Homegrown process improvement employing a change message model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for the employee‐led development of a planned organizational change. Design/methodology/approach – The authors, as action researchers, aid a large public sector organization through the diagnosis and planning of an organizational change. The data were collected via mixed method web‐based surveys, while the change development and implementation planning leveraged change‐cynical opinion leaders from within the organization to develop the focal change. Findings – Communication and participation transformed the cynics into change agents. Furthermore, the described technique can help organizations develop a sense of self‐reliance with regards to problem‐solving capabilities. Originality/value – While the importance of communication is well‐known, this effort used change communication as an a priori tool in the development of a planned change. This method enabled team members to focus on helping their peers accept the change in addition to meeting operational requirements. Furthermore, using change cynics as the principal participants in the change development enabled the organization to garner support from its toughest critics.