The Great Change

Debate05Mar15

Output from the post lunch

exercise on behaviours that help

organisations embrace change

The Challenge

Each group was asked to identify the behaviours that each

individual can display in order to help organisations

embrace change.

Behaviour was defined as:

• The WORDS you say

• HOW you say them

• FACIAL expressions

• BODY LANGUAGE

Engage/involve early

2-way dialogue – regularly

Acknowledge uncertainty

Communicate even when you don’t have the decisions

– Explain the journey

Balanced overview of benefits/ disbenefits

– And clarity re were they site

– Sell them as challenges

– Make them sound positive

Bring all shareholders in early

Normalise change – recognise that it’s always happening (eg continuous improvement) just that some changes are bigger than others

Make them part of the solution – choices/ solutions

Coach and facilitate decision making vs telling

Acknowledge that it will be uncomfortable

Perception

No Blame Culture

Balance money and emotions

Describe opportunities

Open arms

Confidence

Engagement

– Walk around

– Approachability

Transparency

Dialogue – listen

Do learn do

Respect

Honesty

Loyalty

Creativity

Trusting

Active listening

Purpose clear

Role modelling

Local champions

Smile

Information activities

– Groups

– Team

– Organisation

Humility

Honouring the past – learn fro it

Self awareness and presentation, use of appropriate language

Active listening to people affected by change

Transparency of objectives

Authentic dialogue

Openness to challenge

Consistency of behaviour

Prepare people for change

Authenticity

WIIFM (self-interest)

Open and inclusive environment

Listening

Engagement

Demonstrate how people will be

heard

Try to remove the fear of failure

Change network – ambassadors

Pilots and learning – sharing

successes and benefits

Involvement and contribution

from the beginning

Strong vision/purpose

Recognising needs for support

and training

Relevance – tailored

communication and

engagement

– Pitching to the audience

Feedback (2-way)

Visibility – top level living the

change

Clear roles and responsibilities

Lifecycle change

Allow and encourage innovation

Empathy

Myth busting

“This change destroys what we’re going to do”

– Community

– Refocus discussion

New world paradigm – future stability and growth

“I don’t want to be here”

– Positive exit

“People are disposable”

– Genuine engagement

“We can’t stop doing this”

– Better ways

“They don’t understand more cost saving”

– Explain decision thinking

– Bigger picture

“Job loss”

– Job opportunity

“More work”

– Gain more knowledge

“I like what I do now”

– Brave New World

– Better decision (or at least ok)

“Change weary”

“My views are never listened to”

– Involve others in design

– Communal working on change

“It’s a done deal”

Positive language

Case studies of good examples

Value-add , improve outcomes

– Opportunity, safeguarding

Inclusive engagement

Safe environment for debate

Leadership

– Body language

– Leading by example

Driving right culture and

behaviours

– Aligning performance

management framework

(reward and recognition)

Understanding change

environment ie audience

Clear, understood, shared vision

Honest, credible leadership

– Example and questions

Change capability and capacity

Understand wider stakeholders

ie customers; suppliers

Enabling innovation across the

operational model ie system

processes, organisation

Effective planning

WHAT

Take time to explain – as far as

you can

Recognise and acknowledge

the influence/limits

Change is normal/healthy part

of life

Encourage involvement in the

change

Paint the picture – inspiring

Genuine/authentic –

winners/losers

Carefully crafted communication

– Your role and how you can

get involved

WIFM – Management

Make opportunities visible

OK to be open in raising

concerns/complaints

HOW

F2F where possible – put a face

to the change

All ideas are heard and valued

An inclusive culture

Demonstrate understanding of positives and negatives of the idea

Open and honest

Regular communications

Understanding of individual impact

Hope based communications

– Why are we doing it

Active sponsorship

– Walk the walk and talk the

talk (educate them)

Recognise failure – its ok to fail

but learn from it

Encourage two way

communication

Demonstration learning . . . “we

have learned from . . .”

Involve/understand those

affected and keep going

– What’s in it from them

– Timelines

– Consistent

Uncover ‘unease’ early

Acknowledge negative/hesitant

comments

– Respond to

Involve in ‘the how’

– Business advocates

– Incorporate into culture

– Put the right people on

projects

– Recognise and reward

– Set objectives

Link to personal and group values

Openness and transparency

Safety and trust

Responsiveness

Co-ordination

Role models

Engagement and consistency

Leading by example

Genuine enthusiasm

Evidence WIIFM

Enable co-ownership

Embrace resistance

Be open, listen, EI stuff

Honesty – be fallible

Be accessible – engaged/actively

Be human – be present

Use quick wins to show change is working – and can happen

Inclusive language – jargon free

Address fears - concerns

Objectivity

‘Taking ownership’ and self assurance eg of quality

Tell the truth and explain

Collaborating

Sharing own points of view

Being a ‘critical friend’

Be inclusive

Listening

– Cope with emotions

Understand the impact

– Show humility

Talking about a clear/aligned vision and objectives

– Let others define the way

– See people taking different routes to same end goal

– Variations of management styles/behaviour

Time helps and timing

People awareness

– Emotional responses

– Their values

Be passionate about change

Demonstrate belief

– Believe – honest/open

– Active delivery – energy/body language

– Smile to enforce positive

Listen to what is being said

Engage audience – judge impact of message

Use comparisons, similes, stories, pictures

Be real – acknowledge what is bad

Celebrate passing of ‘old’ problems – history

Be confident – have integrity

Apply real context – their agenda/alignment

Use their language - reflective

Leadership (build trust, remove fear)

– Active communication of plan

Open, authentic, consistency

Clarity of vision

– Active listening/observation

– Change own behaviour

Invest in the change capability

– Time, money

– Demonstration of engagement

Be flexible/adaptable

Align change to incentives

Bespoke messenging, tailored/facilitated 2 way communication – to

help provide positives

Awareness of cultural differences

Timely – time and frequency – communications

Use of change agents/champions

Open and honest communications

Acknowledge history –

– what is done well and keePing

– What is done badly, how going to do better

‘Moving towards’ language

Active listening

– Understand their position

Put yourself in someone else’s position

Tone of voice – how will it be heard?

– Condescending or calming?

Be careful with words and language – now ‘hard sell’

Environment – flexible

Ask people “what do you think?”

Watch – how are people reacting?

– Saying yes but face/eyes saying no

What words resonate with people?

– Respect

Elaborate options and repeat