This third digital transformation episode explores how communication can serve as a powerful lever for driving change within organisations. We speak with Florence Baranes Cohen, Marketing & Communications Director for France and Benelux at Accenture—a leading consultancy in digital and, more specifically, technological transformation—and a lecturer in our Executive Master in Communication.

Be the Beacon of Strategic Change

Never before has business transformation been as rapid and multifaceted as it is today, driven by emerging technologies—sometimes to the point of discomfort. In this context, your challenge is twofold: internally, to engage and unite employees; externally, to communicate your company’s vision, strengthen its reputation, and reassure stakeholders. Maintain regular dialogue with senior leadership to align on the strategic challenges of transformation and ensure consistency in messaging, even in the face of disruptive change. This will also help safeguard your credibility.

Craft Clear and Inspiring Narratives

Start by addressing employees’ concerns to ease resistance to change. Your goal is to ensure that everyone, upon hearing your story, feels like an active participant in the transformation. When employees embrace the narrative, they become key drivers of change. A compelling example is Accenture’s new information channel, designed to reduce email overload. Using AI to analyse employees’ roles, seniority, and location, the system filters and prioritises messages, eliminating redundancies. Beyond improving information clarity, communicators also highlighted the tool’s impact on reducing the firm’s carbon footprint.

Embrace Digital, but Keep the Human Touch

Artificial intelligence, automation, and data analytics are revolutionising communication, making messages more relevant, personalised, and measurable in real time. However, if not carefully managed, these tools can also depersonalise communication. To maintain a human and inclusive approach, take the time to refine content, enrich it with your expertise and strategic insight… and infuse it with a distinctively human sensitivity.

Develop Agility, Strengthen Your Skills

Your role requires both proactivity—to align communication with business strategy—and adaptability—to keep pace with technological advancements. Striking this balance is critical to leading a successful and sustainable transformation. It calls for intellectual agility, strategic thinking, leadership skills, and, of course, mastery of change management and communication. These core competencies, central to our Executive Master, will equip you to become a key player in driving transformation!

TO FIND OUT MORE 

• Programmes on Transformations and Societal Challenges