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