Article 7 – Co-Creation Over Communication
Communication Isn’t the Same as Adoption
Most change plans have a communication strategy. Timelines, talking points, branded templates, leadership messages. The intent is clear: inform early, inform often.
But adoption doesn’t live in information. It lives in ownership.
You can’t communicate people into adopting something they didn’t help shape. You can’t cascade belief. You can’t announce buy-in.
Adoption happens when people recognize their fingerprints on what’s being built - when they can say, “This wasn’t just handed to me. I helped make it.”
Why Co‑Creation Drives Real Commitment
Co-creation isn’t a feel-good tactic. It’s a strategic necessity. Especially when the goal isn’t just implementation, but sustained behavior change.
When people are involved in shaping the change, they bring insight that no steering committee can replicate. They spot blind spots. They surface risks early. They offer language that actually resonates. And when it’s time to adopt, they don’t need to be convinced - they’ve already committed.
The Limits of Top‑Down Messaging
In contrast, most communication strategies rely on a top-down model. Updates come from the project team. Feedback is filtered. Messaging is polished before it’s shared. Questions are anticipated and answered - but rarely invited.
The result? Messages are heard, but not trusted. People smile in meetings, but disengage privately. Leaders wonder why the communication isn’t “landing.” And adoption becomes a chase - not a choice.
Shifting From Broadcasting to Building
Co-creation flips the dynamic. It shifts from broadcasting to building. From telling to listening. From preparing messages to preparing people.
It means involving real users early - not just in testing, but in framing the problem. It means letting go of some control so others can take ownership. It means slowing down in the beginning so things move faster later.
Co‑Creation Creates Trust, Not Just Messages
And yes, it means more complexity. More input. More dialogue. But it also means more trust, more relevance, and more commitment when it matters most.
This isn’t about replacing communication. It’s about transforming it. Turning it from a one-way output into a multi-way process. Not just communicating the change - but co-creating the conditions that make adoption possible.
If adoption is about belief, co-creation is how you earn it.
Think back to a time when you were part of a change. Were you told - or were you invited? And how did that shape your willingness to engage?
Let’s reflect on that.