When managing change in your business, one of the most important things is to effectively communicate the change to your employees (after all the planning is done, that is).

The success of your meeting to announce business change depends not only on the words you deliver, but also the impressions you leave in the minds and hearts of your audience. You want employees to walk away supporting your decisions. Therefore, your presentation must deliver five key messages that create a solid foundation for the weeks and months ahead:

• Message 1: You're committed. By now, most employees have become jaded by quick fixes. It takes more than fancy slides and impassioned words to prove your commitment. You must also specifically tell people what you will do — how you're personally changing your day-to-day work.
• Message 2: You've done a good job of planning. The amount of detail in the implementation plan should leave no doubt about how much time and thought went into your changes.
• Message 3: You respect and value your employees. Managing change has two broad components — the technical and the human sides. In your presentation, don't spend all your time talking about numbers or technical how-to's. Show that you understand what employees might be feeling as they face uncertainty and disruption.
• Message 4: You welcome their input. How you respond to questions is a wonderful opportunity to encourage additional feedback.
• Message 5: You'll keep people informed. Make sure that employees walk away knowing that this meeting isn't a one-time event. They need tangible proof that you have a communication plan to keep then informed.