ABSTRACT
Communication is one of the most important aspects of change management and serves as the foundation for every other change management domain. Often, organizations and their members assume that accurate information is effectively passed from one person to another. However, communication does not “just happen.” Effective communication is a conscious effort that requires constant attention. Historically, communication was largely informal. Prior to 1920, small organizations passed information from one person to another (Baker 2003), typically in face-to-face or written person-to-person formats. As organizations increased in size, communication processes formalized, often following a top-down (for example, from administrators to line staff) mode of transmission (Baker 2003). Today, correctional leaders need to collaborate and coordinate more with internal and external stakeholders to accomplish their mission and to successfully implement change. Box 3.1 reveals what can happen when communication breaks down. Since correctional organizations are no longer closed, secret organizations, they are accountable to many different groups of stakeholders. Effective communication strategies are often individualized undertakings, based on the type and structure of the organization, as well as the goals of organizational leaders.
