development retreat with
management.9
Strategies Adopt more frequently planned owner-manager interactions.
Meet the owners’ needs through direct, specifi c communication.
Encourage interactive communications with employees through preferred
platforms.
Activate corporate culture in a way that promotes advocacy through
positive reminders and employee anecdotes.
Bidirectionally communicate with employees in a way that produces useful
data.
Engage in strategic networking and media relations with local, regional, and
trade organizations.
10
We want Objectives Achieve alignment on decision-making hierarchy.
Pragmatically communicate with each audience.
Instill CoreRVA’s corporate character into various forms of
communication.
Encourage interactive communication with employees.
Promote CoreRVA as a premier employer.
TacticsHold monthly meetings with owners.
Produce permanent documents, including an organizational chart, which is
made available to the entire organization.
Disseminate meeting fi ndings to employees.
Prioritize “Big C” communication with owners in the form of emails that
contain easily-digestible stattistics which emphasize the bottom line.
Create a static “dashboard” which could be used for regular reference.
Prioritize “little c” communication with employees in the form of face-to-face
interactions and personal emails.
Follow up on Five and Dime (F&D) reports with “little c” communication,
particularly for those who have not performed up to par or who have gone
above and beyond.
Dedicate a section of the organization newsletter to “Corporate Culture in
Action.”
Hold a contest where employees share stories/videos/etc. of how they enacted
corporate character.
Share contest winners and exemplars through email and Facebook.
Organize and share an “Employee of the Month” who enacts corporate
character.
Conduct exit interviews.
Schedule weekly face-to-face check-ins.
Secure a presence at regional real estate fairs and conferences.
Secure a presence at regional job fairs, especially those with real estate and
economic development focuses.
Submit to applicable local, regional, and trade award opportunities.
Publicize awards won in applicable CoreRVA communications such as job
listing descriptions, social media, press releases, etc.
Engage in strategic media relations with local, regional, and trade organizations,
journalists, and bloggers.
Managers to...
11
We want Employees to...
Objectives
Strategies
Tactics
Achieve alignment on decision-making hierarchy.
Embrace professional accountability.
Adopt more frequently-planned manager-
employee interactions.
Interactively discuss tracking reports.
Hold monthly meetings before owner-manager
meetings to develop agenda.
Refer to permanent documents, such as
organizational chart.
Hold personal check-in meetings with
mangement to discuss performance.
Engage in two-way shadowing with management
and other employees.
Complete regular self-assessments.
12
Appendix
13
Appendix A
Email 1
Appendix B
Email 2
Appendix C
Email 3
Appendix D
Select Survey Results
Appendix E
Select Survey Results
Appendix F
Additional statistical Analysis
Data were fi rst recoded so that higher scores indicated stronger agreement.
“N/A” responses were recoded as missing, and missing data were excluded
listwise. Outlier analysis was run and found nothing signifi cant.
A series of independent samples t-tests were conducted, where working
for Plus Management was the independent variable, and “I am informed
of company news in a timely fashion,” “Th ere is a clear hierarchy for
decision making,” and “Management values my opinions” were dependents.
Th e homogeneity of variance assumption was met via Levene’s test, and
statistically signifi cant diff erences (p<.05) were found for three groups.
Bob Flynn is the founder and managing partner of
Bob Flynn, Inc. and an internationally respected
authority on change management, tactical and
strategic selling, sales negotiation, executive
coaching, infl uencing others, personal development
and employee motivation.
1. Absence of clear directives
2. Lack of accountability
3. Rationalizing inferior performance
4. Planning in lieu of action
5. Aversion to risk and change
Appendix g
Bob Flynn’s 5 Leadership-Crippling habits
Th e End